doc: Remove obsolete RCU update functions from RCU documentation

Now that synchronize_rcu_bh, synchronize_rcu_bh_expedited, call_rcu_bh,
rcu_barrier_bh, synchronize_sched, synchronize_sched_expedited,
call_rcu_sched, rcu_barrier_sched, get_state_synchronize_sched,
and cond_synchronize_sched are obsolete, let's remove them from the
documentation aside from a small historical section.

Signed-off-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@linux.ibm.com>
This commit is contained in:
Paul E. McKenney 2019-01-09 14:48:09 -08:00
parent 9e98c678c2
commit 4fea6ef0b2
8 changed files with 66 additions and 76 deletions

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@ -155,8 +155,7 @@ keeping lock contention under control at all tree levels regardless
of the level of loading on the system.
</p><p>RCU updaters wait for normal grace periods by registering
RCU callbacks, either directly via <tt>call_rcu()</tt> and
friends (namely <tt>call_rcu_bh()</tt> and <tt>call_rcu_sched()</tt>),
RCU callbacks, either directly via <tt>call_rcu()</tt>
or indirectly via <tt>synchronize_rcu()</tt> and friends.
RCU callbacks are represented by <tt>rcu_head</tt> structures,
which are queued on <tt>rcu_data</tt> structures while they are

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@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ sections.
RCU-preempt Expedited Grace Periods</a></h2>
<p>
<tt>CONFIG_PREEMPT=y</tt> kernels implement RCU-preempt.
The overall flow of the handling of a given CPU by an RCU-preempt
expedited grace period is shown in the following diagram:
@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ or offline, among other things.
RCU-sched Expedited Grace Periods</a></h2>
<p>
<tt>CONFIG_PREEMPT=n</tt> kernels implement RCU-sched.
The overall flow of the handling of a given CPU by an RCU-sched
expedited grace period is shown in the following diagram:
@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ expedited grace period is shown in the following diagram:
<p>
As with RCU-preempt, RCU-sched's
<tt>synchronize_sched_expedited()</tt> ignores offline and
<tt>synchronize_rcu_expedited()</tt> ignores offline and
idle CPUs, again because they are in remotely detectable
quiescent states.
However, because the

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@ -34,12 +34,11 @@ Similarly, any code that happens before the beginning of a given RCU grace
period is guaranteed to see the effects of all accesses following the end
of that grace period that are within RCU read-side critical sections.
<p>This guarantee is particularly pervasive for <tt>synchronize_sched()</tt>,
for which RCU-sched read-side critical sections include any region
<p>Note well that RCU-sched read-side critical sections include any region
of code for which preemption is disabled.
Given that each individual machine instruction can be thought of as
an extremely small region of preemption-disabled code, one can think of
<tt>synchronize_sched()</tt> as <tt>smp_mb()</tt> on steroids.
<tt>synchronize_rcu()</tt> as <tt>smp_mb()</tt> on steroids.
<p>RCU updaters use this guarantee by splitting their updates into
two phases, one of which is executed before the grace period and

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@ -81,18 +81,19 @@ currently executing on some other CPU. We therefore cannot free
up any data structures used by the old NMI handler until execution
of it completes on all other CPUs.
One way to accomplish this is via synchronize_sched(), perhaps as
One way to accomplish this is via synchronize_rcu(), perhaps as
follows:
unset_nmi_callback();
synchronize_sched();
synchronize_rcu();
kfree(my_nmi_data);
This works because synchronize_sched() blocks until all CPUs complete
any preemption-disabled segments of code that they were executing.
Since NMI handlers disable preemption, synchronize_sched() is guaranteed
This works because (as of v4.20) synchronize_rcu() blocks until all
CPUs complete any preemption-disabled segments of code that they were
executing.
Since NMI handlers disable preemption, synchronize_rcu() is guaranteed
not to return until all ongoing NMI handlers exit. It is therefore safe
to free up the handler's data as soon as synchronize_sched() returns.
to free up the handler's data as soon as synchronize_rcu() returns.
Important note: for this to work, the architecture in question must
invoke nmi_enter() and nmi_exit() on NMI entry and exit, respectively.

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@ -86,10 +86,8 @@ even on a UP system. So do not do it! Even on a UP system, the RCU
infrastructure -must- respect grace periods, and -must- invoke callbacks
from a known environment in which no locks are held.
It -is- safe for synchronize_sched() and synchronize_rcu_bh() to return
immediately on an UP system. It is also safe for synchronize_rcu()
to return immediately on UP systems, except when running preemptable
RCU.
Note that it -is- safe for synchronize_rcu() to return immediately on
UP systems, including !PREEMPT SMP builds running on UP systems.
Quick Quiz #3: Why can't synchronize_rcu() return immediately on
UP systems running preemptable RCU?

