Re: [PATCH v6 00/30] Network fs helper library & fscache kiocb API

From: David Wysochanski
Date: Tue Apr 13 2021 - 10:57:47 EST


On Fri, Apr 9, 2021 at 8:04 AM David Wysochanski <dwysocha@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Apr 8, 2021 at 10:04 AM David Howells <dhowells@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Here's a set of patches to do two things:
> >
> > (1) Add a helper library to handle the new VM readahead interface. This
> > is intended to be used unconditionally by the filesystem (whether or
> > not caching is enabled) and provides a common framework for doing
> > caching, transparent huge pages and, in the future, possibly fscrypt
> > and read bandwidth maximisation. It also allows the netfs and the
> > cache to align, expand and slice up a read request from the VM in
> > various ways; the netfs need only provide a function to read a stretch
> > of data to the pagecache and the helper takes care of the rest.
> >
> > (2) Add an alternative fscache/cachfiles I/O API that uses the kiocb
> > facility to do async DIO to transfer data to/from the netfs's pages,
> > rather than using readpage with wait queue snooping on one side and
> > vfs_write() on the other. It also uses less memory, since it doesn't
> > do buffered I/O on the backing file.
> >
> > Note that this uses SEEK_HOLE/SEEK_DATA to locate the data available
> > to be read from the cache. Whilst this is an improvement from the
> > bmap interface, it still has a problem with regard to a modern
> > extent-based filesystem inserting or removing bridging blocks of
> > zeros. Fixing that requires a much greater overhaul.
> >
> > This is a step towards overhauling the fscache API. The change is opt-in
> > on the part of the network filesystem. A netfs should not try to mix the
> > old and the new API because of conflicting ways of handling pages and the
> > PG_fscache page flag and because it would be mixing DIO with buffered I/O.
> > Further, the helper library can't be used with the old API.
> >
> > This does not change any of the fscache cookie handling APIs or the way
> > invalidation is done.
> >
> > In the near term, I intend to deprecate and remove the old I/O API
> > (fscache_allocate_page{,s}(), fscache_read_or_alloc_page{,s}(),
> > fscache_write_page() and fscache_uncache_page()) and eventually replace
> > most of fscache/cachefiles with something simpler and easier to follow.
> >
> > The patchset contains the following parts:
> >
> > (1) Some helper patches, including provision of an ITER_XARRAY iov
> > iterator and a function to do readahead expansion.
> >
> > (2) Patches to add the netfs helper library.
> >
> > (3) A patch to add the fscache/cachefiles kiocb API.
> >
> > (4) Patches to add support in AFS for this.
> >
> > Jeff Layton has patches to add support in Ceph for this.
> >
> > With this, AFS without a cache passes all expected xfstests; with a cache,
> > there's an extra failure, but that's also there before these patches.
> > Fixing that probably requires a greater overhaul. Ceph also passes the
> > expected tests.
> >
> > The netfs lib and fscache/cachefiles patches can be found also on:
> >
> > https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/linux-fs.git/log/?h=netfs-lib
> >
> > The afs patches can be found on:
> >
> > https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dhowells/linux-fs.git/log/?h=afs-netfs-lib
> >
> >
> > Changes
> > =======
> >
> > ver #6:
> > Merged in some fixes and added an additional tracepoint[8], including
> > fixing the amalgamation of contiguous subrequests that are to be
> > written to the cache.
> >
> > Added/merged some patches from Matthew Wilcox to make
> > readahead_expand() appropriately adjust the trigger for the next
> > readahead[9]. Also included is a patch to kerneldocify the
> > file_ra_state struct.
> >
> > Altered netfs_write_begin() to use DEFINE_READAHEAD()[10].
> >
> > Split the afs patches out into their own branch.
> >
> > ver #5:
> > Fixed some review comments from Matthew Wilcox:
> >
> > - Put a comment into netfs_readahead() to indicate why there's a loop
> > that puts, but doesn't unlock, "unconsumed" pages at the end when
> > it could just return said pages to the caller to dispose of[6].
> > (This is because where those pages are marked consumed).
> >
> > - Use the page_file_mapping() and page_index() helper functions
> > rather than accessing the page struct directly[6].
> >
> > - Better names for wrangling functions for PG_private_2 and
> > PG_fscache wrangling functions[7]. Came up with
> > {set,end,wait_for}_page_private_2() and aliased these for fscache.
> >
> > Moved the taking of/dropping a page ref for the PG_private_2 flag
> > into the set and end functions.
> >
> > ver #4:
> > Fixed some review comments from Christoph Hellwig, including dropping
