Re: [RFC PATCH] uio: uio_pci_generic: Add support for MSI interrupts

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

 



On Sun, Jul 07, 2013 at 11:15:11AM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 04, 2013 at 09:35:00AM -0700, Guenter Roeck wrote:
> > On Thu, Jul 04, 2013 at 05:34:12PM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > On Thu, Jul 04, 2013 at 07:25:23AM -0700, Guenter Roeck wrote:
> > > > On Thu, Jul 04, 2013 at 10:20:23AM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > > > On Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 10:00:52AM -0700, Guenter Roeck wrote:
> > > > > > On Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 10:45:01AM +0300, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > > > > > > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 03:30:23PM -0700, Guenter Roeck wrote:
> > > > > > > > Enable support for MSI interrupts if the device supports it.
> > > > > > > > Since MSI interrupts are edge triggered, it is no longer necessary to
> > > > > > > > disable interrupts in the kernel and re-enable them from user-space.
> > > > > > > > Instead, clearing the interrupt condition in the user space application
> > > > > > > > automatically re-enables the interrupt.
> > > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > > Signed-off-by: Guenter Roeck <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > > > > > > ---
> > > > > > > > An open question is if we can just do this unconditionally
> > > > > > > > or if there should be some flag to enable it. A module parameter, maybe ?
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > NACK
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > UIO is for devices that don't do memory writes.
> > > > > > > Anything that can do writes must be protected by an IOMMU
> > > > > > > and/or have a secure kernel driver, not a UIO stub.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > MSI is done by memory writes so if userspace
> > > > > > > controls the device it can trick it to write
> > > > > > > anywhere in memory.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > Just out of curiosity: Since MSI support is mandatory for all PCIE devices,
> > > > > > isn't that possible anyway, even if MSI is not enabled by the kernel ?
> > > > > > All one would need to do is to enable MSI from user space; after all,
> > > > > > the chip configuration space is writable.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > > Guenter
> > > > > 
> > > > > If a device has capability to do writes, sure. So don't do this then :)
> > > > > 
> > > > Not an option. I need to use MSI.
> > > > 
> > > > Not that it matters anymore - turns out it was better writing a specific driver
> > > > for my devices anyway; I needed to be able to disable chip interrupts before
> > > > unloading the driver. But why is it then a reason to NACK this patch ?
> > > 
> > > There seem to be two cases - either you can't access the device -
> > > and the uio driver is not useful - or you can, and it's not safe.
> > > In both cases the patch does not seem to bring about anything
> > > except user confusion ...
> > > 
> > Sounds like claiming that supporting MSI would cause some kind of confusion.
> > Not sure if I can follow that logic.
> > 
> > Actually, it simplifies the user space code a lot. Since MSI interrupts are edge
> > triggered and queued, it is not necessary to disable the interrupts, and all
> > user space has to do is to remove the interrupt reason. Works quite nicely for
> > our devices.
> > 
> > As I said, I don't really care too much anymore if this patch is rejected, but
> > the reasons for the rejection are kind of weak.
> > 
> > > > Besides, doesn't one have to be root anyway to perform such activities,
> > > > which could then be more easily accomplished by writing into /dev/mem ?
> > > > 
> > > > Thanks,
> > > > Guenter
> > > 
> > > root might not be able to write into /dev/mem.
> > > 
> > I don't really want to try, but at least it is marked rw for root.
> > 
> > Guenter
> 
> Yes but mechanisms such as selinux can still block it.
> 
I hope it can also prevent the use of the the MSI trick on PCIe devices.
After all, the user space mechanisms to write into configuration space
are available for all devices, not just for those with uio drivers.

Guenter
--
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe kvm" in
the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html



[Index of Archives]     [KVM ARM]     [KVM ia64]     [KVM ppc]     [Virtualization Tools]     [Spice Development]     [Libvirt]     [Libvirt Users]     [Linux USB Devel]     [Linux Audio Users]     [Yosemite Questions]     [Linux Kernel]     [Linux SCSI]     [XFree86]
  Powered by Linux