[PATCH v5 06/22] liveupdate: luo_session: add sessions support

Pasha Tatashin
2025-11-07T21:05:44Z

Introduce concept of "Live Update Sessions" within the LUO framework.
LUO sessions provide a mechanism to group and manage `struct file *`
instances (representing file descriptors) that need to be preserved
across a kexec-based live update.

Each session is identified by a unique name and acts as a container
for file objects whose state is critical to a userspace workload, such
as a virtual machine or a high-performance database, aiming to maintain
their functionality across a kernel transition.

This groundwork establishes the framework for preserving file-backed
state across kernel updates, with the actual file data preservation
mechanisms to be implemented in subsequent patches.

Signed-off-by: Pasha Tatashin <pasha.tatashin@soleen.com>
---
include/linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h | 81 ++++++
include/uapi/linux/liveupdate.h | 3 +
kernel/liveupdate/Makefile | 3 +-
kernel/liveupdate/luo_core.c | 9 +
kernel/liveupdate/luo_internal.h | 39 +++
kernel/liveupdate/luo_session.c | 405 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
6 files changed, 539 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
create mode 100644 kernel/liveupdate/luo_session.c

diff --git a/include/linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h b/include/linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h
index 9483a294287f..37b9fecef3f7 100644
--- a/include/linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h
+++ b/include/linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@
* / {
* compatible = "luo-v1";
* liveupdate-number = <...>;
+ *
+ * luo-session {
+ * compatible = "luo-session-v1";
+ * luo-session-head = <phys_addr_of_session_head_ser>;
+ * };
* };
*
* Main LUO Node (/):
@@ -36,11 +41,37 @@
* Identifies the overall LUO ABI version.
* - liveupdate-number: u64
* A counter tracking the number of successful live updates performed.
+ *
+ * Session Node (luo-session):
+ * This node describes all preserved user-space sessions.
+ *
+ * - compatible: "luo-session-v1"
+ * Identifies the session ABI version.
+ * - luo-session-head: u64
+ * The physical address of a `struct luo_session_head_ser`. This structure is
+ * the header for a contiguous block of memory containing an array of
+ * `struct luo_session_ser`, one for each preserved session.
+ *
+ * Serialization Structures:
+ * The FDT properties point to memory regions containing arrays of simple,
+ * `__packed` structures. These structures contain the actual preserved state.
+ *
+ * - struct luo_session_head_ser:
+ * Header for the session array. Contains the total page count of the
+ * preserved memory block and the number of `struct luo_session_ser`
+ * entries that follow.
+ *
+ * - struct luo_session_ser:
+ * Metadata for a single session, including its name and a physical pointer
+ * to another preserved memory block containing an array of
+ * `struct luo_file_ser` for all files in that session.
*/

#ifndef _LINUX_LIVEUPDATE_ABI_LUO_H
#define _LINUX_LIVEUPDATE_ABI_LUO_H

+#include <uapi/linux/liveupdate.h>
+
/*
* The LUO FDT hooks all LUO state for sessions, fds, etc.
* In the root it allso carries "liveupdate-number" 64-bit property that
@@ -51,4 +82,54 @@
#define LUO_FDT_COMPATIBLE "luo-v1"
#define LUO_FDT_LIVEUPDATE_NUM "liveupdate-number"

+/*
+ * LUO FDT session node
+ * LUO_FDT_SESSION_HEAD: is a u64 physical address of struct
+ * luo_session_head_ser
+ */
+#define LUO_FDT_SESSION_NODE_NAME "luo-session"
+#define LUO_FDT_SESSION_COMPATIBLE "luo-session-v1"
+#define LUO_FDT_SESSION_HEAD "luo-session-head"
+
+/**
+ * struct luo_session_head_ser - Header for the serialized session data block.
+ * @pgcnt: The total size, in pages, of the entire preserved memory block
+ * that this header describes.
+ * @count: The number of 'struct luo_session_ser' entries that immediately
+ * follow this header in the memory block.
+ *
+ * This structure is located at the beginning of a contiguous block of
+ * physical memory preserved across the kexec. It provides the necessary
+ * metadata to interpret the array of session entries that follow.
+ */
+struct luo_session_head_ser {
+ u64 pgcnt;
+ u64 count;
+} __packed;
+
+/**
+ * struct luo_session_ser - Represents the serialized metadata for a LUO session.
+ * @name: The unique name of the session, copied from the `luo_session`
+ * structure.
+ * @files: The physical address of a contiguous memory block that holds
+ * the serialized state of files.
+ * @pgcnt: The number of pages occupied by the `files` memory block.
+ * @count: The total number of files that were part of this session during
+ * serialization. Used for iteration and validation during
+ * restoration.
+ *
+ * This structure is used to package session-specific metadata for transfer
+ * between kernels via Kexec Handover. An array of these structures (one per
+ * session) is created and passed to the new kernel, allowing it to reconstruct
+ * the session context.
+ *
+ * If this structure is modified, LUO_SESSION_COMPATIBLE must be updated.
+ */
+struct luo_session_ser {
+ char name[LIVEUPDATE_SESSION_NAME_LENGTH];
+ u64 files;
+ u64 pgcnt;
+ u64 count;
+} __packed;
+
#endif /* _LINUX_LIVEUPDATE_ABI_LUO_H */
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/liveupdate.h b/include/uapi/linux/liveupdate.h
index df34c1642c4d..d2ef2f7e0dbd 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/liveupdate.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/liveupdate.h
@@ -43,4 +43,7 @@
/* The ioctl type, documented in ioctl-number.rst */
#define LIVEUPDATE_IOCTL_TYPE 0xBA