> > the export of rw_verify_area()[3] and some minor stuff[4].
> >
> > Moved the declaration of readahead_expand() to a better location[5].
> >
> > Rebased to v5.12-rc2 and added a bunch of references into individual
> > commits.
> >
> > Dropped Ceph support - that will go through the maintainer's tree.
> >
> > Added interface documentation for the netfs helper library.
> >
> > ver #3:
> > Rolled in the bug fixes.
> >
> > Adjusted the functions that unlock and wait for PG_fscache according
> > to Linus's suggestion[1].
> >
> > Hold a ref on a page when PG_fscache is set as per Linus's
> > suggestion[2].
> >
> > Dropped NFS support and added Ceph support.
> >
> > ver #2:
> > Fixed some bugs and added NFS support.
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/CAHk-=wh+2gbF7XEjYc=HV9w_2uVzVf7vs60BPz0gFA=+pUm3ww@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [1]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/CAHk-=wjgA-74ddehziVk=XAEMTKswPu1Yw4uaro1R3ibs27ztw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [2]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210216102614.GA27555@xxxxxx/ [3]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210216084230.GA23669@xxxxxx/ [4]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210217161358.GM2858050@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [5]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210321014202.GF3420@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [6]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210321105309.GG3420@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [7]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161781041339.463527.18139104281901492882.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [8]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/20210407201857.3582797-1-willy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [9]
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/1234933.1617886271@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ [10]
> >
> > References
> > ==========
> >
> > These patches have been published for review before, firstly as part of a
> > larger set:
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/158861203563.340223.7585359869938129395.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/159465766378.1376105.11619976251039287525.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/159465784033.1376674.18106463693989811037.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/159465821598.1377938.2046362270225008168.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/160588455242.3465195.3214733858273019178.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > Then as a cut-down set:
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161118128472.1232039.11746799833066425131.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ # v1
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161161025063.2537118.2009249444682241405.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ # v2
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161340385320.1303470.2392622971006879777.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ # v3
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161539526152.286939.8589700175877370401.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ # v4
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/161653784755.2770958.11820491619308713741.stgit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/ # v5
> >
> > Proposals/information about the design has been published here:
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/24942.1573667720@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/2758811.1610621106@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/1441311.1598547738@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/160655.1611012999@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > And requests for information:
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/3326.1579019665@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/4467.1579020509@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/3577430.1579705075@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > I've posted partial patches to try and help 9p and cifs along:
> >
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/1514086.1605697347@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/1794123.1605713481@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/241017.1612263863@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > Link: https://lore.kernel.org/r/270998.1612265397@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/
> >
> > David
> > ---
> > David Howells (28):
> > iov_iter: Add ITER_XARRAY
> > mm: Add set/end/wait functions for PG_private_2
> > mm: Implement readahead_control pageset expansion
