The policy tick() method is normally called from interrupt context.
Both the mq and smq policies do some bottom half work for the tick
method in their map functions. However if no IO is going through the
cache, then that bottom half work doesn't occur. With these policies
this means recently hit entries do not age and do not get written
back as early as we'd like.
Fix this by introducing a new 'can_block' parameter to the tick()
method. When this is set the bottom half work occurs immediately.
'can_block' is set when the tick method is called every second by the
core target (not in interrupt context).
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
If a cache metadata operation fails (e.g. transaction commit) the
cache's metadata device will abort the current transaction, set a new
needs_check flag, and the cache will transition to "read-only" mode. If
aborting the transaction or setting the needs_check flag fails the cache
will transition to "fail-io" mode.
Once needs_check is set the cache device will not be allowed to
activate. Activation requires write access to metadata. Future work is
needed to add proper support for running the cache in read-only mode.
Once in fail-io mode the cache will report a status of "Fail".
Also, add commit() wrapper that will disallow commits if in read_only or
fail mode.
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
We only allow non critical writeback if the origin is idle. It is up
to the policy to decide what writeback work is critical.
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
There is a race between a policy deciding to replace a cache entry,
the core target writing back any dirty data from this block, and other
IO threads doing IO to the same block.
This sort of problem is avoided most of the time by the core target
grabbing a bio prison cell before making the request to the policy.
But for a demotion the core target doesn't know which block will be
demoted, so can't do this in advance.
Fix this demotion race by introducing a callback to the policy interface
that allows the policy to grab the cell on behalf of the core target.
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
The cache's policy may have been established using the "default" alias,
which is currently the "mq" policy but the default policy may change in
the future. It is useful to know exactly which policy is being used.
Add a 'real' member to the dm_cache_policy_type structure and have the
"default" dm_cache_policy_type point to the real "mq"
dm_cache_policy_type. Update dm_cache_policy_get_name() to check if
real is set, if so report the name of the real policy (not the alias).
Requested-by: Jonathan Brassow <jbrassow@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
Implement policy_remove_cblock() and add remove_cblock method to the mq
policy. These methods will be used by the following cache block
invalidation patch which adds the 'invalidate_cblocks' message to the
cache core.
Also, update some comments in dm-cache-policy.h
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
Correct the documented requirement on the return code from dm cache policy
lookup functions stated in the policy module header file.
Signed-off-by: Alasdair G Kergon <agk@redhat.com>
Separate dm cache policy version string into 3 unsigned numbers
corresponding to major, minor and patchlevel and store them at the end
of the on-disk metadata so we know which version of the policy generated
the hints in case a future version wants to use them differently.
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Alasdair G Kergon <agk@redhat.com>
Add a target that allows a fast device such as an SSD to be used as a
cache for a slower device such as a disk.
A plug-in architecture was chosen so that the decisions about which data
to migrate and when are delegated to interchangeable tunable policy
modules. The first general purpose module we have developed, called
"mq" (multiqueue), follows in the next patch. Other modules are
under development.
Signed-off-by: Joe Thornber <ejt@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Heinz Mauelshagen <mauelshagen@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Mike Snitzer <snitzer@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Alasdair G Kergon <agk@redhat.com>
Joe Thornber
Mike Snitzer
Alasdair G Kergon