Linux Virtualization - Jan 2018 - [virtio-dev] Re: [PATCH v25 2/2] virtio-balloon: VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT

On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 05:14:06PM +0800, Wei Wang
wrote:
> Negotiation of the VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT feature indicates the
> support of reporting hints of guest free pages to host via virtio-balloon.
> 
> Host requests the guest to report free pages by sending a new cmd
> id to the guest via the free_page_report_cmd_id configuration register.
> 
> When the guest starts to report, the first element added to the free page
> vq is the cmd id given by host. When the guest finishes the reporting
> of all the free pages, VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID is added
> to the vq to tell host that the reporting is done. Host may also requests
> the guest to stop the reporting in advance by sending the stop cmd id to
> the guest via the configuration register.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Wei Wang <wei.w.wang at intel.com>
> Signed-off-by: Liang Li <liang.z.li at intel.com>
> Cc: Michael S. Tsirkin <mst at redhat.com>
> Cc: Michal Hocko <mhocko at kernel.org>
> ---
>  drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c     | 251
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
>  include/uapi/linux/virtio_balloon.h |   7 +
>  2 files changed, 222 insertions(+), 36 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
b/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
> index a1fb52c..114985b 100644
> --- a/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
> +++ b/drivers/virtio/virtio_balloon.c
> @@ -51,9 +51,22 @@ MODULE_PARM_DESC(oom_pages, "pages to free on
OOM");
>  static struct vfsmount *balloon_mnt;
>  #endif
>  
> +enum virtio_balloon_vq {
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_INFLATE,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_DEFLATE,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_STATS,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_FREE_PAGE,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_MAX
> +};
> +
>  struct virtio_balloon {
>  	struct virtio_device *vdev;
> -	struct virtqueue *inflate_vq, *deflate_vq, *stats_vq;
> +	struct virtqueue *inflate_vq, *deflate_vq, *stats_vq, *free_page_vq;
> +
> +	/* Balloon's own wq for cpu-intensive work items */
> +	struct workqueue_struct *balloon_wq;
> +	/* The free page reporting work item submitted to the balloon wq */
> +	struct work_struct report_free_page_work;
>  
>  	/* The balloon servicing is delegated to a freezable workqueue. */
>  	struct work_struct update_balloon_stats_work;
> @@ -63,6 +76,11 @@ struct virtio_balloon {
>  	spinlock_t stop_update_lock;
>  	bool stop_update;
>  
> +	/* The new cmd id received from host */
> +	uint32_t cmd_id_received;
> +	/* The cmd id that is in use */
> +	__virtio32 cmd_id_use;
> +
>  	/* Waiting for host to ack the pages we released. */
>  	wait_queue_head_t acked;
>  
> @@ -316,17 +334,6 @@ static void stats_handle_request(struct virtio_balloon
*vb)
>  	virtqueue_kick(vq);
>  }
>  
> -static void virtballoon_changed(struct virtio_device *vdev)
> -{
> -	struct virtio_balloon *vb = vdev->priv;
> -	unsigned long flags;
> -
> -	spin_lock_irqsave(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> -	if (!vb->stop_update)
> -		queue_work(system_freezable_wq, &vb->update_balloon_size_work);
> -	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> -}
> -
>  static inline s64 towards_target(struct virtio_balloon *vb)
>  {
>  	s64 target;
> @@ -343,6 +350,34 @@ static inline s64 towards_target(struct virtio_balloon
*vb)
>  	return target - vb->num_pages;
>  }
>  
> +static void virtballoon_changed(struct virtio_device *vdev)
> +{
> +	struct virtio_balloon *vb = vdev->priv;
> +	unsigned long flags;
> +	s64 diff = towards_target(vb);
> +
> +	if (diff) {
> +		spin_lock_irqsave(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> +		if (!vb->stop_update)
> +			queue_work(system_freezable_wq,
> +				   &vb->update_balloon_size_work);
> +		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> +	}
> +
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT)) {
> +		virtio_cread(vdev, struct virtio_balloon_config,
> +			     free_page_report_cmd_id, &vb->cmd_id_received);
> +		if (vb->cmd_id_received !> +		   
VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID) {
> +			spin_lock_irqsave(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> +			if (!vb->stop_update)
> +				queue_work(vb->balloon_wq,
> +					   &vb->report_free_page_work);
> +			spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vb->stop_update_lock, flags);
> +		}
> +	}
> +}
> +
>  static void update_balloon_size(struct virtio_balloon *vb)
>  {
>  	u32 actual = vb->num_pages;
> @@ -417,42 +452,151 @@ static void update_balloon_size_func(struct
work_struct *work)
>  
>  static int init_vqs(struct virtio_balloon *vb)
>  {
> -	struct virtqueue *vqs[3];
> -	vq_callback_t *callbacks[] = { balloon_ack, balloon_ack, stats_request };
> -	static const char * const names[] = { "inflate",
"deflate", "stats" };
> -	int err, nvqs;
> +	struct virtqueue *vqs[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_MAX];
> +	vq_callback_t *callbacks[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_MAX];
> +	const char *names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_MAX];
> +	struct scatterlist sg;
> +	int ret;
>  
>  	/*
> -	 * We expect two virtqueues: inflate and deflate, and
> -	 * optionally stat.
