Re: [v2 2/2] device-dax: "Hotremove" persistent memory that is used like normal RAM

From: Pavel Tatashin
Date: Wed Apr 24 2019 - 17:35:00 EST


> > > +static int
> > > +offline_memblock_cb(struct memory_block *mem, void *arg)
> >
> > Function name suggests that you are actually trying to offline memory
> > here. Maybe check_memblocks_offline_cb(), just like we have in
> > mm/memory_hotplug.c.

Makes sense, I will rename to check_memblocks_offline_cb()

> > > + lock_device_hotplug();
> > > + rc = walk_memory_range(start_pfn, end_pfn, dev, offline_memblock_cb);
> > > + unlock_device_hotplug();
> > > +
> > > + /*
> > > + * If admin has not offlined memory beforehand, we cannot hotremove dax.
> > > + * Unfortunately, because unbind will still succeed there is no way for
> > > + * user to hotremove dax after this.
> > > + */
> > > + if (rc)
> > > + return rc;
> >
> > Can't it happen that there is a race between you checking if memory is
> > offline and an admin onlining memory again? maybe pull the
> > remove_memory() into the locked region, using __remove_memory() instead.
>
> I think the race is ok. The admin gets to keep the pieces of allowing
> racing updates to the state and the kernel will keep the range active
> until the next reboot.

Thank you for noticing this. I will pull it into locking region.
Because, __remove_memory() has this code:

1868 ret = walk_memory_range(PFN_DOWN(start), PFN_UP(start + size - 1), NULL,
1869 check_memblock_offlined_cb);
1870 if (ret)
1871 BUG();

Basically, panic if at least something is not offlined.

Pasha