Re: [PATCH 1/3] sched: add sched_task_call()

Josh Poimboeuf
2015-02-19T17:33:30Z

On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 06:19:29PM +0100, Vojtech Pavlik wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 11:03:53AM -0600, Josh Poimboeuf wrote:
> > On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 05:33:59PM +0100, Vojtech Pavlik wrote:
> > > On Thu, Feb 19, 2015 at 10:24:29AM -0600, Josh Poimboeuf wrote:
> > >
> > > > > No, these tasks will _never_ make syscalls. So you need to guarantee
> > > > > they don't accidentally enter the kernel while you flip them. Something
> > > > > like so should do.
> > > > >
> > > > > You set TIF_ENTER_WAIT on them, check they're still in userspace, flip
> > > > > them then clear TIF_ENTER_WAIT.
> > > >
> > > > Ah, that's a good idea. But how do we check if they're in user space?
> > >
> > > I don't see the benefit in holding them in a loop - you can just as well
> > > flip them from the syscall code as kGraft does.
> >
> > But we were talking specifically about HPC tasks which never make
> > syscalls.
>
> Yes. I'm saying that rather than guaranteeing they don't enter the
> kernel (by having them spin) you can flip them in case they try to do
> that instead. That solves the race condition just as well.

Ok, gotcha.

We'd still need a safe way to check if they're in user space though.

How about with a TIF_IN_USERSPACE thread flag? It could be cleared/set
right at the border. Then for running tasks it's as simple as:

if (test_tsk_thread_flag(task, TIF_IN_USERSPACE))
klp_switch_task_universe(task);

--
Josh