+/* The maximum length of session name including null termination */
+#define LIVEUPDATE_SESSION_NAME_LENGTH 56
+
#endif /* _UAPI_LIVEUPDATE_H */
diff --git a/kernel/liveupdate/Makefile b/kernel/liveupdate/Makefile
index 413722002b7a..83285e7ad726 100644
--- a/kernel/liveupdate/Makefile
+++ b/kernel/liveupdate/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@

luo-y := \
luo_core.o \
- luo_ioctl.o
+ luo_ioctl.o \
+ luo_session.o

obj-$(CONFIG_KEXEC_HANDOVER) += kexec_handover.o
obj-$(CONFIG_KEXEC_HANDOVER_DEBUG) += kexec_handover_debug.o
diff --git a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_core.c b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_core.c
index c1bd236bccb0..83257ab93ebb 100644
--- a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_core.c
+++ b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_core.c
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ static int __init luo_early_startup(void)
pr_info("Retrieved live update data, liveupdate number: %lld\n",
luo_global.liveupdate_num);

+ err = luo_session_setup_incoming(luo_global.fdt_in);
+ if (err)
+ return err;
+
return 0;
}

@@ -149,6 +153,7 @@ static int __init luo_fdt_setup(void)
err |= fdt_begin_node(fdt_out, "");
err |= fdt_property_string(fdt_out, "compatible", LUO_FDT_COMPATIBLE);
err |= fdt_property(fdt_out, LUO_FDT_LIVEUPDATE_NUM, &ln, sizeof(ln));
+ err |= luo_session_setup_outgoing(fdt_out);
err |= fdt_end_node(fdt_out);
err |= fdt_finish(fdt_out);
if (err)
@@ -202,6 +207,10 @@ int liveupdate_reboot(void)
if (!liveupdate_enabled())
return 0;

+ err = luo_session_serialize();
+ if (err)
+ return err;
+
err = kho_finalize();
if (err) {
pr_err("kho_finalize failed %d\n", err);
diff --git a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_internal.h b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_internal.h
index 29f47a69be0b..b4f2d1443c76 100644
--- a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_internal.h
+++ b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_internal.h
@@ -14,4 +14,43 @@ void *luo_alloc_preserve(size_t size);
void luo_free_unpreserve(void *mem, size_t size);
void luo_free_restore(void *mem, size_t size);

