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Re: [PATCH v6 26/34] iommu/amd: Allow the AMD IOMMU to work with memory encryption

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  Re: [PATCH v6 26/34] iommu/amd: Allow the AMD IOMMU to work with  memory encryption Joerg Roedel <joro@8bytes.org> - 2017-06-21 18:40 +0200
    Re: [PATCH v6 26/34] iommu/amd: Allow the AMD IOMMU to work with  memory encryption Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de> - 2017-06-21 19:10 +0200

#1671775 — Re: [PATCH v6 26/34] iommu/amd: Allow the AMD IOMMU to work with memory encryption

On Thu, Jun 15, 2017 at 11:41:12AM +0200, Borislav Petkov wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 14, 2017 at 03:40:28PM -0500, Tom Lendacky wrote:
> > > WARNING: Use of volatile is usually wrong: see Documentation/process/volatile-considered-harmful.rst
> > > #134: FILE: drivers/iommu/amd_iommu.c:866:
> > > +static void build_completion_wait(struct iommu_cmd *cmd, volatile u64 *sem)
> > > 
> > 
> > The semaphore area is written to by the device so the use of volatile is
> > appropriate in this case.
> 
> Do you mean this is like the last exception case in that document above:
> 
> "
>   - Pointers to data structures in coherent memory which might be modified
>     by I/O devices can, sometimes, legitimately be volatile.  A ring buffer
>     used by a network adapter, where that adapter changes pointers to
>     indicate which descriptors have been processed, is an example of this
>     type of situation."
> 
> ?

So currently (without this patch) the build_completion_wait function
does not take a volatile parameter, only wait_on_sem() does.

Wait_on_sem() needs it because its purpose is to poll a memory location
which is changed by the iommu-hardware when its done with command
processing.

But the 'volatile' in build_completion_wait() looks unnecessary, because
the function does not poll the memory location. It only uses the
pointer, converts it to a physical address and writes it to the command
to be queued.


Regards,

	Joerg

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#1671825

On Wed, Jun 21, 2017 at 05:37:22PM +0200, Joerg Roedel wrote:
> > Do you mean this is like the last exception case in that document above:
> > 
> > "
> >   - Pointers to data structures in coherent memory which might be modified
> >     by I/O devices can, sometimes, legitimately be volatile.  A ring buffer
> >     used by a network adapter, where that adapter changes pointers to
> >     indicate which descriptors have been processed, is an example of this
> >     type of situation."
> > 
> > ?
> 
> So currently (without this patch) the build_completion_wait function
> does not take a volatile parameter, only wait_on_sem() does.
> 
> Wait_on_sem() needs it because its purpose is to poll a memory location
> which is changed by the iommu-hardware when its done with command
> processing.

Right, the reason above - memory modifiable by an IO device. You could
add a comment there explaining the need for the volatile.

> But the 'volatile' in build_completion_wait() looks unnecessary, because
> the function does not poll the memory location. It only uses the
> pointer, converts it to a physical address and writes it to the command
> to be queued.

Ok.

Thanks.

-- 
Regards/Gruss,
    Boris.

Good mailing practices for 400: avoid top-posting and trim the reply.

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