Re: [PATCH] Document Linux's memory barriers

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David Howells wrote:

The attached patch documents the Linux kernel's memory barriers.

Signed-Off-By: David Howells <[email protected]>
---



Good :)

+==============================
+IMPLIED KERNEL MEMORY BARRIERS
+==============================
+
+Some of the other functions in the linux kernel imply memory barriers. For
+instance all the following (pseudo-)locking functions imply barriers.
+
+ (*) interrupt disablement and/or interrupts


Is this really the case? I mean interrupt disablement only synchronises with
the local CPU, so it probably should not _have_ to imply barriers (eg. some
architectures are playing around with "virtual" interrupt disablement).

[...]

+
+Either interrupt disablement (LOCK) and enablement (UNLOCK) will barrier
+memory and I/O accesses individually, or interrupt handling will barrier
+memory and I/O accesses on entry and on exit. This prevents an interrupt
+routine interfering with accesses made in a disabled-interrupt section of code
+and vice versa.
+


But CPUs should always be consistent WRT themselves, so I'm not sure that
it is needed?

Thanks,
Nick

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