doc: Convert to rcubarrier.txt to ReST

Convert rcubarrier.txt to rcubarrier.rst and add it to index.rst.

Format file according to reST
- Add headings and sub-headings
- Add code segments
- Add cross-references to quizes and answers

Signed-off-by: Amol Grover <frextrite@gmail.com>
Tested-by: Phong Tran <tranmanphong@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@kernel.org>
This commit is contained in:
Amol Grover 2019-11-07 12:02:41 +05:30 committed by Paul E. McKenney
parent b00aedf978
commit 4af498306f
2 changed files with 126 additions and 97 deletions

View File

@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ RCU concepts
:maxdepth: 3
arrayRCU
rcubarrier
rcu_dereference
whatisRCU
rcu

View File

@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
.. _rcu_barrier:
RCU and Unloadable Modules
==========================
[Originally published in LWN Jan. 14, 2007: http://lwn.net/Articles/217484/]
@ -21,7 +24,7 @@ given that readers might well leave absolutely no trace of their
presence? There is a synchronize_rcu() primitive that blocks until all
pre-existing readers have completed. An updater wishing to delete an
element p from a linked list might do the following, while holding an
appropriate lock, of course:
appropriate lock, of course::
list_del_rcu(p);
synchronize_rcu();
@ -32,13 +35,13 @@ primitive must be used instead. This primitive takes a pointer to an
rcu_head struct placed within the RCU-protected data structure and
another pointer to a function that may be invoked later to free that
structure. Code to delete an element p from the linked list from IRQ
context might then be as follows:
context might then be as follows::
list_del_rcu(p);
call_rcu(&p->rcu, p_callback);
Since call_rcu() never blocks, this code can safely be used from within
IRQ context. The function p_callback() might be defined as follows:
IRQ context. The function p_callback() might be defined as follows::
static void p_callback(struct rcu_head *rp)
{
@ -49,6 +52,7 @@ IRQ context. The function p_callback() might be defined as follows:
Unloading Modules That Use call_rcu()
-------------------------------------
But what if p_callback is defined in an unloadable module?
@ -69,10 +73,11 @@ in realtime kernels in order to avoid excessive scheduling latencies.
rcu_barrier()
-------------
We instead need the rcu_barrier() primitive. Rather than waiting for
a grace period to elapse, rcu_barrier() waits for all outstanding RCU
callbacks to complete. Please note that rcu_barrier() does -not- imply
callbacks to complete. Please note that rcu_barrier() does **not** imply
synchronize_rcu(), in particular, if there are no RCU callbacks queued
anywhere, rcu_barrier() is within its rights to return immediately,
without waiting for a grace period to elapse.
@ -88,15 +93,15 @@ must match the flavor of rcu_barrier() with that of call_rcu(). If your
module uses multiple flavors of call_rcu(), then it must also use multiple
flavors of rcu_barrier() when unloading that module. For example, if
it uses call_rcu(), call_srcu() on srcu_struct_1, and call_srcu() on
srcu_struct_2(), then the following three lines of code will be required
when unloading:
srcu_struct_2, then the following three lines of code will be required
when unloading::
1 rcu_barrier();
2 srcu_barrier(&srcu_struct_1);
3 srcu_barrier(&srcu_struct_2);
The rcutorture module makes use of rcu_barrier() in its exit function
as follows:
as follows::
1 static void
2 rcu_torture_cleanup(void)
@ -176,9 +181,14 @@ for any pre-existing callbacks to complete.
Then lines 55-62 print status and do operation-specific cleanup, and
then return, permitting the module-unload operation to be completed.
Quick Quiz #1: Is there any other situation where rcu_barrier() might
.. _rcubarrier_quiz_1:
Quick Quiz #1:
Is there any other situation where rcu_barrier() might
be required?
:ref:`Answer to Quick Quiz #1 <answer_rcubarrier_quiz_1>`
Your module might have additional complications. For example, if your
