Re: [PATCH v4 06/12] mm: introduce generic lazy_mmu helpers
From: David Hildenbrand
Date: Sat Nov 01 2025 - 08:18:22 EST
On 29.10.25 11:09, Kevin Brodsky wrote:
The implementation of the lazy MMU mode is currently entirely
arch-specific; core code directly calls arch helpers:
arch_{enter,leave}_lazy_mmu_mode().
We are about to introduce support for nested lazy MMU sections.
As things stand we'd have to duplicate that logic in every arch
implementing lazy_mmu - adding to a fair amount of logic
already duplicated across lazy_mmu implementations.
This patch therefore introduces a new generic layer that calls the
existing arch_* helpers. Two pair of calls are introduced:
* lazy_mmu_mode_enable() ... lazy_mmu_mode_disable()
This is the standard case where the mode is enabled for a given
block of code by surrounding it with enable() and disable()
calls.
* lazy_mmu_mode_pause() ... lazy_mmu_mode_resume()
This is for situations where the mode is temporarily disabled
by first calling pause() and then resume() (e.g. to prevent any
batching from occurring in a critical section).
The documentation in <linux/pgtable.h> will be updated in a
subsequent patch.
No functional change should be introduced at this stage.
The implementation of enable()/resume() and disable()/pause() is
currently identical, but nesting support will change that.
Most of the call sites have been updated using the following
Coccinelle script:
@@
@@
{
...
- arch_enter_lazy_mmu_mode();
+ lazy_mmu_mode_enable();
...
- arch_leave_lazy_mmu_mode();
+ lazy_mmu_mode_disable();
...
}
@@
@@
{
...
- arch_leave_lazy_mmu_mode();
+ lazy_mmu_mode_pause();
...
- arch_enter_lazy_mmu_mode();
+ lazy_mmu_mode_resume();
...
}
A couple of notes regarding x86:
* Xen is currently the only case where explicit handling is required
for lazy MMU when context-switching. This is purely an
implementation detail and using the generic lazy_mmu_mode_*
functions would cause trouble when nesting support is introduced,
because the generic functions must be called from the current task.
For that reason we still use arch_leave() and arch_enter() there.
* x86 calls arch_flush_lazy_mmu_mode() unconditionally in a few
places, but only defines it if PARAVIRT_XXL is selected, and we
are removing the fallback in <linux/pgtable.h>. Add a new fallback
definition to <asm/pgtable.h> to keep things building.
Signed-off-by: Kevin Brodsky <kevin.brodsky@xxxxxxx>
---
Acked-by: David Hildenbrand <david@xxxxxxxxxx>
--
Cheers
David / dhildenb