> > netfs: Make a netfs helper module
> > netfs: Documentation for helper library
> > netfs, mm: Move PG_fscache helper funcs to linux/netfs.h
> > netfs, mm: Add set/end/wait_on_page_fscache() aliases
> > netfs: Provide readahead and readpage netfs helpers
> > netfs: Add tracepoints
> > netfs: Gather stats
> > netfs: Add write_begin helper
> > netfs: Define an interface to talk to a cache
> > netfs: Add a tracepoint to log failures that would be otherwise unseen
> > fscache, cachefiles: Add alternate API to use kiocb for read/write to cache
> > afs: Disable use of the fscache I/O routines
> > afs: Pass page into dirty region helpers to provide THP size
> > afs: Print the operation debug_id when logging an unexpected data version
> > afs: Move key to afs_read struct
> > afs: Don't truncate iter during data fetch
> > afs: Log remote unmarshalling errors
> > afs: Set up the iov_iter before calling afs_extract_data()
> > afs: Use ITER_XARRAY for writing
> > afs: Wait on PG_fscache before modifying/releasing a page
> > afs: Extract writeback extension into its own function
> > afs: Prepare for use of THPs
> > afs: Use the fs operation ops to handle FetchData completion
> > afs: Use new netfs lib read helper API
> > afs: Use the netfs_write_begin() helper
> >
> > Matthew Wilcox (Oracle) (2):
> > mm/filemap: Pass the file_ra_state in the ractl
> > fs: Document file_ra_state
> >
> >
> > Documentation/filesystems/index.rst | 1 +
> > Documentation/filesystems/netfs_library.rst | 526 ++++++++
> > fs/Kconfig | 1 +
> > fs/Makefile | 1 +
> > fs/afs/Kconfig | 1 +
> > fs/afs/dir.c | 225 ++--
> > fs/afs/file.c | 483 ++------
> > fs/afs/fs_operation.c | 4 +-
> > fs/afs/fsclient.c | 108 +-
> > fs/afs/inode.c | 7 +-
> > fs/afs/internal.h | 59 +-
> > fs/afs/rxrpc.c | 150 +--
> > fs/afs/write.c | 657 +++++-----
> > fs/afs/yfsclient.c | 82 +-
> > fs/cachefiles/Makefile | 1 +
> > fs/cachefiles/interface.c | 5 +-
> > fs/cachefiles/internal.h | 9 +
> > fs/cachefiles/io.c | 420 +++++++
> > fs/ext4/verity.c | 2 +-
> > fs/f2fs/file.c | 2 +-
> > fs/f2fs/verity.c | 2 +-
> > fs/fscache/Kconfig | 1 +
> > fs/fscache/Makefile | 1 +
> > fs/fscache/internal.h | 4 +
> > fs/fscache/io.c | 116 ++
> > fs/fscache/page.c | 2 +-
> > fs/fscache/stats.c | 1 +
> > fs/netfs/Kconfig | 23 +
> > fs/netfs/Makefile | 5 +
> > fs/netfs/internal.h | 97 ++
> > fs/netfs/read_helper.c | 1185 +++++++++++++++++++
> > fs/netfs/stats.c | 59 +
> > include/linux/fs.h | 24 +-
> > include/linux/fscache-cache.h | 4 +
> > include/linux/fscache.h | 50 +-
> > include/linux/netfs.h | 234 ++++
> > include/linux/pagemap.h | 41 +-
> > include/net/af_rxrpc.h | 2 +-
> > include/trace/events/afs.h | 74 +-
> > include/trace/events/netfs.h | 261 ++++
> > mm/filemap.c | 63 +-
> > mm/internal.h | 7 +-
> > mm/readahead.c | 97 +-
> > net/rxrpc/recvmsg.c | 9 +-
> > 44 files changed, 3998 insertions(+), 1108 deletions(-)
> > create mode 100644 Documentation/filesystems/netfs_library.rst
> > create mode 100644 fs/cachefiles/io.c
> > create mode 100644 fs/fscache/io.c
> > create mode 100644 fs/netfs/Kconfig
> > create mode 100644 fs/netfs/Makefile
> > create mode 100644 fs/netfs/internal.h
> > create mode 100644 fs/netfs/read_helper.c
> > create mode 100644 fs/netfs/stats.c
> > create mode 100644 include/linux/netfs.h
> > create mode 100644 include/trace/events/netfs.h
> >
> >
>
> Similar to Jeff, for most of first 16 patches (except patch 1 and 13)
> you can add
> Tested-by: Dave Wysochanski <dwysocha@xxxxxxxxxx>
>

Clarification on patch 1. You can include my "Tested-by" on that as well.
As you pointed out, the NFS patches used the new netfs API code paths
in read_helper.c which in turn use the iter-xarray patch, so my NFS
testing also covered patch 1.

My apologies for not looking more carefully.

> I rebased my latest NFS patches on top of your netfs-lib branch at the
> below commit (the 16th patch here)
> fce8d8a1ae46 fscache, cachefiles: Add alternate API to use kiocb for
> read/write to cache
>
> With netfs and fscache enabled mount, I ran the following tests, and
> found the series to be very solid, with no obvious failures (hangs,
> oopses, etc), and results matched tests run on vanilla 5.12-rc6:
> * unit tests: NFSv3, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2; localhost server; with/without all
> tracepoints enabled (fscache, cachefiles, netfs)
> * NFS connectathon: NFSv3, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2; rhel7 server; with/without
> all tracepoints enabled (fscache, cachefiles, netfs)
> * xfstests generic: NFSv3, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2; rhel7, rhel8 server
> Notes
> 1. I still have not resolved the pNFS issues so I did not run fscache
> enabled pNFS tests.
> 2. Current NFS patches do not use ITER_XARRAY (patch 1/30) or
> write_begin helper (patch 13/30)