Re: [PATCH v6 2/7] fs: add infrastructure for multigrain timestamps

Jeff Layton
2023-08-02T20:56:34Z

On Wed, 2023-08-02 at 21:35 +0200, Jan Kara wrote:
> On Tue 25-07-23 10:58:15, Jeff Layton wrote:
> > The VFS always uses coarse-grained timestamps when updating the ctime
> > and mtime after a change. This has the benefit of allowing filesystems
> > to optimize away a lot metadata updates, down to around 1 per jiffy,
> > even when a file is under heavy writes.
> >
> > Unfortunately, this has always been an issue when we're exporting via
> > NFSv3, which relies on timestamps to validate caches. A lot of changes
> > can happen in a jiffy, so timestamps aren't sufficient to help the
> > client decide to invalidate the cache. Even with NFSv4, a lot of
> > exported filesystems don't properly support a change attribute and are
> > subject to the same problems with timestamp granularity. Other
> > applications have similar issues with timestamps (e.g backup
> > applications).
> >
> > If we were to always use fine-grained timestamps, that would improve the
> > situation, but that becomes rather expensive, as the underlying
> > filesystem would have to log a lot more metadata updates.
> >
> > What we need is a way to only use fine-grained timestamps when they are
> > being actively queried.
> >
> > POSIX generally mandates that when the the mtime changes, the ctime must
> > also change. The kernel always stores normalized ctime values, so only
> > the first 30 bits of the tv_nsec field are ever used.
> >
> > Use the 31st bit of the ctime tv_nsec field to indicate that something
> > has queried the inode for the mtime or ctime. When this flag is set,
> > on the next mtime or ctime update, the kernel will fetch a fine-grained
> > timestamp instead of the usual coarse-grained one.
> >
> > Filesytems can opt into this behavior by setting the FS_MGTIME flag in
> > the fstype. Filesystems that don't set this flag will continue to use
> > coarse-grained timestamps.
> >
> > Later patches will convert individual filesystems to use the new
> > infrastructure.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Jeff Layton <jlayton@kernel.org>
> > ---
> > fs/inode.c | 98 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
> > fs/stat.c | 41 +++++++++++++++++++++--
> > include/linux/fs.h | 45 +++++++++++++++++++++++--
> > 3 files changed, 151 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)
> >
> > diff --git a/fs/inode.c b/fs/inode.c
> > index d4ab92233062..369621e7faf5 100644
> > --- a/fs/inode.c
> > +++ b/fs/inode.c
> > @@ -1919,6 +1919,21 @@ int inode_update_time(struct inode *inode, struct timespec64 *time, int flags)
> > }
> > EXPORT_SYMBOL(inode_update_time);
> >
> > +/**
> > + * current_coarse_time - Return FS time
> > + * @inode: inode.
> > + *
> > + * Return the current coarse-grained time truncated to the time
> > + * granularity supported by the fs.
> > + */
> > +static struct timespec64 current_coarse_time(struct inode *inode)
> > +{
> > + struct timespec64 now;
> > +
> > + ktime_get_coarse_real_ts64(&now);
> > + return timestamp_truncate(now, inode);
> > +}
> > +
> > /**
> > * atime_needs_update - update the access time
> > * @path: the &struct path to update
> > @@ -1952,7 +1967,7 @@ bool atime_needs_update(const struct path *path, struct inode *inode)
> > if ((mnt->mnt_flags & MNT_NODIRATIME) && S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode))
> > return false;
> >
> > - now = current_time(inode);
> > + now = current_coarse_time(inode);
> >
> > if (!relatime_need_update(mnt, inode, now))
> > return false;
> > @@ -1986,7 +2001,7 @@ void touch_atime(const struct path *path)
> > * We may also fail on filesystems that have the ability to make parts
> > * of the fs read only, e.g. subvolumes in Btrfs.
> > */
> > - now = current_time(inode);
> > + now = current_coarse_time(inode);
> > inode_update_time(inode, &now, S_ATIME);
> > __mnt_drop_write(mnt);
> > skip_update:
>
> There are also calls in fs/smb/client/file.c:cifs_readpage_worker() and in
> fs/ocfs2/file.c:ocfs2_update_inode_atime() that should probably use
> current_coarse_time() to avoid needless querying of fine grained
> timestamps. But see below...
>

Technically, they already devolve to current_coarse_time anyway, but
changing them would allow them to skip the fstype flag check, but I like
your idea below better anyway.

