x86 rwsem: up_read() does not check active count in fast path

From: Michel Lespinasse
Date: Mon May 03 2010 - 18:51:20 EST


Hi,

Looking at the x86 rwsem code, I have been wondering about the up_read() path.
__rwsem_do_wake() comment mentions that one should check the active count on
the way there; however I could not find that check when coming from up_read().

If there are multiple read locks active on a given semaphore, and there is
a write lock queued, each read lock will go:
__up_read
-> notice sem value is <0
-> rwsem_wake
-> take spinlock
-> add 1 in __rwsem_do_wake
-> notice there were other active lockers
-> substract 1 again under 'undo'
-> release spinlock

This could be avoided by adding a check for the active count in __up_write(),
as in the following untested patch:

diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/rwsem.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/rwsem.h
index 606ede1..915941f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/rwsem.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/rwsem.h
@@ -200,11 +200,18 @@ static inline void __up_read(struct rw_semaphore *sem)
LOCK_PREFIX " xadd %1,(%2)\n\t"
/* subtracts 1, returns the old value */
" jns 1f\n\t"
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_64
+ " dec %%edx\n\t" /* %edx = low 32 bits of %1 */
+#else
+ " dec %1\n\t"
+ " and %4,%1\n\t"
+#endif
+ " jnz 1f\n\t"
" call call_rwsem_wake\n"
"1:\n"
"# ending __up_read\n"
: "+m" (sem->count), "=d" (tmp)
- : "a" (sem), "1" (tmp)
+ : "a" (sem), "1" (tmp), "i" (RWSEM_ACTIVE_MASK)
: "memory", "cc");
}

Is there any reason not to do this ? I have to mention I don't have any
specific workload in mind that might benefit from this; I'm only sending this
because the code contradicts the __rwsem_do_wake() comment.

Thanks,

--
Michel "Walken" Lespinasse
A program is never fully debugged until the last user dies.
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