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@ -182,16 +182,13 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
when publicizing a pointer to a structure that can
be traversed by an RCU read-side critical section.
5. If call_rcu(), or a related primitive such as call_rcu_bh(),
call_rcu_sched(), or call_srcu() is used, the callback function
will be called from softirq context. In particular, it cannot
block.
5. If call_rcu() or call_srcu() is used, the callback function will
be called from softirq context. In particular, it cannot block.
6. Since synchronize_rcu() can block, it cannot be called from
any sort of irq context. The same rule applies for
synchronize_rcu_bh(), synchronize_sched(), synchronize_srcu(),
synchronize_rcu_expedited(), synchronize_rcu_bh_expedited(),
synchronize_sched_expedite(), and synchronize_srcu_expedited().
6. Since synchronize_rcu() can block, it cannot be called
from any sort of irq context. The same rule applies
for synchronize_srcu(), synchronize_rcu_expedited(), and
synchronize_srcu_expedited().
The expedited forms of these primitives have the same semantics
as the non-expedited forms, but expediting is both expensive and
@ -212,20 +209,20 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
of the system, especially to real-time workloads running on
the rest of the system.
7. If the updater uses call_rcu() or synchronize_rcu(), then the
corresponding readers must use rcu_read_lock() and
rcu_read_unlock(). If the updater uses call_rcu_bh() or
synchronize_rcu_bh(), then the corresponding readers must
use rcu_read_lock_bh() and rcu_read_unlock_bh(). If the
updater uses call_rcu_sched() or synchronize_sched(), then
the corresponding readers must disable preemption, possibly
by calling rcu_read_lock_sched() and rcu_read_unlock_sched().
If the updater uses synchronize_srcu() or call_srcu(), then
the corresponding readers must use srcu_read_lock() and
7. As of v4.20, a given kernel implements only one RCU flavor,
which is RCU-sched for PREEMPT=n and RCU-preempt for PREEMPT=y.
If the updater uses call_rcu() or synchronize_rcu(),
then the corresponding readers my use rcu_read_lock() and
rcu_read_unlock(), rcu_read_lock_bh() and rcu_read_unlock_bh(),
or any pair of primitives that disables and re-enables preemption,
for example, rcu_read_lock_sched() and rcu_read_unlock_sched().
If the updater uses synchronize_srcu() or call_srcu(),
then the corresponding readers must use srcu_read_lock() and
srcu_read_unlock(), and with the same srcu_struct. The rules for
the expedited primitives are the same as for their non-expedited
counterparts. Mixing things up will result in confusion and
broken kernels.
broken kernels, and has even resulted in an exploitable security
issue.
One exception to this rule: rcu_read_lock() and rcu_read_unlock()
may be substituted for rcu_read_lock_bh() and rcu_read_unlock_bh()
@ -288,8 +285,7 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
d. Periodically invoke synchronize_rcu(), permitting a limited
number of updates per grace period.
The same cautions apply to call_rcu_bh(), call_rcu_sched(),
call_srcu(), and kfree_rcu().
The same cautions apply to call_srcu() and kfree_rcu().
Note that although these primitives do take action to avoid memory
exhaustion when any given CPU has too many callbacks, a determined
@ -336,12 +332,12 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
to safely access and/or modify that data structure.
RCU callbacks are -usually- executed on the same CPU that executed
the corresponding call_rcu(), call_rcu_bh(), or call_rcu_sched(),
but are by -no- means guaranteed to be. For example, if a given
CPU goes offline while having an RCU callback pending, then that
RCU callback will execute on some surviving CPU. (If this was
not the case, a self-spawning RCU callback would prevent the
victim CPU from ever going offline.)
the corresponding call_rcu() or call_srcu(). but are by -no-
means guaranteed to be. For example, if a given CPU goes offline
while having an RCU callback pending, then that RCU callback
will execute on some surviving CPU. (If this was not the case,
a self-spawning RCU callback would prevent the victim CPU from
ever going offline.)
13. Unlike other forms of RCU, it -is- permissible to block in an
SRCU read-side critical section (demarked by srcu_read_lock()
@ -381,8 +377,7 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
SRCU's expedited primitive (synchronize_srcu_expedited())
never sends IPIs to other CPUs, so it is easier on
real-time workloads than is synchronize_rcu_expedited(),
synchronize_rcu_bh_expedited() or synchronize_sched_expedited().
real-time workloads than is synchronize_rcu_expedited().
Note that rcu_dereference() and rcu_assign_pointer() relate to
SRCU just as they do to other forms of RCU.
@ -428,22 +423,19 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
These debugging aids can help you find problems that are
otherwise extremely difficult to spot.
17. If you register a callback using call_rcu(), call_rcu_bh(),
call_rcu_sched(), or call_srcu(), and pass in a function defined
within a loadable module, then it in necessary to wait for
all pending callbacks to be invoked after the last invocation
and before unloading that module. Note that it is absolutely
-not- sufficient to wait for a grace period! The current (say)
synchronize_rcu() implementation waits only for all previous
callbacks registered on the CPU that synchronize_rcu() is running
on, but it is -not- guaranteed to wait for callbacks registered
on other CPUs.
17. If you register a callback using call_rcu() or call_srcu(),
and pass in a function defined within a loadable module,
then it in necessary to wait for all pending callbacks to
be invoked after the last invocation and before unloading
that module. Note that it is absolutely -not- sufficient to
wait for a grace period! The current (say) synchronize_rcu()
implementation waits only for all previous callbacks registered
on the CPU that synchronize_rcu() is running on, but it is -not-
guaranteed to wait for callbacks registered on other CPUs.
You instead need to use one of the barrier functions:
o call_rcu() -> rcu_barrier()
o call_rcu_bh() -> rcu_barrier()
o call_rcu_sched() -> rcu_barrier()
o call_srcu() -> srcu_barrier()
However, these barrier functions are absolutely -not- guaranteed