> > @@ -2072,6 +2087,56 @@ int file_remove_privs(struct file *file)
> > }
> > EXPORT_SYMBOL(file_remove_privs);
> >
> > +/**
> > + * current_mgtime - Return FS time (possibly fine-grained)
> > + * @inode: inode.
> > + *
> > + * Return the current time truncated to the time granularity supported by
> > + * the fs, as suitable for a ctime/mtime change. If the ctime is flagged
> > + * as having been QUERIED, get a fine-grained timestamp.
> > + */
> > +static struct timespec64 current_mgtime(struct inode *inode)
> > +{
> > + struct timespec64 now;
> > + atomic_long_t *pnsec = (atomic_long_t *)&inode->__i_ctime.tv_nsec;
> > + long nsec = atomic_long_read(pnsec);
> > +
> > + if (nsec & I_CTIME_QUERIED) {
> > + ktime_get_real_ts64(&now);
> > + } else {
> > + struct timespec64 ctime;
> > +
> > + ktime_get_coarse_real_ts64(&now);
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * If we've recently fetched a fine-grained timestamp
> > + * then the coarse-grained one may still be earlier than the
> > + * existing one. Just keep the existing ctime if so.
> > + */
> > + ctime = inode_get_ctime(inode);
> > + if (timespec64_compare(&ctime, &now) > 0)
> > + now = ctime;
> > + }
> > +
> > + return timestamp_truncate(now, inode);
> > +}
> > +
> > +/**
> > + * current_time - Return timestamp suitable for ctime update
> > + * @inode: inode to eventually be updated
> > + *
> > + * Return the current time, which is usually coarse-grained but may be fine
> > + * grained if the filesystem uses multigrain timestamps and the existing
> > + * ctime was queried since the last update.
> > + */
> > +struct timespec64 current_time(struct inode *inode)
> > +{
> > + if (is_mgtime(inode))
> > + return current_mgtime(inode);
> > + return current_coarse_time(inode);
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(current_time);
> > +
>
> So if you modify current_time() to handle multigrain timestamps the code
> will be still racy. In particular fill_mg_cmtime() can race with
> inode_set_ctime_current() like:
>
> fill_mg_cmtime() inode_set_ctime_current()
> stat->mtime = inode->i_mtime;
> stat->ctime.tv_sec = inode->__i_ctime.tv_sec;
> now = current_time();
> /* fetches coarse
> * grained timestamp */
> stat->ctime.tv_nsec = atomic_long_fetch_or(I_CTIME_QUERIED, pnsec) &
> ~I_CTIME_QUERIED;
> inode_set_ctime(inode, now.tv_sec, now.tv_nsec);
>
> and the information about a need for finegrained timestamp update gets
> lost. So what I'd propose is to leave current_time() alone (just always
> reporting coarse grained timestamps) and put all the magic into
> inode_set_ctime_current() only. There we need something like:
>
> struct timespec64 inode_set_ctime_current(struct inode *inode)
> {
> ... variables ...
>
> nsec = READ_ONCE(inode->__i_ctime.tv_nsec);
> if (!(nsec & I_CTIME_QUERIED)) {
> now = current_time(inode);
>
> if (!is_gmtime(inode)) {
> inode_set_ctime_to_ts(inode, now);
> } else {
> /*
> * If we've recently fetched a fine-grained
> * timestamp then the coarse-grained one may still
> * be earlier than the existing one. Just keep the
> * existing ctime if so.
> */
> ctime = inode_get_ctime(inode);
> if (timespec64_compare(&ctime, &now) > 0)
> now = ctime;
>
> /*
> * Ctime updates are generally protected by inode
> * lock but we could have raced with setting of
> * I_CTIME_QUERIED flag.
> */
> if (cmpxchg(&inode->__i_ctime.tv_nsec, nsec,
> now.tv_nsec) != nsec)
> goto fine_grained;
> inode->__i_ctime.tv_sec = now.tv_sec;
> }
> return now;
> }
> fine_grained:
> ktime_get_real_ts64(&now);
> inode_set_ctime_to_ts(inode, now);
>
> return now;
> }
>
> Honza
>

This is a great idea. I'll rework the series along the lines you
suggest. That also answers my earlier question to Christian:

I'll just resend the whole series (it's not very big anyway), and I'll
include the fill_mg_cmtime prototype change.

