Re: [PATCH] firmware_loader: Replace kmap() with kmap_local_page()

["Fabio M. De Francesco" <fmdefrancesco@gmail.com>]

On domenica 10 luglio 2022 13:57:34 CEST Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> On Sun, Jul 10, 2022 at 01:18:16PM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco wrote:
> > On domenica 10 luglio 2022 12:24:41 CEST Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> > > On Sun, Jul 10, 2022 at 12:11:56PM +0200, Fabio M. De Francesco 
wrote:
> > > > The use of kmap() is being deprecated in favor of 
kmap_local_page().
> > > > 
> > > > With kmap_local_page() the mappings are per thread, CPU local, can 
take
> > > > page faults, and can be called from any context (including 
interrupts).
> > > 
> > > But that is not the case here for this kmap() instance?
> > 
> > I'm not 100% sure to get what you are asking here :-)
> > Probably you mean that kmap() can work here and you don't see reason 
for 
> > converting? Am I understanding correctly?
> 
> Yes, that is what I am saying, why is this conversion needed here?  A
> justification would be nice.
> 
> > OK, then...
> > 
> > kmap() is being deprecated in favor of kmap_local_page(). Please see 
> > highmem.rst which I have updated weeks ago (https://docs.kernel.org/vm/
> > highmem.html).
> > 
> > Two main problems with kmap(): (1) It comes with an overhead as mapping 
> > space is restricted and protected by a global lock for synchronization 
and 
> > (2) kmap() also requires global TLB invalidation when the kmap’s pool 
wraps 
> > and it might block when the mapping space is fully utilized until a 
slot 
> > becomes available.
> > 
> > kmap_local_page() should be preferred, where feasible, over all the 
others.
> 
> Ok, that is good to know, thanks for the pointer,

No problem. You've been very helpful when I used to work with drivers/
staging. I'm glad to give back some information you have not yet had time 
to find out yourself.

> you should put this in
> the changelog text for maintainers who did not know this (like myself)
> as it makes it easier to review.

This sounds a very good idea. I'll do as you suggest for this and also for 
the next (too many) conversions in my queue.

> > > If this is a
> > > simple search/replace, why is this not just done once and be done 
with
> > > it?
> > 
> > No, this job needs code inspection. After more than 25 conversions I 
can 
> > say that no more than 30% have been simple search and replace.
> > 
> > > > Call kmap_local_page() in firmware_loader wherever kmap() is 
currently
> > > > used. In firmware_rw() use the copy_{from,to}_page() helpers 
instead of
> > > > open coding the local mappings plus memcpy().
> > > 
> > > Isn't that just a different cleanup than the kmap() change?  Or is 
that
> > > tied to the fact that the other buffer is now allocated with
> > > kmap_local_page() instead of kmap()?
> > 
> > This kinds of changes have never been considered clean-ups by other 
> > maintainers (for an example please see commit e88a6a8fece9 ("binder: 
Use 
> > memcpy_{to,from}_page() in binder_alloc_do_buffer_copy()"). 
> > 
> > Using helpers has always been considered part of the conversions 
themselves 
> > and nobody has ever requested further patches for these.
> > 
> > > > Suggested-by: Ira Weiny <ira.weiny@intel.com>
> > > > Signed-off-by: Fabio M. De Francesco <fmdefrancesco@gmail.com>
> > > > ---
> > > >  drivers/base/firmware_loader/main.c  | 4 ++--
> > > >  drivers/base/firmware_loader/sysfs.c | 9 ++++-----
> > > >  2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)
> > > 
> > > Did you run this through the firmware test framework?
> > 
> > No, sorry. I assumed (wrongly?) that this is one of those cases which 
don't 
> > need any tests. However I have nothing against testing. I've done them 
> > where they were absolutely needed for Btrfs conversions and kexec.
> 
> Running the kernel selftests for firmware would be great, please do so
> for your next version of this patch that fixes the
> ktest-robot-found-issues.

I'll do the kernel self-tests. Thanks for pointing me to the right tools.

Again thanks,

Fabio