Re: [PATCH 1/2] iommu/vt-d: Ensure memory ordering in context entry updates

[Baolu Lu]

On 12/21/25 21:11, Dmytro Maluka wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 21, 2025 at 05:04:27PM +0800, Baolu Lu wrote:
> > On 12/21/25 09:43, Dmytro Maluka wrote:
> > > +static inline void context_set_bits(u64 *ptr, u64 mask, u64 bits)
> > > +{
> > > +	u64 old;
> > > +
> > > +	old = READ_ONCE(*ptr);
> > > +	WRITE_ONCE(*ptr, (old & ~mask) | bits);
> > > +}
> >
> > Add a line to ensures that the input "bits" cannot overflow the assigned
> > "mask".
> >
> > static inline void context_set_bits(u64 *ptr, u64 mask, u64 bits)
> > {
> > 	u64 val;
> >
> > 	val = READ_ONCE(*ptr);
> > 	val &= ~mask;
> > 	val |= (bits & mask);
> > 	WRITE_ONCE(*ptr, val);
> > }
>
> Makes sense. And then worth doing the same in pasid_set_bits() as well?
>
> Actually we can use the same helper for both context and pasid entries
> (rename it e.g. to entry_set_bits()).

Yeah, that sounds better.

> > >    static inline void context_set_present(struct context_entry *context)
> > >    {
> > > -	context->lo |= 1;
> > > +	context_set_bits(&context->lo, 1 << 0, 1);
> > >    }
> >
> > How about adding a smp_wmb() before setting the present bit? Maybe it's
> > unnecessary for x86 architecture, but at least it's harmless and more
> > readable. Or not?
> >
> > static inline void context_set_present(struct context_entry *context)
> > {
> > 	smp_wmb();
> > 	context_set_bits(&context->lo, 1ULL << 0, 1ULL);
> > }
>
> Maybe... And if so, then in pasid_set_present() as well?
>
> Actually this would make a slight behavioral difference even on x86:
> right now this patch only provides ordering of context entry updates
> between each other, while smp_wmb() would add a full compiler barrier
> here.
>
> So this barrier may be redundant as long as we always use these
> context_*() helpers (and thus always use WRITE_ONCE) for any updates of
> context entries. On the other hand, it might make it more robust if we
> still occasionally do that without WRITE_ONCE, for example in
> context_entry_set_pasid_table() which I also changed to use WRITE_ONCE
> in this patch.

Fair point. It is somewhat redundant. However, I would suggest adding a
comment there. For example:

static inline void context_set_present(struct context_entry *context)
{
 	/*
	 * smp_wmb() is unnecessary here because x86 hardware naturally
	 * keeps writes in order and all context entry modifications
	 * use WRITE_ONCE().
	 */
 	context_set_bits(&context->lo, 1ULL << 0, 1ULL);
}

So that people are still aware of this when porting this driver to
platforms with a weak memory model.

Thanks,
baolu