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| -rw-r--r-- | tools/memory-model/README | 39 |
1 files changed, 39 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/tools/memory-model/README b/tools/memory-model/README index ee987ce20aae..acf9077cffaa 100644 --- a/tools/memory-model/README +++ b/tools/memory-model/README @@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ The Linux-kernel memory model has the following limitations: particular, the "THE PROGRAM ORDER RELATION: po AND po-loc" and "A WARNING" sections). + Note that this limitation in turn limits LKMM's ability to + accurately model address, control, and data dependencies. + For example, if the compiler can deduce the value of some variable + carrying a dependency, then the compiler can break that dependency + by substituting a constant of that value. + 2. Multiple access sizes for a single variable are not supported, and neither are misaligned or partially overlapping accesses. @@ -190,6 +196,36 @@ The Linux-kernel memory model has the following limitations: However, a substantial amount of support is provided for these operations, as shown in the linux-kernel.def file. + a. When rcu_assign_pointer() is passed NULL, the Linux + kernel provides no ordering, but LKMM models this + case as a store release. + + b. The "unless" RMW operations are not currently modeled: + atomic_long_add_unless(), atomic_add_unless(), + atomic_inc_unless_negative(), and + atomic_dec_unless_positive(). These can be emulated + in litmus tests, for example, by using atomic_cmpxchg(). + + c. The call_rcu() function is not modeled. It can be + emulated in litmus tests by adding another process that + invokes synchronize_rcu() and the body of the callback + function, with (for example) a release-acquire from + the site of the emulated call_rcu() to the beginning + of the additional process. + + d. The rcu_barrier() function is not modeled. It can be + emulated in litmus tests emulating call_rcu() via + (for example) a release-acquire from the end of each + additional call_rcu() process to the site of the + emulated rcu-barrier(). + + e. Sleepable RCU (SRCU) is not modeled. It can be + emulated, but perhaps not simply. + + f. Reader-writer locking is not modeled. It can be + emulated in litmus tests using atomic read-modify-write + operations. + The "herd7" tool has some additional limitations of its own, apart from the memory model: @@ -204,3 +240,6 @@ the memory model: Some of these limitations may be overcome in the future, but others are more likely to be addressed by incorporating the Linux-kernel memory model into other tools. + +Finally, please note that LKMM is subject to change as hardware, use cases, +and compilers evolve. |