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authorPaulo Alcantara <pc@manguebit.org>2026-09-26 19:20:30 -0300
committerPaulo Alcantara <pc@manguebit.org>2026-09-30 14:24:12 -0300
commitdd05add7b2b6004c5fa3a1f276f56d8668f86b65 (patch)
tree23efdcaa0b8031f6ac6f57b6734d18d6c1adc6f2 /Documentation/livepatch/system-state.rst
downloadlinux-stable-dd05add7b2b6004c5fa3a1f276f56d8668f86b65.tar.gz
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netfs: zero the tail of a short DIO/unbuffered readgrafted
The buffered read collector zero-fills the tail of a short read that stops below the inode's i_size (netfs_clear_unread()), so a read that races an extending write still returns the expected number of bytes. The non-buffered collector path does no such thing: it just records how much was transferred. Add the same zero-fill for the non-buffered case, gated on NETFS_SREQ_CLEAR_TAIL: a subreq's source sets that flag when a short result from it is known to be safe to treat as a hole, as opposed to NETFS_SREQ_HIT_EOF, which means the read genuinely ran off the end of the file and should be reported short as-is. Only CLEAR_TAIL should zero-fill here; a real EOF must stay a real short read. No source currently sets CLEAR_TAIL on an unbuffered/DIO subrequest, so this is inert on its own -- a following change teaches cifs to set it in the one case that needs it. Fixes: e2d46f2ec332 ("netfs: Change the read result collector to only use one work item") Reviewed-by: David Howells <dhowells@redhat.com> Reviewed-by: Namjae Jeon <linkinjeon@kernel.org> Signed-off-by: Paulo Alcantara <pc@manguebit.org> Cc: Christian Brauner <brauner@kernel.org> Cc: Matthew Wilcox <willy@infradead.org> Cc: Ronnie Sahlberg <ronniesahlberg@gmail.com> Cc: Shyam Prasad N <sprasad@microsoft.com> Cc: Tom Talpey <tom@talpey.com> Cc: Bharath SM <bharathsm@microsoft.com> Cc: stable@vger.kernel.org
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+====================
+System State Changes
+====================
+
+Some users are really reluctant to reboot a system. This brings the need
+to provide more livepatches and maintain some compatibility between them.
+
+Maintaining more livepatches is much easier with cumulative livepatches.
+Each new livepatch completely replaces any older one. It can keep,
+add, and even remove fixes. And it is typically safe to replace any version
+of the livepatch with any other one thanks to the atomic replace feature.
+
+The problems might come with shadow variables and callbacks. They might
+change the system behavior or state so that it is no longer safe to
+go back and use an older livepatch or the original kernel code. Also
+any new livepatch must be able to detect what changes have already been
+done by the already installed livepatches.
+
+This is where the livepatch system state tracking gets useful. It
+allows to:
+
+ - store data needed to manipulate and restore the system state
+
+ - define compatibility between livepatches using a change id
+ and version
+
+
+1. Livepatch system state API
+=============================
+
+The state of the system might get modified either by several livepatch callbacks
+or by the newly used code. Also it must be possible to find changes done by
+already installed livepatches.
+
+Each modified state is described by struct klp_state, see
+include/linux/livepatch.h.
+
+Each livepatch defines an array of struct klp_states. They mention
+all states that the livepatch modifies.
+
+The livepatch author must define the following two fields for each
+struct klp_state:
+
+ - *id*
+
+ - Non-zero number used to identify the affected system state.
+
+ - *version*
+
+ - Number describing the variant of the system state change that
+ is supported by the given livepatch.
+
+The state can be manipulated using two functions:
+
+ - klp_get_state()
+
+ - Get struct klp_state associated with the given livepatch
+ and state id.
+
+ - klp_get_prev_state()
+
+ - Get struct klp_state associated with the given feature id and
+ already installed livepatches.
+
+2. Livepatch compatibility
+==========================
+
+The system state version is used to prevent loading incompatible livepatches.
+The check is done when the livepatch is enabled. The rules are:
+
+ - Any completely new system state modification is allowed.
+
+ - System state modifications with the same or higher version are allowed
+ for already modified system states.
+
+ - Cumulative livepatches must handle all system state modifications from
+ already installed livepatches.
+
+ - Non-cumulative livepatches are allowed to touch already modified
+ system states.
+
+3. Supported scenarios
+======================
+
+Livepatches have their life-cycle and the same is true for the system
+state changes. Every compatible livepatch has to support the following
+scenarios:
+
+ - Modify the system state when the livepatch gets enabled and the state
+ has not been already modified by a livepatches that are being
+ replaced.
+
+ - Take over or update the system state modification when is has already
+ been done by a livepatch that is being replaced.
+
+ - Restore the original state when the livepatch is disabled.
+
+ - Restore the previous state when the transition is reverted.
+ It might be the original system state or the state modification
+ done by livepatches that were being replaced.
+
+ - Remove any already made changes when error occurs and the livepatch
+ cannot get enabled.
+
+4. Expected usage
+=================
+
+System states are usually modified by livepatch callbacks. The expected
+role of each callback is as follows:
+
+*pre_patch()*
+
+ - Allocate *state->data* when necessary. The allocation might fail
+ and *pre_patch()* is the only callback that could stop loading
+ of the livepatch. The allocation is not needed when the data
+ are already provided by previously installed livepatches.
+
+ - Do any other preparatory action that is needed by
+ the new code even before the transition gets finished.
+ For example, initialize *state->data*.
+
+ The system state itself is typically modified in *post_patch()*
+ when the entire system is able to handle it.
+
+ - Clean up its own mess in case of error. It might be done by a custom
+ code or by calling *post_unpatch()* explicitly.
+
+*post_patch()*
+
+ - Copy *state->data* from the previous livepatch when they are
+ compatible.
+
+ - Do the actual system state modification. Eventually allow
+ the new code to use it.
+
+ - Make sure that *state->data* has all necessary information.
+
+ - Free *state->data* from replaces livepatches when they are
+ not longer needed.
+
+*pre_unpatch()*
+
+ - Prevent the code, added by the livepatch, relying on the system
+ state change.
+
+ - Revert the system state modification..
+
+*post_unpatch()*
+
+ - Distinguish transition reverse and livepatch disabling by
+ checking *klp_get_prev_state()*.
+
+ - In case of transition reverse, restore the previous system
+ state. It might mean doing nothing.
+
+ - Remove any not longer needed setting or data.
+
+.. note::
+
+ *pre_unpatch()* typically does symmetric operations to *post_patch()*.
+ Except that it is called only when the livepatch is being disabled.
+ Therefore it does not need to care about any previously installed
+ livepatch.
+
+ *post_unpatch()* typically does symmetric operations to *pre_patch()*.
+ It might be called also during the transition reverse. Therefore it
+ has to handle the state of the previously installed livepatches.