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SubjectRe: [PATCH 3/8] writeback: switch to per-bdi threads for flushing data
On Fri, Sep 04 2009, Jan Kara wrote:
> On Fri 04-09-09 09:46:41, Jens Axboe wrote:
> > diff --git a/fs/fs-writeback.c b/fs/fs-writeback.c
> > index 45ad4bb..93aa9a7 100644
> > --- a/fs/fs-writeback.c
> > +++ b/fs/fs-writeback.c
> ...
> > +static void wb_start_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, struct bdi_work *work)
> > +{
> > + /*
> > + * If we failed allocating the bdi work item, wake up the wb thread
> > + * always. As a safety precaution, it'll flush out everything
> > + */
> > + if (!wb_has_dirty_io(wb) && work)
> > + wb_clear_pending(wb, work);
> > + else if (wb->task)
> > + wake_up_process(wb->task);
> > +}
> >
> > - inode->i_state |= flags;
> > +static void bdi_sched_work(struct backing_dev_info *bdi, struct bdi_work *work)
> > +{
> > + wb_start_writeback(&bdi->wb, work);
> > +}
> wb_start_writeback gets called only from bdi_sched_work() that gets
> called only from bdi_queue_work(). I think it might be easier to read if we
> put everything in bdi_queue_work().
> Also it's not quite clear to me, why wb_start_writeback() wakes up process
> even if wb_has_dirty_io() == 0.

Indeed, mostly left-overs from the more complicated multi thread
support. I folded everything into bdi_queue_work() now.

Not sure why the wakeup statement looks as odd as it does, I changed it
as below now:

if (!wb_has_dirty_io(wb)) {
if (work)
wb_clear_pending(wb, work);
} else if (wb->task)
wake_up_process(wb->task);

so that we only wake the thread if it has dirty IO.

> > +/*
> > + * For WB_SYNC_NONE writeback, the caller does not have the sb pinned
> > + * before calling writeback. So make sure that we do pin it, so it doesn't
> > + * go away while we are writing inodes from it.
> Maybe add here a comment that the function returns 0 if the sb pinned and
> 1 if it isn't (which seems slightly counterintuitive to me).

0 on success is the usual calling convention, so I think that is fine. I
have added a comment about the return value.

> > + */
> > +static int pin_sb_for_writeback(struct writeback_control *wbc,
> > + struct inode *inode)
> > {
> > + struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * Caller must already hold the ref for this
> > + */
> > + if (wbc->sync_mode == WB_SYNC_ALL) {
> > + WARN_ON(!rwsem_is_locked(&sb->s_umount));
> > + return 0;
> > + }
> > +
> > + spin_lock(&sb_lock);
> > + sb->s_count++;
> > + if (down_read_trylock(&sb->s_umount)) {
> > + if (sb->s_root) {
> > + spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
> > + return 0;
> > + }
> > + /*
> > + * umounted, drop rwsem again and fall through to failure
> > + */
> > + up_read(&sb->s_umount);
> > + }
> > +
> > + __put_super_and_need_restart(sb);
> Here, you should be safe to do just sb->s_count-- since you didn't drop
> sb_lock in the mean time. Other

Indeed, thanks!

> > + spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
> > + return 1;
> > +}
> > +
> > +static void unpin_sb_for_writeback(struct writeback_control *wbc,
> > + struct inode *inode)
> > +{
> > + struct super_block *sb = inode->i_sb;
> > +
> > + if (wbc->sync_mode == WB_SYNC_ALL)
> > + return;
> > +
> > + up_read(&sb->s_umount);
> > + spin_lock(&sb_lock);
> > + __put_super_and_need_restart(sb);
> > + spin_unlock(&sb_lock);
> Above three lines should be just:
> put_super(sb);

Just trying to avoid making put_super() non-static, but I've made that
change now too.

> > @@ -535,16 +596,16 @@ static void generic_sync_bdi_inodes(struct backing_dev_info *bdi,
> > if (inode_dirtied_after(inode, start))
> > break;
> >
> > - /* Is another pdflush already flushing this queue? */
> > - if (current_is_pdflush() && !writeback_acquire(bdi))
> > - break;
> > + if (pin_sb_for_writeback(wbc, inode)) {
> > + requeue_io(inode);
> > + continue;
> > + }
> >
> > BUG_ON(inode->i_state & (I_FREEING | I_CLEAR));
> > __iget(inode);
> > pages_skipped = wbc->pages_skipped;
> > writeback_single_inode(inode, wbc);
> > - if (current_is_pdflush())
> > - writeback_release(bdi);
> > + unpin_sb_for_writeback(wbc, inode);
> > if (wbc->pages_skipped != pages_skipped) {
> > /*
> > * writeback is not making progress due to locked
> This looks safe now. Good.

