[PATCH tip/core/rcu 16/23] rcu: Prevent initialization-time quiescent-state race

From: Paul E. McKenney
Date: Thu Aug 30 2012 - 14:24:21 EST


From: "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Now the the grace-period initialization procedure is preemptible, it is
subject to the following race on systems whose rcu_node tree contains
more than one node:

1. CPU 31 starts initializing the grace period, including the
first leaf rcu_node structures, and is then preempted.

2. CPU 0 refers to the first leaf rcu_node structure, and notes
that a new grace period has started. It passes through a
quiescent state shortly thereafter, and informs the RCU core
of this rite of passage.

3. CPU 0 enters an RCU read-side critical section, acquiring
a pointer to an RCU-protected data item.

4. CPU 31 removes the data item referenced by CPU 0 from the
data structure, and registers an RCU callback in order to
free it.

5. CPU 31 resumes initializing the grace period, including its
own rcu_node structure. In invokes rcu_start_gp_per_cpu(),
which advances all callbacks, including the one registered
in #4 above, to be handled by the current grace period.

6. The remaining CPUs pass through quiescent states and inform
the RCU core, but CPU 0 remains in its RCU read-side critical
section, still referencing the now-removed data item.

7. The grace period completes and all the callbacks are invoked,
including the one that frees the data item that CPU 0 is still
referencing. Oops!!!

This commit therefore moves the callback handling to precede initialization
of any of the rcu_node structures, thus avoiding this race.

Signed-off-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---
kernel/rcutree.c | 33 +++++++++++++++++++--------------
1 files changed, 19 insertions(+), 14 deletions(-)

diff --git a/kernel/rcutree.c b/kernel/rcutree.c
index 55f20fd..d435009 100644
--- a/kernel/rcutree.c
+++ b/kernel/rcutree.c
@@ -1028,20 +1028,6 @@ rcu_start_gp_per_cpu(struct rcu_state *rsp, struct rcu_node *rnp, struct rcu_dat
/* Prior grace period ended, so advance callbacks for current CPU. */
__rcu_process_gp_end(rsp, rnp, rdp);

- /*
- * Because this CPU just now started the new grace period, we know
- * that all of its callbacks will be covered by this upcoming grace
- * period, even the ones that were registered arbitrarily recently.
- * Therefore, advance all outstanding callbacks to RCU_WAIT_TAIL.
- *
- * Other CPUs cannot be sure exactly when the grace period started.
- * Therefore, their recently registered callbacks must pass through
- * an additional RCU_NEXT_READY stage, so that they will be handled
- * by the next RCU grace period.
- */
- rdp->nxttail[RCU_NEXT_READY_TAIL] = rdp->nxttail[RCU_NEXT_TAIL];
- rdp->nxttail[RCU_WAIT_TAIL] = rdp->nxttail[RCU_NEXT_TAIL];
-
/* Set state so that this CPU will detect the next quiescent state. */
__note_new_gpnum(rsp, rnp, rdp);
}
@@ -1068,6 +1054,25 @@ static int rcu_gp_init(struct rcu_state *rsp)
rsp->gpnum++;
trace_rcu_grace_period(rsp->name, rsp->gpnum, "start");
record_gp_stall_check_time(rsp);
+
+ /*
+ * Because this CPU just now started the new grace period, we
+ * know that all of its callbacks will be covered by this upcoming
+ * grace period, even the ones that were registered arbitrarily
+ * recently. Therefore, advance all RCU_NEXT_TAIL callbacks
+ * to RCU_NEXT_READY_TAIL. When the CPU later recognizes the
+ * start of the new grace period, it will advance all callbacks
+ * one position, which will cause all of its current outstanding
+ * callbacks to be handled by the newly started grace period.
+ *
+ * Other CPUs cannot be sure exactly when the grace period started.
+ * Therefore, their recently registered callbacks must pass through
+ * an additional RCU_NEXT_READY stage, so that they will be handled
+ * by the next RCU grace period.
+ */
+ rdp = __this_cpu_ptr(rsp->rda);
+ rdp->nxttail[RCU_NEXT_READY_TAIL] = rdp->nxttail[RCU_NEXT_TAIL];
+
raw_spin_unlock_irqrestore(&rnp->lock, flags);

/* Exclude any concurrent CPU-hotplug operations. */
--
1.7.8

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