Re: [PATCH 1/2] mm/mprotect: use mmu_gather

Nadav Amit
2021-10-13T15:59:34Z

> On Oct 12, 2021, at 4:20 PM, Peter Xu <peterx@redhat.com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, Oct 12, 2021 at 10:31:45AM -0700, Nadav Amit wrote:
>>
>>
>>> On Oct 12, 2021, at 3:16 AM, Peter Xu <peterx@redhat.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2021 at 01:54:22PM -0700, Nadav Amit wrote:
>>>> @@ -338,25 +344,25 @@ static unsigned long change_protection_range(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
>>>> struct mm_struct *mm = vma->vm_mm;
>>>> pgd_t *pgd;
>>>> unsigned long next;
>>>> - unsigned long start = addr;
>>>> unsigned long pages = 0;
>>>> + struct mmu_gather tlb;
>>>>
>>>> BUG_ON(addr >= end);
>>>> pgd = pgd_offset(mm, addr);
>>>> flush_cache_range(vma, addr, end);
>>>> inc_tlb_flush_pending(mm);
>>>> + tlb_gather_mmu(&tlb, mm);
>>>> + tlb_start_vma(&tlb, vma);
>>>
>>> Pure question:
>>>
>>> I actually have no idea why tlb_start_vma() is needed here, as protection range
>>> can be just a single page, but anyway.. I do see that tlb_start_vma() contains
>>> a whole-vma flush_cache_range() when the arch needs it, then does it mean that
>>> besides the inc_tlb_flush_pending() to be dropped, so as to the other call to
>>> flush_cache_range() above?
>>
>> Good point.
>>
>> tlb_start_vma() and tlb_end_vma() are required since some archs do not
>> batch TLB flushes across VMAs (e.g., ARM).
>
> Sorry I didn't follow here - as change_protection() is per-vma anyway, so I
> don't see why it needs to consider vma crossing.
>
> In all cases, it'll be great if you could add some explanation into commit
> message on why we need tlb_{start|end}_vma(), as I think it could not be
> obvious to all people.

tlb_start_vma() is required when we switch from flush_tlb_range() because
certain properties of the VMA (e.g., executable) are needed on certain
arch. That’s the reason flush_tlb_range() requires the VMA that is
invalidated to be provided.

Regardless, there is an interface and that is the way it is used. I am not
inclined to break it, even if it was possible, for unclear performance
benefits.

As I discussed offline with Andrea and David, switching to tlb_gather_mmu()
interface has additional advantages than batching and avoiding unnecessary
flushes on PTE permission promotion (as done in patch 2). If a single PTE
is updated out of a bigger range, currently flush_tlb_range() would flush
the whole range instead of the single page. In addition, once I fix this
patch-set, if you update a THP, you would (at least on x86) be able to
flush a single PTE instead of flushing 512 entries (which would actually
be done using a full TLB flush).

I would say that as I mentioned in a different thread, and was not
upfront about before, one of the motivations of mine behind this patch
is that I need a vectored UFFDIO_WRITEPROTECTV interface for performance.
Nevertheless, I think these two patches stand by themselves and have
independent value.