Re: [patch 4/4] dm-writecache: use new API for flushing

[Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>]

On Tue, May 22 2018 at  3:27pm -0400,
Dan Williams <dan.j.williams@intel.com> wrote:

> On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 12:19 PM, Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com> wrote:
> > On Tue, May 22 2018 at  3:00pm -0400,
> > Dan Williams <dan.j.williams@intel.com> wrote:
> >
> >> On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 11:41 AM, Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com> wrote:
> >> > On Tue, May 22 2018 at  2:39am -0400,
> >> > Christoph Hellwig <hch@infradead.org> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Sat, May 19, 2018 at 07:25:07AM +0200, Mikulas Patocka wrote:
> >> >> > Use new API for flushing persistent memory.
> >> >>
> >> >> The sentence doesnt make much sense.  'A new API', 'A better
> >> >> abstraction' maybe?
> >> >>
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The problem is this:
> >> >> > * on X86-64, non-temporal stores have the best performance
> >> >> > * ARM64 doesn't have non-temporal stores, so we must flush cache. We
> >> >> >   should flush cache as late as possible, because it performs better this
> >> >> >   way.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > We introduce functions pmem_memcpy, pmem_flush and pmem_commit. To commit
> >> >> > data persistently, all three functions must be called.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > The macro pmem_assign may be used instead of pmem_memcpy. pmem_assign
> >> >> > (unlike pmem_memcpy) guarantees that 8-byte values are written atomically.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > On X86, pmem_memcpy is memcpy_flushcache, pmem_flush is empty and
> >> >> > pmem_commit is wmb.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > On ARM64, pmem_memcpy is memcpy, pmem_flush is arch_wb_cache_pmem and
> >> >> > pmem_commit is empty.
> >> >>
> >> >> All these should be provided by the pmem layer, and be properly
> >> >> documented.  And be sorted before adding your new target that uses
> >> >> them.
> >> >
> >> > I don't see that as a hard requirement.  Mikulas did the work to figure
> >> > out what is more optimal on x86_64 vs amd64.  It makes a difference for
> >> > his target and that is sufficient to carry it locally until/when it is
> >> > either elevated to pmem.
> >> >
> >> > We cannot even get x86 and swait maintainers to reply to repeat requests
> >> > for review.  Stacking up further deps on pmem isn't high on my list.
> >> >
> >>
> >> Except I'm being responsive.
> >
> > Except you're looking to immediately punt to linux-arm-kernel ;)
> 
> Well, I'm not, not really. I'm saying drop ARM support, it's not ready.
> 
> >
> >> I agree with Christoph that we should
> >> build pmem helpers at an architecture level and not per-driver. Let's
> >> make this driver depend on ARCH_HAS_PMEM_API and require ARM to catch
> >> up to x86 in this space. We already have PowerPC enabling PMEM API, so
> >> I don't see an unreasonable barrier to ask the same of ARM. This patch
> >> is not even cc'd to linux-arm-kernel. Has the subject been broached
> >> with them?
> >
> > No idea.  Not by me.
> >
> > The thing is, I'm no expert in pmem.  You are.  Coordinating the change
> > with ARM et al feels unnecessarily limiting and quicky moves outside my
> > control.
> >
> > Serious question: Why can't this code land in this dm-writecache target
> > and then be lifted (or obsoleted)?
> 
> Because we already have an API, and we don't want to promote local
> solutions to global problems, or carry  unnecessary technical debt.
> 
> >
> > But if you think it worthwhile to force ARM to step up then fine.  That
> > does limit the availability of using writecache on ARM while they get
> > the PMEM API together.
> >
> > I'll do whatever you want.. just put the smack down and tell me how it
> > is ;)
> 
> I'd say just control the variables you can control. Drop the ARM
> support if you want to move forward and propose extensions / updates
> to the pmem api for x86 and I'll help push those since I was involved
> in pushing the x86 pmem api in the first instance. That way you don't
> need to touch this driver as new archs add their pmem api enabling.

Looking at Mikulas' wrapper API that you and hch are calling into
question:

For ARM it is using arch/arm64/mm/flush.c:arch_wb_cache_pmem().
(And ARM does seem to be providing CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_PMEM_API.)

Whereas x86_64 is using memcpy_flushcache() as provided by
CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_UACCESS_FLUSHCACHE.
(Yet ARM does provide arch/arm64/lib/uaccess_flushcache.c:memcpy_flushcache)

Just seems this isn't purely about ARM lacking on an API level (given on
x86_64 Mikulas isn't only using CONFIG_ARCH_HAS_PMEM_API).

Seems this is more to do with x86_64 having efficient Non-temporal
stores?

Anyway, I'm still trying to appreciate the details here before I can
make any forward progress.

Mike
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