[RFC PATCHv4 1/3] nvme-multipath: introduce delayed removal of the multipath head node

Nilay Shroff
2025-05-09T20:27:36Z

Currently, the multipath head node of an NVMe disk is removed
immediately as soon as all paths of the disk are removed. However,
this can cause issues in scenarios where:

- The disk hot-removal followed by re-addition.
- Transient PCIe link failures that trigger re-enumeration,
temporarily removing and then restoring the disk.

In these cases, removing the head node prematurely may lead to a head
disk node name change upon re-addition, requiring applications to
reopen their handles if they were performing I/O during the failure.

To address this, introduce a delayed removal mechanism of head disk
node. During transient failure, instead of immediate removal of head
disk node, the system waits for a configurable timeout, allowing the
disk to recover.

During transient disk failure, if application sends any IO then we
queue it instead of failing such IO immediately. If the disk comes back
online within the timeout, the queued IOs are resubmitted to the disk
ensuring seamless operation. In case disk couldn't recover from the
failure then queued IOs are failed to its completion and application
receives the error.

So this way, if disk comes back online within the configured period,
the head node remains unchanged, ensuring uninterrupted workloads
without requiring applications to reopen device handles.

A new sysfs attribute, named "delayed_removal_secs" is added under head
disk blkdev for user who wish to configure time for the delayed removal
of head disk node. The default value of this attribute is set to zero
second ensuring no behavior change unless explicitly configured.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-nvme/Y9oGTKCFlOscbPc2@infradead.org/
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-nvme/Y+1aKcQgbskA2tra@kbusch-mbp.dhcp.thefacebook.com/
Suggested-by: Keith Busch <kbusch@kernel.org>
Suggested-by: Christoph Hellwig <hch@infradead.org>
[nilay: reworked based on the original idea/POC from Christoph and Keith]
Signed-off-by: Nilay Shroff <nilay@linux.ibm.com>
---
drivers/nvme/host/core.c | 8 ++-
drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c | 130 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++---
drivers/nvme/host/nvme.h | 16 ++++-
drivers/nvme/host/sysfs.c | 7 ++
4 files changed, 147 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index a8444d1e8398..0b7139d0ea9f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -3743,7 +3743,7 @@ static struct nvme_ns_head *nvme_find_ns_head(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl,
*/
if (h->ns_id != nsid || !nvme_is_unique_nsid(ctrl, h))
continue;
- if (!list_empty(&h->list) && nvme_tryget_ns_head(h))
+ if (nvme_tryget_ns_head(h))
return h;
}

@@ -3987,7 +3987,8 @@ static int nvme_init_ns_head(struct nvme_ns *ns, struct nvme_ns_info *info)
}
} else {
ret = -EINVAL;
- if (!info->is_shared || !head->shared) {
+ if ((!info->is_shared || !head->shared) &&
+ !list_empty(&head->list)) {
dev_err(ctrl->device,
"Duplicate unshared namespace %d\n",
info->nsid);
@@ -4191,7 +4192,8 @@ static void nvme_ns_remove(struct nvme_ns *ns)
mutex_lock(&ns->ctrl->subsys->lock);
list_del_rcu(&ns->siblings);
if (list_empty(&ns->head->list)) {
- list_del_init(&ns->head->entry);
+ if (!nvme_mpath_queue_if_no_path(ns->head))
+ list_del_init(&ns->head->entry);
last_path = true;
}
mutex_unlock(&ns->ctrl->subsys->lock);
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c b/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
index 250f3da67cc9..2db326d6114f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
@@ -442,7 +442,17 @@ static bool nvme_available_path(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
break;
}
}
- return false;
+
+ /*
+ * If "head->delayed_removal_secs" is configured (i.e., non-zero), do
+ * not immediately fail I/O. Instead, requeue the I/O for the configured
+ * duration, anticipating that if there's a transient link failure then
+ * it may recover within this time window. This parameter is exported to
+ * userspace via sysfs, and its default value is zero. It is internally
+ * mapped to NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH. When delayed_removal_secs is
+ * non-zero, this flag is set to true. When zero, the flag is cleared.
+ */
+ return nvme_mpath_queue_if_no_path(head);
}

static void nvme_ns_head_submit_bio(struct bio *bio)
@@ -617,6 +627,40 @@ static void nvme_requeue_work(struct work_struct *work)
}
}

+static void nvme_remove_head(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
+{
+ if (test_and_clear_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE, &head->flags)) {
+ /*
+ * requeue I/O after NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE has been cleared
+ * to allow multipath to fail all I/O.
+ */
+ kblockd_schedule_work(&head->requeue_work);
+
+ nvme_cdev_del(&head->cdev, &head->cdev_device);
+ synchronize_srcu(&head->srcu);
+ del_gendisk(head->disk);
+ nvme_put_ns_head(head);
+ }
+}
+
+static void nvme_remove_head_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+ struct nvme_ns_head *head = container_of(to_delayed_work(work),
+ struct nvme_ns_head, remove_work);
+ bool shutdown = false;
+
+ mutex_lock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ if (list_empty(&head->list)) {
+ list_del_init(&head->entry);
+ shutdown = true;
+ }
+ mutex_unlock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ if (shutdown)
+ nvme_remove_head(head);
+
+ module_put(THIS_MODULE);
+}
+
int nvme_mpath_alloc_disk(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_ns_head *head)
{
struct queue_limits lim;
@@ -626,6 +670,8 @@ int nvme_mpath_alloc_disk(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_ns_head *head)
spin_lock_init(&head->requeue_lock);
INIT_WORK(&head->requeue_work, nvme_requeue_work);
INIT_WORK(&head->partition_scan_work, nvme_partition_scan_work);
+ INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&head->remove_work, nvme_remove_head_work);
+ head->delayed_removal_secs = 0;

/*
* Add a multipath node if the subsystems supports multiple controllers.
@@ -659,6 +705,7 @@ int nvme_mpath_alloc_disk(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_ns_head *head)
set_bit(GD_SUPPRESS_PART_SCAN, &head->disk->state);
sprintf(head->disk->disk_name, "nvme%dn%d",
ctrl->subsys->instance, head->instance);
+ nvme_tryget_ns_head(head);
return 0;
}

@@ -1015,6 +1062,49 @@ static ssize_t numa_nodes_show(struct device *dev, struct device_attribute *attr
}
DEVICE_ATTR_RO(numa_nodes);

+static ssize_t delayed_removal_secs_show(struct device *dev,
+ struct device_attribute *attr, char *buf)
+{
+ struct gendisk *disk = dev_to_disk(dev);
+ struct nvme_ns_head *head = disk->private_data;
+ int ret;
+
+ mutex_lock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ ret = sysfs_emit(buf, "%u\n", head->delayed_removal_secs);
+ mutex_unlock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ return ret;
+}
+
+static ssize_t delayed_removal_secs_store(struct device *dev,
+ struct device_attribute *attr, const char *buf, size_t count)
+{
+ struct gendisk *disk = dev_to_disk(dev);
+ struct nvme_ns_head *head = disk->private_data;
+ unsigned int sec;
+ int ret;
+
+ ret = kstrtouint(buf, 0, &sec);
+ if (ret < 0)
+ return ret;
+
+ mutex_lock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ head->delayed_removal_secs = sec;
+ if (sec)
+ set_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH, &head->flags);
+ else
+ clear_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH, &head->flags);
+ mutex_unlock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ /*
+ * Ensure that update to NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH is seen
+ * by its reader.
+ */
+ synchronize_srcu(&head->srcu);
+
+ return count;
+}
+
+DEVICE_ATTR_RW(delayed_removal_secs);
+
static int nvme_lookup_ana_group_desc(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl,
struct nvme_ana_group_desc *desc, void *data)
{
@@ -1138,18 +1228,38 @@ void nvme_mpath_add_disk(struct nvme_ns *ns, __le32 anagrpid)