Cheers,

> > static int inode_needs_update_time(struct inode *inode, struct timespec64 *now)
> > {
> > int sync_it = 0;
> > @@ -2480,37 +2545,12 @@ struct timespec64 timestamp_truncate(struct timespec64 t, struct inode *inode)
> > }
> > EXPORT_SYMBOL(timestamp_truncate);
> >
> > -/**
> > - * current_time - Return FS time
> > - * @inode: inode.
> > - *
> > - * Return the current time truncated to the time granularity supported by
> > - * the fs.
> > - *
> > - * Note that inode and inode->sb cannot be NULL.
> > - * Otherwise, the function warns and returns time without truncation.
> > - */
> > -struct timespec64 current_time(struct inode *inode)
> > -{
> > - struct timespec64 now;
> > -
> > - ktime_get_coarse_real_ts64(&now);
> > -
> > - if (unlikely(!inode->i_sb)) {
> > - WARN(1, "current_time() called with uninitialized super_block in the inode");
> > - return now;
> > - }
> > -
> > - return timestamp_truncate(now, inode);
> > -}
> > -EXPORT_SYMBOL(current_time);
> > -
> > /**
> > * inode_set_ctime_current - set the ctime to current_time
> > * @inode: inode
> > *
> > - * Set the inode->i_ctime to the current value for the inode. Returns
> > - * the current value that was assigned to i_ctime.
> > + * Set the inode->__i_ctime to the current value for the inode. Returns
> > + * the current value that was assigned to __i_ctime.
> > */
> > struct timespec64 inode_set_ctime_current(struct inode *inode)
> > {
> > diff --git a/fs/stat.c b/fs/stat.c
> > index 062f311b5386..51effd1c2bc2 100644
> > --- a/fs/stat.c
> > +++ b/fs/stat.c
> > @@ -26,6 +26,37 @@
> > #include "internal.h"
> > #include "mount.h"
> >
> > +/**
> > + * fill_mg_cmtime - Fill in the mtime and ctime and flag ctime as QUERIED
> > + * @request_mask: STATX_* values requested
> > + * @inode: inode from which to grab the c/mtime
> > + * @stat: where to store the resulting values
> > + *
> > + * Given @inode, grab the ctime and mtime out if it and store the result
> > + * in @stat. When fetching the value, flag it as queried so the next write
> > + * will use a fine-grained timestamp.
> > + */
> > +void fill_mg_cmtime(u32 request_mask, struct inode *inode, struct kstat *stat)
> > +{
> > + atomic_long_t *pnsec = (atomic_long_t *)&inode->__i_ctime.tv_nsec;
> > +
> > + /* If neither time was requested, then don't report them */
> > + if (!(request_mask & (STATX_CTIME|STATX_MTIME))) {
> > + stat->result_mask &= ~(STATX_CTIME|STATX_MTIME);
> > + return;
> > + }
> > +
> > + stat->mtime = inode->i_mtime;
> > + stat->ctime.tv_sec = inode->__i_ctime.tv_sec;
> > + /*
> > + * Atomically set the QUERIED flag and fetch the new value with
> > + * the flag masked off.
> > + */
> > + stat->ctime.tv_nsec = atomic_long_fetch_or(I_CTIME_QUERIED, pnsec) &
> > + ~I_CTIME_QUERIED;
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(fill_mg_cmtime);
> > +
> > /**
> > * generic_fillattr - Fill in the basic attributes from the inode struct
> > * @idmap: idmap of the mount the inode was found from
> > @@ -58,8 +89,14 @@ void generic_fillattr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, u32 request_mask,
> > stat->rdev = inode->i_rdev;
> > stat->size = i_size_read(inode);
> > stat->atime = inode->i_atime;
> > - stat->mtime = inode->i_mtime;
> > - stat->ctime = inode_get_ctime(inode);
> > +
> > + if (is_mgtime(inode)) {
> > + fill_mg_cmtime(request_mask, inode, stat);
> > + } else {
> > + stat->mtime = inode->i_mtime;
> > + stat->ctime = inode_get_ctime(inode);
> > + }
> > +
> > stat->blksize = i_blocksize(inode);
> > stat->blocks = inode->i_blocks;
> >
> > diff --git a/include/linux/fs.h b/include/linux/fs.h
> > index 42d1434cc427..a0bdbefbf293 100644
> > --- a/include/linux/fs.h
> > +++ b/include/linux/fs.h
> > @@ -1477,15 +1477,43 @@ static inline bool fsuidgid_has_mapping(struct super_block *sb,