I'm relieved you're happy with that now, thanks! :-)

> > /*
> > - * Write out a superblock's list of dirty inodes. A wait will be performed
> > - * upon no inodes, all inodes or the final one, depending upon sync_mode.
> > - *
> > - * If older_than_this is non-NULL, then only write out inodes which
> > - * had their first dirtying at a time earlier than *older_than_this.
> > - *
> > - * If we're a pdlfush thread, then implement pdflush collision avoidance
> > - * against the entire list.
> > + * The maximum number of pages to writeout in a single bdi flush/kupdate
> > + * operation. We do this so we don't hold I_SYNC against an inode for
> > + * enormous amounts of time, which would block a userspace task which has
> > + * been forced to throttle against that inode. Also, the code reevaluates
> > + * the dirty each time it has written this many pages.
> > + */
> > +#define MAX_WRITEBACK_PAGES 1024
> > +
> > +static inline bool over_bground_thresh(void)
> > +{
> > + unsigned long background_thresh, dirty_thresh;
> > +
> > + get_dirty_limits(&background_thresh, &dirty_thresh, NULL, NULL);
> > +
> > + return (global_page_state(NR_FILE_DIRTY) +
> > + global_page_state(NR_UNSTABLE_NFS) >= background_thresh);
> > +}
> > +
> > +/*
> > + * Explicit flushing or periodic writeback of "old" data.
> > *
> > - * If `bdi' is non-zero then we're being asked to writeback a specific queue.
> > - * This function assumes that the blockdev superblock's inodes are backed by
> > - * a variety of queues, so all inodes are searched. For other superblocks,
> > - * assume that all inodes are backed by the same queue.
> > + * Define "old": the first time one of an inode's pages is dirtied, we mark the
> > + * dirtying-time in the inode's address_space. So this periodic writeback code
> > + * just walks the superblock inode list, writing back any inodes which are
> > + * older than a specific point in time.
> > *
> > - * FIXME: this linear search could get expensive with many fileystems. But
> > - * how to fix? We need to go from an address_space to all inodes which share
> > - * a queue with that address_space. (Easy: have a global "dirty superblocks"
> > - * list).
> > + * Try to run once per dirty_writeback_interval. But if a writeback event
> > + * takes longer than a dirty_writeback_interval interval, then leave a
> > + * one-second gap.
> > *
> > - * The inodes to be written are parked on bdi->b_io. They are moved back onto
> > - * bdi->b_dirty as they are selected for writing. This way, none can be missed
> > - * on the writer throttling path, and we get decent balancing between many
> > - * throttled threads: we don't want them all piling up on inode_sync_wait.
> > + * older_than_this takes precedence over nr_to_write. So we'll only write back
> > + * all dirty pages if they are all attached to "old" mappings.
> > */
> > -static void generic_sync_sb_inodes(struct super_block *sb,
> > - struct writeback_control *wbc)
> > +static long wb_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, long nr_pages,
> > + struct super_block *sb,
> > + enum writeback_sync_modes sync_mode, int for_kupdate)
> > {
> > - struct backing_dev_info *bdi;
> > + struct writeback_control wbc = {
> > + .bdi = wb->bdi,
> > + .sb = sb,
> > + .sync_mode = sync_mode,
> > + .older_than_this = NULL,
> > + .for_kupdate = for_kupdate,
> > + .range_cyclic = 1,
> > + };
> > + unsigned long oldest_jif;
> > + long wrote = 0;
> >
> > - if (!wbc->bdi) {
> > - mutex_lock(&bdi_lock);
> > - list_for_each_entry(bdi, &bdi_list, bdi_list)
> > - generic_sync_bdi_inodes(bdi, wbc, sb);
> > - mutex_unlock(&bdi_lock);
> > - } else
> > - generic_sync_bdi_inodes(wbc->bdi, wbc, sb);
> > + if (wbc.for_kupdate) {
> > + wbc.older_than_this = &oldest_jif;
> > + oldest_jif = jiffies -
> > + msecs_to_jiffies(dirty_expire_interval * 10);
> > + }
> >
> > - if (wbc->sync_mode == WB_SYNC_ALL) {
> > - struct inode *inode, *old_inode = NULL;
> > + for (;;) {
> > + if (sync_mode == WB_SYNC_NONE && nr_pages <= 0 &&
> > + !over_bground_thresh())
> > + break;
> I don't understand this - why should this function care about
> over_bground_thresh? As I understand it, it should just do what it was
> told. For example when someone asks to write-out 20 pages from some
> superblock, we may effectively end up writing everyting from the superblock
> if the system happens to have another superblock with more than
> background_thresh of dirty pages...
> I guess you try to join pdflush-like and kupdate-like writeback here.
> Then you might want to have conditions like
> if (!for_kupdate && nr_pages <= 0 && sync_mode == WB_SYNC_NONE)
> break;
> if (for_kupdate && nr_pages <= 0 && !over_bground_thresh())
> break;

Good spotting, yes that looks correct!

