Re: [PATCH] multithreaded coredumps for elf exeecutables

From: Vamsi Krishna S . (vamsi@in.ibm.com)
Date: Wed Mar 20 2002 - 01:06:30 EST

There is serialization at higher level. We take a write lock
on current->mm->mmap_sem at the beginning of elf_core_dump
function which is released just before leaving the function.
So, if one thread enters elf_core_dump and starts dumping core,
no other thread (same mm) of the same process can start
dumping.

static int elf_core_dump(long signr, struct pt_regs * regs, struct file * file)
{
        ...
        ...
        /* now stop all vm operations */
        down_write(&current->mm->mmap_sem);
        ...
        ...
        ...
        up_write(&current->mm->mmap_sem);
        return has_dumped;
}

Vamsi. 

-- 
Vamsi Krishna S.
Linux Technology Center,
IBM Software Lab, Bangalore.
Ph: +91 80 5262355 Extn: 3959
Internet: vamsi@in.ibm.com

On Tue, Mar 19, 2002 at 01:49:58PM -0500, Mark Gross wrote:
> On Tuesday 19 March 2002 10:29 am, Pavel Machek wrote:
> > > + *
> > > + * Sets the current->cpu_mask to the current cpu to avoid cpu migration
> > > durring the dump. + * This cpu will also be the only cpu the other
> > > threads will be allowed to run after + * coredump is completed. This
> > > seems to be needed to fix some SMP races.  This still + * needs some more
> > > thought though this solution works.
> >
> > What about
> >
> > app has 5 threads. 1st dumps core, and starts setting cpus_allowed mask to
> > thread 2. Meanwhile 3nd thread resets the mask back.
> >
> This patch was intended to prevent this from happening.  I hope I didn't miss 
> something.
> 
> The dumping thread doesn't proceed until the other CPU's have gotten into 
> kernel mode and done 2 IPI's.  One to reschedule the other cpu's and one to 
> synchronize before exiting suspend_other_threads.  
> 
> The way the IPI's are sent out by this patch, the other CPUs get 2 IPI's and 
> execute at least one IRET, and hence at least one call to schedule, before 
> the dumping process continues.  This one call to schedule on each of the 
> other cpu's is what's needed to get all possible related thread processes 
> swapped out for the duration of the dump.
> 
> Unless the IPI's and associated IRET's get dropped by the system, that 3rd 
> thread will not get a chance to touch the cpu_masks before the dumping 
> process is finished taking its dump and resume_other_threads gets called.   
> Because it will have been scheduled out.  
> 
> --mgross
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