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@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ o If I am running on a uniprocessor kernel, which can only do one
o How can I see where RCU is currently used in the Linux kernel?
Search for "rcu_read_lock", "rcu_read_unlock", "call_rcu",
"rcu_read_lock_bh", "rcu_read_unlock_bh", "call_rcu_bh",
"srcu_read_lock", "srcu_read_unlock", "synchronize_rcu",
"synchronize_net", "synchronize_srcu", and the other RCU
primitives. Or grab one of the cscope databases from:
"rcu_read_lock_bh", "rcu_read_unlock_bh", "srcu_read_lock",
"srcu_read_unlock", "synchronize_rcu", "synchronize_net",
"synchronize_srcu", and the other RCU primitives. Or grab one
of the cscope databases from:
http://www.rdrop.com/users/paulmck/RCU/linuxusage/rculocktab.html

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@ -83,16 +83,15 @@ Pseudo-code using rcu_barrier() is as follows:
2. Execute rcu_barrier().
3. Allow the module to be unloaded.
There are also rcu_barrier_bh(), rcu_barrier_sched(), and srcu_barrier()
functions for the other flavors of RCU, and you of course must match
the flavor of rcu_barrier() with that of call_rcu(). If your module
uses multiple flavors of call_rcu(), then it must also use multiple
There is also an srcu_barrier() function for SRCU, and you of course
must match the flavor of rcu_barrier() with that of call_rcu(). If your
module uses multiple flavors of call_rcu(), then it must also use multiple
flavors of rcu_barrier() when unloading that module. For example, if
it uses call_rcu_bh(), call_srcu() on srcu_struct_1, and call_srcu() on
it uses call_rcu(), call_srcu() on srcu_struct_1, and call_srcu() on
srcu_struct_2(), then the following three lines of code will be required
when unloading:
1 rcu_barrier_bh();
1 rcu_barrier();
2 srcu_barrier(&srcu_struct_1);
3 srcu_barrier(&srcu_struct_2);
@ -185,12 +184,12 @@ module invokes call_rcu() from timers, you will need to first cancel all
the timers, and only then invoke rcu_barrier() to wait for any remaining
RCU callbacks to complete.
Of course, if you module uses call_rcu_bh(), you will need to invoke
rcu_barrier_bh() before unloading. Similarly, if your module uses
call_rcu_sched(), you will need to invoke rcu_barrier_sched() before
unloading. If your module uses call_rcu(), call_rcu_bh(), -and-
call_rcu_sched(), then you will need to invoke each of rcu_barrier(),
rcu_barrier_bh(), and rcu_barrier_sched().
Of course, if you module uses call_rcu(), you will need to invoke
rcu_barrier() before unloading. Similarly, if your module uses
call_srcu(), you will need to invoke srcu_barrier() before unloading,
and on the same srcu_struct structure. If your module uses call_rcu()
-and- call_srcu(), then you will need to invoke rcu_barrier() -and-
srcu_barrier().
Implementing rcu_barrier()
@ -223,8 +222,8 @@ shown below. Note that the final "1" in on_each_cpu()'s argument list
ensures that all the calls to rcu_barrier_func() will have completed
before on_each_cpu() returns. Line 9 then waits for the completion.
This code was rewritten in 2008 to support rcu_barrier_bh() and
rcu_barrier_sched() in addition to the original rcu_barrier().
This code was rewritten in 2008 and several times thereafter, but this
still gives the general idea.
The rcu_barrier_func() runs on each CPU, where it invokes call_rcu()
to post an RCU callback, as follows: