[PATCH v2] clocksource: Defer override invalidation unless clock is unstable

[PATCH v2] clocksource: Defer override invalidation unless clock is unstable

[Kyle Walker]

Clocksources don't get the VALID_FOR_HRES flag until they have been
checked by a watchdog. However, when using an override, the
clocksource_select logic will clear the override value if the
clocksource is not marked VALID_FOR_HRES during that inititial check.
When using the boot arguments clocksource=<foo>, this selection can
run before the watchdog, and can cause the override to be incorrectly
cleared.

To address this condition, the override_name is only invalidated for
unstable clocksources. Otherwise, the override is left intact until after
the watchdog has validated the clocksource as stable/unstable.

Signed-off-by: Kyle Walker <kwalker@redhat.com>
Cc: John Stultz <john.stultz@linaro.org>
Cc: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Cc: Martin Schwidefsky <schwidefsky@de.ibm.com>
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
---

Notes:
    Changes from v1:
    * Altered changelog description, many thanks to John Stultz for the assist!

 kernel/time/clocksource.c | 15 ++++++++++++---
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/time/clocksource.c b/kernel/time/clocksource.c
index 56ece14..4c1bb2a 100644
--- a/kernel/time/clocksource.c
+++ b/kernel/time/clocksource.c
@@ -600,9 +600,18 @@ static void __clocksource_select(bool skipcur)
 		 */
 		if (!(cs->flags & CLOCK_SOURCE_VALID_FOR_HRES) && oneshot) {
 			/* Override clocksource cannot be used. */
-			pr_warn("Override clocksource %s is not HRT compatible - cannot switch while in HRT/NOHZ mode\n",
-				cs->name);
-			override_name[0] = 0;
+			if (cs->flags & CLOCK_SOURCE_UNSTABLE) {
+				pr_warn("Override clocksource %s is unstable and not HRT compatible - cannot switch while in HRT/NOHZ mode\n",
+					cs->name);
+				override_name[0] = 0;
+			} else {
+				/*
+				 * The override cannot be currently verified.
+				 * Deferring to let the watchdog check.
+				 */
+				pr_info("Override clocksource %s is not currently HRT compatible - deferring\n",
+					cs->name);
+			}
 		} else
 			/* Override clocksource can be used. */
 			best = cs;
-- 
2.5.5

Re: [PATCH v2] clocksource: Defer override invalidation unless clock is unstable

[John Stultz]

On Sat, Aug 6, 2016 at 9:07 AM, Kyle Walker <kwalker@redhat.com> wrote:
> Clocksources don't get the VALID_FOR_HRES flag until they have been
> checked by a watchdog. However, when using an override, the
> clocksource_select logic will clear the override value if the
> clocksource is not marked VALID_FOR_HRES during that inititial check.
> When using the boot arguments clocksource=<foo>, this selection can
> run before the watchdog, and can cause the override to be incorrectly
> cleared.
>
> To address this condition, the override_name is only invalidated for
> unstable clocksources. Otherwise, the override is left intact until after
> the watchdog has validated the clocksource as stable/unstable.
>
> Signed-off-by: Kyle Walker <kwalker@redhat.com>

Queued for testing and targeting 4.9

thanks
-john