Date: Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:38:37 +0300
From: Gleb Natapov <gleb@redhat.com>
To: Xiao Guangrong <xiaoguangrong@linux.vnet.ibm.com>
Cc: mtosatti@redhat.com, avi.kivity@gmail.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org,
        kvm@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH v3 08/15] KVM: MMU: allow unmap invalid rmap out of
 mmu-lock
Message-ID: <20130418113837.GU8997@redhat.com>
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 <20130418110036.GS8997@redhat.com>
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On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 07:22:23PM +0800, Xiao Guangrong wrote:
> On 04/18/2013 07:00 PM, Gleb Natapov wrote:
> > On Tue, Apr 16, 2013 at 02:32:46PM +0800, Xiao Guangrong wrote:
> >> pte_list_clear_concurrently allows us to reset pte-desc entry
> >> out of mmu-lock. We can reset spte out of mmu-lock if we can protect the
> >> lifecycle of sp, we use this way to achieve the goal:
> >>
> >> unmap_memslot_rmap_nolock():
> >> for-each-rmap-in-slot:
> >>       preempt_disable
> >>       kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = rmapp
> >>       clear spte and reset rmap entry
> >>       kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = NULL
> >>       preempt_enable
> >>
> >> Other patch like zap-sp and mmu-notify which are protected
> >> by mmu-lock:
> >>       clear spte and reset rmap entry
> >> retry:
> >>       if (kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap == rmap)
> >> 		goto retry
> >> (the wait is very rare and clear one rmap is very fast, it
> >> is not bad even if wait is needed)
> >>
> > I do not understand what how this achieve the goal. Suppose that rmap
> > == X and kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap == NULL so "goto retry" is skipped,
> > but moment later unmap_memslot_rmap_nolock() does
> > vm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = X.
> 
> Access rmap is always safe since rmap and its entries are valid until
> memslot is destroyed.
> 
> This algorithm protects spte since it can be freed in the protection of mmu-lock.
> 
> In your scenario:
> 
> ======
>    CPU 1                                      CPU 2
> 
> vcpu / mmu-notify access the RMAP         unmap rmap out of mmu-lock which is under
> which is under mmu-lock                   slot-lock
> 
> zap spte1
> clear RMAP entry
> 
> kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = NULL,
> do not wait
> 
> free spte1
> 
>                                         set kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = RMAP
>                                         walking RMAP and do not see spet1 on RMAP
>                                         (the entry of spte 1 has been reset by CPU 1)
and what prevents this from happening concurrently with "clear RMAP
entry"? Is it safe?

>                                         set kvm->arch.being_unmapped_rmap = NULL
> ======
> 
> That protect CPU 2 can not access the freed-spte.
>

--
			Gleb.
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