Re: [PATCH] MIPS: implement smp_cond_load_acquire() for Loongson-3

[Will Deacon]

On Wed, Jun 20, 2018 at 11:31:55AM +0800, éåæ wrote:
> Loongson-3's Store Fill Buffer is nearly the same as your "Store Buffer",
> and it increases the memory ordering weakness. So, smp_cond_load_acquire()
> only need a __smp_mb() before the loop, not after every READ_ONCE(). In
> other word, the following code is just OK:
> 
> #define smp_cond_load_acquire(ptr, cond_expr)                   \
> ({                                                              \
>         typeof(ptr) __PTR = (ptr);                              \
>         typeof(*ptr) VAL;                                       \
>         __smp_mb();                                     \
>         for (;;) {                                              \
>                 VAL = READ_ONCE(*__PTR);                        \
>                 if (cond_expr)                                  \
>                         break;                                  \
>                 cpu_relax();                                    \
>         }                                                       \
>         __smp_mb();                                     \
>         VAL;                                                    \
> })
> 
> the __smp_mb() before loop is used to avoid "reads prioritised over
> writes", which is caused by SFB's weak ordering and similar to ARM11MPCore
> (mentioned by Will Deacon).

Sure, but smp_cond_load_acquire() isn't the only place you'll see this sort
of pattern in the kernel. In other places, the only existing arch hook is
cpu_relax(), so unless you want to audit all loops and add a special
MIPs-specific smp_mb() to those that are affected, I think your only option
is to stick it in cpu_relax().

I assume you don't have a control register that can disable this
prioritisation in the SFB?

Will