+/**
+ * struct luo_session - Represents an active or incoming Live Update session.
+ * @name: A unique name for this session, used for identification and
+ * retrieval.
+ * @files_list: An ordered list of files associated with this session, it is
+ * ordered by preservation time.
+ * @ser: Pointer to the serialized data for this session.
+ * @count: A counter tracking the number of files currently stored in the
+ * @files_xa for this session.
+ * @list: A list_head member used to link this session into a global list
+ * of either outgoing (to be preserved) or incoming (restored from
+ * previous kernel) sessions.
+ * @retrieved: A boolean flag indicating whether this session has been
+ * retrieved by a consumer in the new kernel.
+ * @mutex: Session lock, protects files_list, and count.
+ * @files: The physically contiguous memory block that holds the serialized
+ * state of files.
+ * @pgcnt: The number of pages files occupy.
+ */
+struct luo_session {
+ char name[LIVEUPDATE_SESSION_NAME_LENGTH];
+ struct list_head files_list;
+ struct luo_session_ser *ser;
+ long count;
+ struct list_head list;
+ bool retrieved;
+ struct mutex mutex;
+ struct luo_file_ser *files;
+ u64 pgcnt;
+};
+
+int luo_session_create(const char *name, struct file **filep);
+int luo_session_retrieve(const char *name, struct file **filep);
+int __init luo_session_setup_outgoing(void *fdt);
+int __init luo_session_setup_incoming(void *fdt);
+int luo_session_serialize(void);
+int luo_session_deserialize(void);
+bool luo_session_is_deserialized(void);
+
#endif /* _LINUX_LUO_INTERNAL_H */
diff --git a/kernel/liveupdate/luo_session.c b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_session.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a3513118aa74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/liveupdate/luo_session.c
@@ -0,0 +1,405 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025, Google LLC.
+ * Pasha Tatashin <pasha.tatashin@soleen.com>
+ */
+
+/**
+ * DOC: LUO Sessions
+ *
+ * LUO Sessions provide the core mechanism for grouping and managing `struct
+ * file *` instances that need to be preserved across a kexec-based live
+ * update. Each session acts as a named container for a set of file objects,
+ * allowing a userspace agent to manage the lifecycle of resources critical to a
+ * workload.
+ *
+ * Core Concepts:
+ *
+ * - Named Containers: Sessions are identified by a unique, user-provided name,
+ * which is used for both creation in the current kernel and retrieval in the
+ * next kernel.
+ *
+ * - Userspace Interface: Session management is driven from userspace via
+ * ioctls on /dev/liveupdate.
+ *
+ * - Serialization: Session metadata is preserved using the KHO framework. When
+ * a live update is triggered via kexec, an array of `struct luo_session_ser`
+ * is populated and placed in a preserved memory region. An FDT node is also
+ * created, containing the count of sessions and the physical address of this
+ * array.
+ *
+ * Session Lifecycle:
+ *
+ * 1. Creation: A userspace agent calls `luo_session_create()` to create a
+ * new, empty session and receives a file descriptor for it.
+ *
+ * 2. Serialization: When the `reboot(LINUX_REBOOT_CMD_KEXEC)` syscall is
+ * made, `luo_session_serialize()` is called. It iterates through all
+ * active sessions and writes their metadata into a memory area preserved
+ * by KHO.
+ *
+ * 3. Deserialization (in new kernel): After kexec, `luo_session_deserialize()`
+ * runs, reading the serialized data and creating a list of `struct
+ * luo_session` objects representing the preserved sessions.
+ *
+ * 4. Retrieval: A userspace agent in the new kernel can then call
+ * `luo_session_retrieve()` with a session name to get a new file
+ * descriptor and access the preserved state.
+ */
+
+#define pr_fmt(fmt) KBUILD_MODNAME ": " fmt
+
+#include <linux/anon_inodes.h>
+#include <linux/errno.h>
+#include <linux/file.h>
+#include <linux/fs.h>
+#include <linux/libfdt.h>
+#include <linux/liveupdate.h>
+#include <linux/liveupdate/abi/luo.h>
+#include <uapi/linux/liveupdate.h>
+#include "luo_internal.h"
+
+/* 16 4K pages, give space for 819 sessions */
+#define LUO_SESSION_PGCNT 16ul
+#define LUO_SESSION_MAX (((LUO_SESSION_PGCNT << PAGE_SHIFT) - \
+ sizeof(struct luo_session_head_ser)) / \
+ sizeof(struct luo_session_ser))
+
+/**
+ * struct luo_session_head - Head struct for managing LUO sessions.
