Re: [PATCH 2/6] block: allow blk_execute_rq_nowait() to be calledfrom IRQ context

From: Tejun Heo
Date: Wed Oct 26 2011 - 15:21:19 EST


Hey, Jens.

On Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 10:11:00AM +0200, Jens Axboe wrote:
> On 2011-10-26 03:02, Tejun Heo wrote:
> > Currently blk_execute_rq_nowait() directly calls __blk_run_queue() and
> > thus must be called from sleepable context. This patch updates the
> > function such that it can be called from non-sleepable context and
> > schedules async execution in such cases. This will be used to
> > unexport elv_add_request().
> >
> > While at it, add FIXME comment for REQ_TYPE_PM_RESUME special case.
> >
> > -v2: hch pointed out that blk_execute_rq_nowait() can be hot path for
> > some drivers. Retained direct execution from sleepable context.
>
> Ugh, this looks nasty:
>
> > + bool may_sleep = !preempt_count() && !irqs_disabled();
>
> please don't ever do that. Pass the context in instead.

Hmmm... I don't know. This is strictly for optimization in block
layer proper. It's kinda nasty to expose that, especially when the
interface is named _nowait and we already have separate request
allocation API. Let's leave this alone for now. The only offending
driver is ide anyway.

> > + /*
> > + * Some drivers beat this path pretty hard. As an optimization, if
> > + * we're being called from sleepable context, run @q directly.
> > + */
> > + if (may_sleep) {
> > + __blk_run_queue(q);
> > + /*
> > + * The queue is stopped so it won't be run.
> > + * FIXME: Please kill me along with REQ_TYPE_PM_RESUME.
> > + */
> > + if (rq->cmd_type == REQ_TYPE_PM_RESUME)
> > + q->request_fn(q);
>
> This is very nasty as well.

That's what the current code has. We really need to take out those
odd request types.

Thanks.

--
tejun
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/