module invokes call_rcu() from timers, you will need to first cancel all
the timers, and only then invoke rcu_barrier() to wait for any remaining
@ -188,11 +198,12 @@ Of course, if you module uses call_rcu(), you will need to invoke
rcu_barrier() before unloading. Similarly, if your module uses
call_srcu(), you will need to invoke srcu_barrier() before unloading,
and on the same srcu_struct structure. If your module uses call_rcu()
-and- call_srcu(), then you will need to invoke rcu_barrier() -and-
**and** call_srcu(), then you will need to invoke rcu_barrier() **and**
srcu_barrier().
Implementing rcu_barrier()
--------------------------
Dipankar Sarma's implementation of rcu_barrier() makes use of the fact
that RCU callbacks are never reordered once queued on one of the per-CPU
@ -200,7 +211,7 @@ queues. His implementation queues an RCU callback on each of the per-CPU
callback queues, and then waits until they have all started executing, at
which point, all earlier RCU callbacks are guaranteed to have completed.
The original code for rcu_barrier() was as follows:
The original code for rcu_barrier() was as follows::
1 void rcu_barrier(void)
2 {
@ -226,7 +237,7 @@ This code was rewritten in 2008 and several times thereafter, but this
still gives the general idea.
The rcu_barrier_func() runs on each CPU, where it invokes call_rcu()
to post an RCU callback, as follows:
to post an RCU callback, as follows::
1 static void rcu_barrier_func(void *notused)
2 {
@ -248,7 +259,7 @@ the current CPU's queue.
The rcu_barrier_callback() function simply atomically decrements the
rcu_barrier_cpu_count variable and finalizes the completion when it
reaches zero, as follows:
reaches zero, as follows::
1 static void rcu_barrier_callback(struct rcu_head *notused)
2 {
@ -256,12 +267,17 @@ reaches zero, as follows:
4 complete(&rcu_barrier_completion);
5 }
Quick Quiz #2: What happens if CPU 0's rcu_barrier_func() executes
.. _rcubarrier_quiz_2:
Quick Quiz #2:
What happens if CPU 0's rcu_barrier_func() executes
immediately (thus incrementing rcu_barrier_cpu_count to the
value one), but the other CPU's rcu_barrier_func() invocations
are delayed for a full grace period? Couldn't this result in
rcu_barrier() returning prematurely?
:ref:`Answer to Quick Quiz #2 <answer_rcubarrier_quiz_2>`
The current rcu_barrier() implementation is more complex, due to the need
to avoid disturbing idle CPUs (especially on battery-powered systems)
and the need to minimally disturb non-idle CPUs in real-time systems.
@ -269,6 +285,7 @@ However, the code above illustrates the concepts.
rcu_barrier() Summary
---------------------
The rcu_barrier() primitive has seen relatively little use, since most
code using RCU is in the core kernel rather than in modules. However, if
@ -277,8 +294,12 @@ so that your module may be safely unloaded.
Answers to Quick Quizzes
------------------------
Quick Quiz #1: Is there any other situation where rcu_barrier() might
.. _answer_rcubarrier_quiz_1:
Quick Quiz #1:
Is there any other situation where rcu_barrier() might
be required?
Answer: Interestingly enough, rcu_barrier() was not originally
@ -292,7 +313,12 @@ Answer: Interestingly enough, rcu_barrier() was not originally
implementing rcutorture, and found that rcu_barrier() solves
this problem as well.
Quick Quiz #2: What happens if CPU 0's rcu_barrier_func() executes
:ref:`Back to Quick Quiz #1 <rcubarrier_quiz_1>`
.. _answer_rcubarrier_quiz_2:
Quick Quiz #2:
What happens if CPU 0's rcu_barrier_func() executes
immediately (thus incrementing rcu_barrier_cpu_count to the
value one), but the other CPU's rcu_barrier_func() invocations
are delayed for a full grace period? Couldn't this result in
@ -323,3 +349,5 @@ Answer: This cannot happen. The reason is that on_each_cpu() has its last
is to add an rcu_read_lock() before line 8 of rcu_barrier()
and an rcu_read_unlock() after line 8 of this same function. If
you can think of a better change, please let me know!
:ref:`Back to Quick Quiz #2 <rcubarrier_quiz_2>`