[tip:core/locking] futexes: Document multiprocessor ordering guarantees

tip-bot for Thomas Gleixner
2014-01-13T15:53:42Z

Commit-ID: 99b60ce69734dfeda58c6184a326b9475ce1dba3
Gitweb: http://git.kernel.org/tip/99b60ce69734dfeda58c6184a326b9475ce1dba3
Author: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
AuthorDate: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 15:31:24 -0800
Committer: Ingo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org>
CommitDate: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:45:19 +0100

futexes: Document multiprocessor ordering guarantees

That's essential, if you want to hack on futexes.

Reviewed-by: Darren Hart <dvhart@linux.intel.com>
Reviewed-by: Peter Zijlstra <peterz@infradead.org>
Reviewed-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@linux.vnet.ibm.com>
Signed-off-by: Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Davidlohr Bueso <davidlohr@hp.com>
Cc: Mike Galbraith <efault@gmx.de>
Cc: Jeff Mahoney <jeffm@suse.com>
Cc: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Cc: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
Cc: Scott Norton <scott.norton@hp.com>
Cc: Tom Vaden <tom.vaden@hp.com>
Cc: Aswin Chandramouleeswaran <aswin@hp.com>
Cc: Waiman Long <Waiman.Long@hp.com>
Cc: Jason Low <jason.low2@hp.com>
Cc: Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>
Link: http://lkml.kernel.org/r/1389569486-25487-4-git-send-email-davidlohr@hp.com
Signed-off-by: Ingo Molnar <mingo@kernel.org>
---
kernel/futex.c | 57 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 57 insertions(+)

diff --git a/kernel/futex.c b/kernel/futex.c
index 577481d..fcc6850 100644
--- a/kernel/futex.c
+++ b/kernel/futex.c
@@ -69,6 +69,63 @@

#include "locking/rtmutex_common.h"

+/*
+ * Basic futex operation and ordering guarantees:
+ *
+ * The waiter reads the futex value in user space and calls
+ * futex_wait(). This function computes the hash bucket and acquires
+ * the hash bucket lock. After that it reads the futex user space value
+ * again and verifies that the data has not changed. If it has not
+ * changed it enqueues itself into the hash bucket, releases the hash
+ * bucket lock and schedules.
+ *
+ * The waker side modifies the user space value of the futex and calls
+ * futex_wake(). This functions computes the hash bucket and acquires
+ * the hash bucket lock. Then it looks for waiters on that futex in the
+ * hash bucket and wakes them.
+ *
+ * Note that the spin_lock serializes waiters and wakers, so that the
+ * following scenario is avoided:
+ *
+ * CPU 0 CPU 1
+ * val = *futex;
+ * sys_futex(WAIT, futex, val);
+ * futex_wait(futex, val);
+ * uval = *futex;
+ * *futex = newval;
+ * sys_futex(WAKE, futex);
+ * futex_wake(futex);
+ * if (queue_empty())
+ * return;
+ * if (uval == val)
+ * lock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ * queue();
+ * unlock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ * schedule();
+ *
+ * This would cause the waiter on CPU 0 to wait forever because it
+ * missed the transition of the user space value from val to newval
+ * and the waker did not find the waiter in the hash bucket queue.
+ * The spinlock serializes that:
+ *
+ * CPU 0 CPU 1
+ * val = *futex;
+ * sys_futex(WAIT, futex, val);
+ * futex_wait(futex, val);
+ * lock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ * uval = *futex;
+ * *futex = newval;
+ * sys_futex(WAKE, futex);
+ * futex_wake(futex);
+ * lock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ * if (uval == val)
+ * queue();
+ * unlock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ * schedule(); if (!queue_empty())
+ * wake_waiters(futex);
+ * unlock(hash_bucket(futex));
+ */
+
int __read_mostly futex_cmpxchg_enabled;

/*