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-rw-r--r--Documentation/RCU/checklist.txt20
1 files changed, 15 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/RCU/checklist.txt b/Documentation/RCU/checklist.txt
index accfe2f5247d..51525a30e8b4 100644
--- a/Documentation/RCU/checklist.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RCU/checklist.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
11 structure is updated more than about 10% of the time, then 11 structure is updated more than about 10% of the time, then
12 you should strongly consider some other approach, unless 12 you should strongly consider some other approach, unless
13 detailed performance measurements show that RCU is nonetheless 13 detailed performance measurements show that RCU is nonetheless
14 the right tool for the job. 14 the right tool for the job. Yes, you might think of RCU
15 as simply cutting overhead off of the readers and imposing it
16 on the writers. That is exactly why normal uses of RCU will
17 do much more reading than updating.
15 18
16 Another exception is where performance is not an issue, and RCU 19 Another exception is where performance is not an issue, and RCU
17 provides a simpler implementation. An example of this situation 20 provides a simpler implementation. An example of this situation
@@ -240,10 +243,11 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
240 instead need to use synchronize_irq() or synchronize_sched(). 243 instead need to use synchronize_irq() or synchronize_sched().
241 244
24212. Any lock acquired by an RCU callback must be acquired elsewhere 24512. Any lock acquired by an RCU callback must be acquired elsewhere
243 with irq disabled, e.g., via spin_lock_irqsave(). Failing to 246 with softirq disabled, e.g., via spin_lock_irqsave(),
244 disable irq on a given acquisition of that lock will result in 247 spin_lock_bh(), etc. Failing to disable irq on a given
245 deadlock as soon as the RCU callback happens to interrupt that 248 acquisition of that lock will result in deadlock as soon as the
246 acquisition's critical section. 249 RCU callback happens to interrupt that acquisition's critical
250 section.
247 251
24813. RCU callbacks can be and are executed in parallel. In many cases, 25213. RCU callbacks can be and are executed in parallel. In many cases,
249 the callback code simply wrappers around kfree(), so that this 253 the callback code simply wrappers around kfree(), so that this
@@ -310,3 +314,9 @@ over a rather long period of time, but improvements are always welcome!
310 Because these primitives only wait for pre-existing readers, 314 Because these primitives only wait for pre-existing readers,
311 it is the caller's responsibility to guarantee safety to 315 it is the caller's responsibility to guarantee safety to
312 any subsequent readers. 316 any subsequent readers.
317
31816. The various RCU read-side primitives do -not- contain memory
319 barriers. The CPU (and in some cases, the compiler) is free
320 to reorder code into and out of RCU read-side critical sections.
321 It is the responsibility of the RCU update-side primitives to
322 deal with this.