- Proper Locking Under a Preemptible Kernel:
- Keeping Kernel Code Preempt-Safe
- Robert Love <rml@tech9.net>
- Last Updated: 28 Aug 2002
+===========================================================================
+Proper Locking Under a Preemptible Kernel: Keeping Kernel Code Preempt-Safe
+===========================================================================
+:Author: Robert Love <rml@tech9.net>
+:Last Updated: 28 Aug 2002
-INTRODUCTION
+
+Introduction
+============
A preemptible kernel creates new locking issues. The issues are the same as
RULE #1: Per-CPU data structures need explicit protection
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-Two similar problems arise. An example code snippet:
+Two similar problems arise. An example code snippet::
struct this_needs_locking tux[NR_CPUS];
tux[smp_processor_id()] = some_value;
RULE #2: CPU state must be protected.
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Under preemption, the state of the CPU must be protected. This is arch-
RULE #3: Lock acquire and release must be performed by same task
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A lock acquired in one task must be released by the same task. This
have the caller wait on an event by the other task.
-SOLUTION
+Solution
+========
Data protection under preemption is achieved by disabling preemption for the
duration of the critical region.
-preempt_enable() decrement the preempt counter
-preempt_disable() increment the preempt counter
-preempt_enable_no_resched() decrement, but do not immediately preempt
-preempt_check_resched() if needed, reschedule
-preempt_count() return the preempt counter
+::
+
+ preempt_enable() decrement the preempt counter
+ preempt_disable() increment the preempt counter
+ preempt_enable_no_resched() decrement, but do not immediately preempt
+ preempt_check_resched() if needed, reschedule
+ preempt_count() return the preempt counter
The functions are nestable. In other words, you can call preempt_disable
n-times in a code path, and preemption will not be reenabled until the n-th
affected codepath does not do any of this. Best policy is to use this only for
small, atomic code that you wrote and which calls no complex functions.
-Example:
+Example::
cpucache_t *cc; /* this is per-CPU */
preempt_disable();
return 0;
Notice how the preemption statements must encompass every reference of the
-critical variables. Another example:
+critical variables. Another example::
int buf[NR_CPUS];
set_cpu_val(buf);
moving the spin_lock up two lines.
-PREVENTING PREEMPTION USING INTERRUPT DISABLING
+Preventing preemption using interrupt disabling
+===============================================
It is possible to prevent a preemption event using local_irq_disable and