+ * @count: The number of sessions currently tracked in the @list.
+ * @list: The head of the linked list of `struct luo_session` instances.
+ * @rwsem: A read-write semaphore providing synchronized access to the
+ * session list and other fields in this structure.
+ * @head_ser: The head data of serialization array.
+ * @ser: The serialized session data (an array of
+ * `struct luo_session_ser`).
+ * @active: Set to true when first initialized. If previous kernel did not
+ * send session data, active stays false for incoming.
+ */
+struct luo_session_head {
+ long count;
+ struct list_head list;
+ struct rw_semaphore rwsem;
+ struct luo_session_head_ser *head_ser;
+ struct luo_session_ser *ser;
+ bool active;
+};
+
+/**
+ * struct luo_session_global - Global container for managing LUO sessions.
+ * @incoming: The sessions passed from the previous kernel.
+ * @outgoing: The sessions that are going to be passed to the next kernel.
+ * @deserialized: The sessions have been deserialized once /dev/liveupdate
+ * has been opened.
+ */
+struct luo_session_global {
+ struct luo_session_head incoming;
+ struct luo_session_head outgoing;
+ bool deserialized;
+} luo_session_global;
+
+static struct luo_session *luo_session_alloc(const char *name)
+{
+ struct luo_session *session = kzalloc(sizeof(*session), GFP_KERNEL);
+
+ if (!session)
+ return NULL;
+
+ strscpy(session->name, name, sizeof(session->name));
+ INIT_LIST_HEAD(&session->files_list);
+ session->count = 0;
+ INIT_LIST_HEAD(&session->list);
+ mutex_init(&session->mutex);
+
+ return session;
+}
+
+static void luo_session_free(struct luo_session *session)
+{
+ WARN_ON(session->count);
+ WARN_ON(!list_empty(&session->files_list));
+ mutex_destroy(&session->mutex);
+ kfree(session);
+}
+
+static int luo_session_insert(struct luo_session_head *sh,
+ struct luo_session *session)
+{
+ struct luo_session *it;
+
+ guard(rwsem_write)(&sh->rwsem);
+
+ /*
+ * For outgoing we should make sure there is room in serialization array
+ * for new session.
+ */
+ if (sh == &luo_session_global.outgoing) {
+ if (sh->count == LUO_SESSION_MAX)
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * For small number of sessions this loop won't hurt performance
+ * but if we ever start using a lot of sessions, this might
+ * become a bottle neck during deserialization time, as it would
+ * cause O(n*n) complexity.
+ */
+ list_for_each_entry(it, &sh->list, list) {
+ if (!strncmp(it->name, session->name, sizeof(it->name)))
+ return -EEXIST;
+ }
+ list_add_tail(&session->list, &sh->list);
+ sh->count++;
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+static void luo_session_remove(struct luo_session_head *sh,
+ struct luo_session *session)
+{
+ guard(rwsem_write)(&sh->rwsem);
+ list_del(&session->list);
+ sh->count--;
+}
+
+static int luo_session_release(struct inode *inodep, struct file *filep)
+{
+ struct luo_session *session = filep->private_data;
+ struct luo_session_head *sh;
+
+ /* If retrieved is set, it means this session is from incoming list */
+ if (session->retrieved)
+ sh = &luo_session_global.incoming;
+ else
+ sh = &luo_session_global.outgoing;
+
+ luo_session_remove(sh, session);
+ luo_session_free(session);
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+static const struct file_operations luo_session_fops = {
+ .owner = THIS_MODULE,
+ .release = luo_session_release,
+};
+
+/* Create a "struct file" for session */
+static int luo_session_getfile(struct luo_session *session, struct file **filep)
+{
+ char name_buf[128];
+ struct file *file;
+
+ guard(mutex)(&session->mutex);
+ snprintf(name_buf, sizeof(name_buf), "[luo_session] %s", session->name);
+ file = anon_inode_getfile(name_buf, &luo_session_fops, session, O_RDWR);
+ if (IS_ERR(file))
+ return PTR_ERR(file);
+
+ *filep = file;
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+int luo_session_create(const char *name, struct file **filep)
+{
+ struct luo_session *session;
+ int err;
+
+ session = luo_session_alloc(name);
+ if (!session)
+ return -ENOMEM;
+
+ err = luo_session_insert(&luo_session_global.outgoing, session);
+ if (err) {
+ luo_session_free(session);
+ return err;
+ }
+
+ err = luo_session_getfile(session, filep);
+ if (err) {
+ luo_session_remove(&luo_session_global.outgoing, session);
+ luo_session_free(session);
+ }
+
+ return err;
+}
+
+int luo_session_retrieve(const char *name, struct file **filep)
+{
+ struct luo_session_head *sh = &luo_session_global.incoming;