>
> > - spin_lock(&inode_lock);
> > + wbc.more_io = 0;
> > + wbc.encountered_congestion = 0;
> > + wbc.nr_to_write = MAX_WRITEBACK_PAGES;
> > + wbc.pages_skipped = 0;
> > + writeback_inodes_wb(wb, &wbc);
> > + nr_pages -= MAX_WRITEBACK_PAGES - wbc.nr_to_write;
> > + wrote += MAX_WRITEBACK_PAGES - wbc.nr_to_write;
> >
> > /*
> > - * Data integrity sync. Must wait for all pages under writeback,
> > - * because there may have been pages dirtied before our sync
> > - * call, but which had writeout started before we write it out.
> > - * In which case, the inode may not be on the dirty list, but
> > - * we still have to wait for that writeout.
> > + * If we ran out of stuff to write, bail unless more_io got set
> > */
> > - list_for_each_entry(inode, &sb->s_inodes, i_sb_list) {
> > - struct address_space *mapping;
> > -
> > - if (inode->i_state &
> > - (I_FREEING|I_CLEAR|I_WILL_FREE|I_NEW))
> > - continue;
> > - mapping = inode->i_mapping;
> > - if (mapping->nrpages == 0)
> > + if (wbc.nr_to_write > 0 || wbc.pages_skipped > 0) {
> > + if (wbc.more_io && !wbc.for_kupdate)
> > continue;
> > - __iget(inode);
> > - spin_unlock(&inode_lock);
> > + break;
> > + }
> > + }
> > +
> > + return wrote;
> > +}
> > +
> > +/*
> > + * Retrieve work items and do the writeback they describe
> > + */
> > +long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, int force_wait)
> Why is here force_wait parameter? I don't see it being set anywhere...

It's used on thread exit, to ensure that we flush and wait any pending
IO before exiting the thread.

> > +{
> > + struct backing_dev_info *bdi = wb->bdi;
> > + struct bdi_work *work;
> > + long nr_pages, wrote = 0;
> > +
> > + while ((work = get_next_work_item(bdi, wb)) != NULL) {
> > + enum writeback_sync_modes sync_mode;
> > +
> > + nr_pages = work->nr_pages;
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * Override sync mode, in case we must wait for completion
> > + */
> > + if (force_wait)
> > + work->sync_mode = sync_mode = WB_SYNC_ALL;
> > + else
> > + sync_mode = work->sync_mode;
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * If this isn't a data integrity operation, just notify
> > + * that we have seen this work and we are now starting it.
> > + */
> > + if (sync_mode == WB_SYNC_NONE)
> > + wb_clear_pending(wb, work);
> > +
> > + wrote += wb_writeback(wb, nr_pages, work->sb, sync_mode, 0);
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * This is a data integrity writeback, so only do the
> > + * notification when we have completed the work.
> > + */
> > + if (sync_mode == WB_SYNC_ALL)
> > + wb_clear_pending(wb, work);
> > + }
> > +
> > + /*
> > + * Check for periodic writeback, kupdated() style
> > + */
> > + if (!wrote) {
> Hmm, but who guarantees that old inodes get flushed from dirty list
> when someone just periodically submits some work? And similarly who
> guarantees we drop below background threshold? I think the logic
> here needs some rethinking...

Good point, I guess it is possible to get into a situation where it
periodically does explicit work and thus never seems idle enough to
flush old data. I'll add a check for 'last periodic old sync' for that.

> > @@ -749,7 +1148,8 @@ long sync_inodes_sb(struct super_block *sb)
> > long nr_to_write = LONG_MAX; /* doesn't actually matter */
> >
> > wbc.nr_to_write = nr_to_write;
> > - generic_sync_sb_inodes(sb, &wbc);
> > + bdi_writeback_all(&wbc);
> > + wait_sb_inodes(&wbc);
> > return nr_to_write - wbc.nr_to_write;
> > }
> > EXPORT_SYMBOL(sync_inodes_sb);
> So to writeback or sync inodes in a single superblock, you effectively
> scan all the dirty inodes in the system just to find out which ones are on
> your superblock? I don't think that's very efficient.

Yes I know, I'll provide some lookup functionality for that.

> > diff --git a/include/linux/backing-dev.h b/include/linux/backing-dev.h
> > index 928cd54..ac1d2ba 100644
> > --- a/include/linux/backing-dev.h
> > +++ b/include/linux/backing-dev.h
> ...
> > +#define BDI_MAX_FLUSHERS 32
> > +
> This isn't used anywhere...

Good catch, leftover as well. Killed.

> > diff --git a/mm/page-writeback.c b/mm/page-writeback.c
> > index f8341b6..2c287d9 100644
> > --- a/mm/page-writeback.c
> > +++ b/mm/page-writeback.c
> ...
> > @@ -593,8 +582,15 @@ static void balance_dirty_pages(struct address_space *mapping)
> > if ((laptop_mode && pages_written) ||
> > (!laptop_mode && (global_page_state(NR_FILE_DIRTY)
> > + global_page_state(NR_UNSTABLE_NFS)
> > - > background_thresh)))
> > - pdflush_operation(background_writeout, 0);
> > + > background_thresh))) {
> > + struct writeback_control wbc = {
> > + .bdi = bdi,
> > + .sync_mode = WB_SYNC_NONE,
> > + };
> Shouldn't we set nr_pages here? I see that with your old code it wasn't
> needed because of that over_bground check but that will probably get
> changed.

Sure, we may as well set it explicitly to the total dirty count.

Thanks for your review Jan, I'll post a new round shortly...

--
Jens Axboe



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