> > struct timespec64 current_time(struct inode *inode);
> > struct timespec64 inode_set_ctime_current(struct inode *inode);
> >
> > +/*
> > + * Multigrain timestamps
> > + *
> > + * Conditionally use fine-grained ctime and mtime timestamps when there
> > + * are users actively observing them via getattr. The primary use-case
> > + * for this is NFS clients that use the ctime to distinguish between
> > + * different states of the file, and that are often fooled by multiple
> > + * operations that occur in the same coarse-grained timer tick.
> > + *
> > + * The kernel always keeps normalized struct timespec64 values in the ctime,
> > + * which means that only the first 30 bits of the value are used. Use the
> > + * 31st bit of the ctime's tv_nsec field as a flag to indicate that the value
> > + * has been queried since it was last updated.
> > + */
> > +#define I_CTIME_QUERIED (1L<<30)
> > +
> > /**
> > * inode_get_ctime - fetch the current ctime from the inode
> > * @inode: inode from which to fetch ctime
> > *
> > - * Grab the current ctime from the inode and return it.
> > + * Grab the current ctime tv_nsec field from the inode, mask off the
> > + * I_CTIME_QUERIED flag and return it. This is mostly intended for use by
> > + * internal consumers of the ctime that aren't concerned with ensuring a
> > + * fine-grained update on the next change (e.g. when preparing to store
> > + * the value in the backing store for later retrieval).
> > + *
> > + * This is safe to call regardless of whether the underlying filesystem
> > + * is using multigrain timestamps.
> > */
> > static inline struct timespec64 inode_get_ctime(const struct inode *inode)
> > {
> > - return inode->__i_ctime;
> > + struct timespec64 ctime;
> > +
> > + ctime.tv_sec = inode->__i_ctime.tv_sec;
> > + ctime.tv_nsec = inode->__i_ctime.tv_nsec & ~I_CTIME_QUERIED;
> > +
> > + return ctime;
> > }
> >
> > /**
> > @@ -2261,6 +2289,7 @@ struct file_system_type {
> > #define FS_USERNS_MOUNT 8 /* Can be mounted by userns root */
> > #define FS_DISALLOW_NOTIFY_PERM 16 /* Disable fanotify permission events */
> > #define FS_ALLOW_IDMAP 32 /* FS has been updated to handle vfs idmappings. */
> > +#define FS_MGTIME 64 /* FS uses multigrain timestamps */
> > #define FS_RENAME_DOES_D_MOVE 32768 /* FS will handle d_move() during rename() internally. */
> > int (*init_fs_context)(struct fs_context *);
> > const struct fs_parameter_spec *parameters;
> > @@ -2284,6 +2313,17 @@ struct file_system_type {
> >
> > #define MODULE_ALIAS_FS(NAME) MODULE_ALIAS("fs-" NAME)
> >
> > +/**
> > + * is_mgtime: is this inode using multigrain timestamps
> > + * @inode: inode to test for multigrain timestamps
> > + *
> > + * Return true if the inode uses multigrain timestamps, false otherwise.
> > + */
> > +static inline bool is_mgtime(const struct inode *inode)
> > +{
> > + return inode->i_sb->s_type->fs_flags & FS_MGTIME;
> > +}
> > +
> > extern struct dentry *mount_bdev(struct file_system_type *fs_type,
> > int flags, const char *dev_name, void *data,
> > int (*fill_super)(struct super_block *, void *, int));
> > @@ -2919,6 +2959,7 @@ extern void page_put_link(void *);
> > extern int page_symlink(struct inode *inode, const char *symname, int len);
> > extern const struct inode_operations page_symlink_inode_operations;
> > extern void kfree_link(void *);
> > +void fill_mg_cmtime(u32 request_mask, struct inode *inode, struct kstat *stat);
> > void generic_fillattr(struct mnt_idmap *, u32, struct inode *, struct kstat *);
> > void generic_fill_statx_attr(struct inode *inode, struct kstat *stat);
> > extern int vfs_getattr_nosec(const struct path *, struct kstat *, u32, unsigned int);
> >
> > --
> > 2.41.0
> >

--
Jeff Layton <jlayton@kernel.org>