+ struct luo_session *session = NULL;
+ struct luo_session *it;
+ int err;
+
+ scoped_guard(rwsem_read, &sh->rwsem) {
+ list_for_each_entry(it, &sh->list, list) {
+ if (!strncmp(it->name, name, sizeof(it->name))) {
+ session = it;
+ break;
+ }
+ }
+ }
+
+ if (!session)
+ return -ENOENT;
+
+ scoped_guard(mutex, &session->mutex) {
+ if (session->retrieved)
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
+ err = luo_session_getfile(session, filep);
+ if (!err) {
+ scoped_guard(mutex, &session->mutex)
+ session->retrieved = true;
+ }
+
+ return err;
+}
+
+int __init luo_session_setup_outgoing(void *fdt_out)
+{
+ struct luo_session_head_ser *head_ser;
+ u64 head_ser_pa;
+ int err;
+
+ head_ser = luo_alloc_preserve(LUO_SESSION_PGCNT << PAGE_SHIFT);
+ if (IS_ERR(head_ser))
+ return PTR_ERR(head_ser);
+ head_ser_pa = __pa(head_ser);
+
+ err = fdt_begin_node(fdt_out, LUO_FDT_SESSION_NODE_NAME);
+ err |= fdt_property_string(fdt_out, "compatible",
+ LUO_FDT_SESSION_COMPATIBLE);
+ err |= fdt_property(fdt_out, LUO_FDT_SESSION_HEAD, &head_ser_pa,
+ sizeof(head_ser_pa));
+ err |= fdt_end_node(fdt_out);
+
+ if (err)
+ goto err_unpreserve;
+
+ head_ser->pgcnt = LUO_SESSION_PGCNT;
+ INIT_LIST_HEAD(&luo_session_global.outgoing.list);
+ init_rwsem(&luo_session_global.outgoing.rwsem);
+ luo_session_global.outgoing.head_ser = head_ser;
+ luo_session_global.outgoing.ser = (void *)(head_ser + 1);
+ luo_session_global.outgoing.active = true;
+
+ return 0;
+
+err_unpreserve:
+ luo_free_unpreserve(head_ser, LUO_SESSION_PGCNT << PAGE_SHIFT);
+ return err;
+}
+
+int __init luo_session_setup_incoming(void *fdt_in)
+{
+ struct luo_session_head_ser *head_ser;
+ int err, head_size, offset;
+ const void *ptr;
+ u64 head_ser_pa;
+
+ offset = fdt_subnode_offset(fdt_in, 0, LUO_FDT_SESSION_NODE_NAME);
+ if (offset < 0) {
+ pr_err("Unable to get session node: [%s]\n",
+ LUO_FDT_SESSION_NODE_NAME);
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
+ err = fdt_node_check_compatible(fdt_in, offset,
+ LUO_FDT_SESSION_COMPATIBLE);
+ if (err) {
+ pr_err("Session node incompatibale [%s]\n",
+ LUO_FDT_SESSION_COMPATIBLE);
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
+ head_size = 0;
+ ptr = fdt_getprop(fdt_in, offset, LUO_FDT_SESSION_HEAD, &head_size);
+ if (!ptr || head_size != sizeof(u64)) {
+ pr_err("Unable to get session head '%s' [%d]\n",
+ LUO_FDT_SESSION_HEAD, head_size);
+ return -EINVAL;
+ }
+
+ memcpy(&head_ser_pa, ptr, sizeof(u64));
+ head_ser = __va(head_ser_pa);
+
+ luo_session_global.incoming.head_ser = head_ser;
+ luo_session_global.incoming.ser = (void *)(head_ser + 1);
+ INIT_LIST_HEAD(&luo_session_global.incoming.list);
+ init_rwsem(&luo_session_global.incoming.rwsem);
+ luo_session_global.incoming.active = true;
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+bool luo_session_is_deserialized(void)
+{
+ return luo_session_global.deserialized;
+}
+
+int luo_session_deserialize(void)
+{
+ struct luo_session_head *sh = &luo_session_global.incoming;
+
+ if (luo_session_is_deserialized())
+ return 0;
+
+ luo_session_global.deserialized = true;
+ if (!sh->active) {
+ INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sh->list);
+ init_rwsem(&sh->rwsem);
+ return 0;
+ }
+
+ for (int i = 0; i < sh->head_ser->count; i++) {
+ struct luo_session *session;
+
+ session = luo_session_alloc(sh->ser[i].name);
+ if (!session) {
+ pr_warn("Failed to allocate session [%s] during deserialization\n",
+ sh->ser[i].name);
+ return -ENOMEM;
+ }
+
+ if (luo_session_insert(sh, session)) {
+ pr_warn("Failed to insert session due to name conflict [%s]\n",
+ session->name);
+ return -EEXIST;
+ }
+
+ session->count = sh->ser[i].count;
+ session->files = __va(sh->ser[i].files);
+ session->pgcnt = sh->ser[i].pgcnt;
+ }
+
+ luo_free_restore(sh->head_ser, sh->head_ser->pgcnt << PAGE_SHIFT);
+ sh->head_ser = NULL;
+ sh->ser = NULL;
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+int luo_session_serialize(void)
+{
+ struct luo_session_head *sh = &luo_session_global.outgoing;
+ struct luo_session *session;
+ int i = 0;
+
+ guard(rwsem_write)(&sh->rwsem);
+ list_for_each_entry(session, &sh->list, list) {
+ strscpy(sh->ser[i].name, session->name,
+ sizeof(sh->ser[i].name));
+ sh->ser[i].count = session->count;
+ sh->ser[i].files = __pa(session->files);
+ sh->ser[i].pgcnt = session->pgcnt;
+ i++;
+ }
+ sh->head_ser->count = sh->count;
+
+ return 0;
+}
--
2.51.2.1041.gc1ab5b90ca-goog