void nvme_mpath_shutdown_disk(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
{
- if (!head->disk)
- return;
- if (test_and_clear_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE, &head->flags)) {
- nvme_cdev_del(&head->cdev, &head->cdev_device);
+ bool shutdown = false;
+
+ mutex_lock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ /*
+ * We are called when all paths have been removed, and at that point
+ * head->list is expected to be empty. However, nvme_remove_ns() and
+ * nvme_init_ns_head() can run concurrently and so if head->delayed_
+ * removal_secs is configured, it is possible that by the time we reach
+ * this point, head->list may no longer be empty. Therefore, we recheck
+ * head->list here. If it is no longer empty then we skip enqueuing the
+ * delayed head removal work.
+ */
+ if (!list_empty(&head->list))
+ goto out;
+
+ if (head->delayed_removal_secs) {
/*
- * requeue I/O after NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE has been cleared
- * to allow multipath to fail all I/O.
+ * Ensure that no one could remove this module while the head
+ * remove work is pending.
*/
- synchronize_srcu(&head->srcu);
- kblockd_schedule_work(&head->requeue_work);
- del_gendisk(head->disk);
+ if (!try_module_get(THIS_MODULE))
+ goto out;
+ queue_delayed_work(nvme_wq, &head->remove_work,
+ head->delayed_removal_secs * HZ);
+ } else {
+ list_del_init(&head->entry);
+ shutdown = true;
}
+out:
+ mutex_unlock(&head->subsys->lock);
+ if (shutdown)
+ nvme_remove_head(head);
}

void nvme_mpath_remove_disk(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/nvme.h b/drivers/nvme/host/nvme.h
index 7aad581271c7..f20076f6f06a 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/nvme.h
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/nvme.h
@@ -506,7 +506,10 @@ struct nvme_ns_head {
struct work_struct partition_scan_work;
struct mutex lock;
unsigned long flags;
-#define NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE 0
+ struct delayed_work remove_work;
+ unsigned int delayed_removal_secs;
+#define NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE 0
+#define NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH 1
struct nvme_ns __rcu *current_path[];
#endif
};
@@ -989,12 +992,19 @@ extern struct device_attribute dev_attr_ana_grpid;
extern struct device_attribute dev_attr_ana_state;
extern struct device_attribute dev_attr_queue_depth;
extern struct device_attribute dev_attr_numa_nodes;
+extern struct device_attribute dev_attr_delayed_removal_secs;
extern struct device_attribute subsys_attr_iopolicy;

static inline bool nvme_disk_is_ns_head(struct gendisk *disk)
{
return disk->fops == &nvme_ns_head_ops;
}
+static inline bool nvme_mpath_queue_if_no_path(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
+{
+ if (test_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_QUEUE_IF_NO_PATH, &head->flags))
+ return true;
+ return false;
+}
#else
#define multipath false
static inline bool nvme_ctrl_use_ana(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
@@ -1082,6 +1092,10 @@ static inline bool nvme_disk_is_ns_head(struct gendisk *disk)
{
return false;
}
+static inline bool nvme_mpath_queue_if_no_path(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
+{
+ return false;
+}
#endif /* CONFIG_NVME_MULTIPATH */

int nvme_ns_get_unique_id(struct nvme_ns *ns, u8 id[16],
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/sysfs.c b/drivers/nvme/host/sysfs.c
index 6d31226f7a4f..a48d30c31d51 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/sysfs.c
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ static struct attribute *nvme_ns_attrs[] = {
&dev_attr_ana_state.attr,
&dev_attr_queue_depth.attr,
&dev_attr_numa_nodes.attr,
+ &dev_attr_delayed_removal_secs.attr,
#endif
&dev_attr_io_passthru_err_log_enabled.attr,
NULL,
@@ -296,6 +297,12 @@ static umode_t nvme_ns_attrs_are_visible(struct kobject *kobj,
if (nvme_disk_is_ns_head(dev_to_disk(dev)))
return 0;
}
+ if (a == &dev_attr_delayed_removal_secs.attr) {
+ struct gendisk *disk = dev_to_disk(dev);
+
+ if (!nvme_disk_is_ns_head(disk))
+ return 0;
+ }
#endif
return a->mode;
}
--
2.49.0