Re: [PATCH] x86-64: Clean up vdso/kernel shared variables

From: H. Peter Anvin
Date: Wed Mar 30 2011 - 11:04:11 EST


On 03/29/2011 07:29 AM, Andy Lutomirski wrote:
> Variables that are shared between the vdso and the kernel are
> currently a bit of a mess. They are each defined with their own
> magic, they are accessed differently in the kernel, the vsyscall page,
> and the vdso, and one of them (vsyscall_clock) doesn't even really
> exist.
>
> This changes them all to use a common mechanism. All of them are
> delcared in vvar.h with a fixed address (validated by the linker
> script). In the kernel (as before), they look like ordinary
> read-write variables. In the vsyscall page and the vdso, they are
> accessed through a new macro VVAR, which gives read-only access.
>
> The vdso is now loaded verbatim into memory without any fixups. As a
> side bonus, access from the vdso is faster because a level of
> indirection is removed.
>
> Signed-off-by: Andy Lutomirski <luto@xxxxxxx>

How does this deal with variables which really should be shared with
multiple vdsos (in particular the 32-bit vdso and the 64-bit vdso)?
Part of me is wondering if it might not be simpler to put them all into
a structure?

-hpa
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