> +	 * Inflateq and deflateq are used unconditionally. The names[]
> +	 * will be NULL if the related feature is not enabled, which will
> +	 * cause no allocation for the corresponding virtqueue in find_vqs.
>  	 */
> -	nvqs = virtio_has_feature(vb->vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_STATS_VQ) ? 3 :
2;
> -	err = virtio_find_vqs(vb->vdev, nvqs, vqs, callbacks, names, NULL);
> -	if (err)
> -		return err;
> +	callbacks[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_INFLATE] = balloon_ack;
> +	names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_INFLATE] = "inflate";
> +	callbacks[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_DEFLATE] = balloon_ack;
> +	names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_DEFLATE] = "deflate";
> +	names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_STATS] = NULL;
> +	names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_FREE_PAGE] = NULL;
>  
> -	vb->inflate_vq = vqs[0];
> -	vb->deflate_vq = vqs[1];
>  	if (virtio_has_feature(vb->vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_STATS_VQ)) {
> -		struct scatterlist sg;
> -		unsigned int num_stats;
> -		vb->stats_vq = vqs[2];
> +		names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_STATS] = "stats";
> +		callbacks[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_STATS] = stats_request;
> +	}
> +
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vb->vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT)) {
> +		names[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_FREE_PAGE] = "free_page_vq";
> +		callbacks[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_FREE_PAGE] = NULL;
> +	}
> +
> +	ret = vb->vdev->config->find_vqs(vb->vdev,
VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_MAX,
> +					 vqs, callbacks, names, NULL, NULL);
> +	if (ret)
> +		return ret;
>  
> +	vb->inflate_vq = vqs[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_INFLATE];
> +	vb->deflate_vq = vqs[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_DEFLATE];
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vb->vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_STATS_VQ)) {
> +		vb->stats_vq = vqs[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_STATS];
>  		/*
>  		 * Prime this virtqueue with one buffer so the hypervisor can
>  		 * use it to signal us later (it can't be broken yet!).
>  		 */
> -		num_stats = update_balloon_stats(vb);
> -
> -		sg_init_one(&sg, vb->stats, sizeof(vb->stats[0]) * num_stats);
> -		if (virtqueue_add_outbuf(vb->stats_vq, &sg, 1, vb, GFP_KERNEL)
> -		    < 0)
> -			BUG();
> +		sg_init_one(&sg, vb->stats, sizeof(vb->stats));
> +		ret = virtqueue_add_outbuf(vb->stats_vq, &sg, 1, vb,
> +					   GFP_KERNEL);
> +		if (ret) {
> +			dev_warn(&vb->vdev->dev, "%s: add stat_vq
failed\n",
> +				 __func__);
> +			return ret;
> +		}
>  		virtqueue_kick(vb->stats_vq);
>  	}
> +
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vb->vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT))
> +		vb->free_page_vq = vqs[VIRTIO_BALLOON_VQ_FREE_PAGE];
> +
>  	return 0;
>  }
>  
> +static int add_one_sg(struct virtqueue *vq, unsigned long pfn, uint32_t
len)
> +{
> +	struct scatterlist sg;
> +	unsigned int unused;
> +	int ret = 0;
> +
> +	sg_init_table(&sg, 1);
> +	sg_set_page(&sg, pfn_to_page(pfn), len, 0);
> +
> +	/* Detach all the used buffers from the vq */
> +	while (virtqueue_get_buf(vq, &unused))
> +		;
> +
> +	/*
> +	 * Since this is an optimization feature, losing a couple of free
> +	 * pages to report isn't important. We simply return without adding
> +	 * the page if the vq is full.
> +	 * We are adding one entry each time, which essentially results in no
> +	 * memory allocation, so the GFP_KERNEL flag below can be ignored.
> +	 * There is always one entry reserved for the cmd id to use.
> +	 */
> +	if (vq->num_free > 1)
> +		ret = virtqueue_add_inbuf(vq, &sg, 1, vq, GFP_KERNEL);
> +
> +	if (vq->num_free == virtqueue_get_vring_size(vq) / 2 ||
> +	    vq->num_free <= 2)
> +		virtqueue_kick(vq);
> +
> +	return ret;
> +}
> +
> +static int virtio_balloon_send_free_pages(void *opaque, unsigned long pfn,
> +					   unsigned long nr_pages)
> +{
> +	struct virtio_balloon *vb = (struct virtio_balloon *)opaque;
> +	uint32_t len = nr_pages << PAGE_SHIFT;
> +
> +	/*
> +	 * If a stop id or a new cmd id was just received from host, stop
> +	 * the reporting, and return 1 to indicate an active stop.
> +	 */
> +	if (virtio32_to_cpu(vb->vdev, vb->cmd_id_use) !=
vb->cmd_id_received)
> +		return 1;
> +
> +	return add_one_sg(vb->free_page_vq, pfn, len);
> +}
> +
> +static int send_cmd_id(struct virtio_balloon *vb, uint32_t cmd_id)
> +{
> +	struct scatterlist sg;
> +	struct virtqueue *vq = vb->free_page_vq;
> +	int ret;
> +
> +	vb->cmd_id_use = cpu_to_virtio32(vb->vdev, cmd_id);
> +	sg_init_one(&sg, &vb->cmd_id_use, sizeof(vb->cmd_id_use));
> +
> +	ret = virtqueue_add_outbuf(vq, &sg, 1, vb, GFP_KERNEL);
> +	virtqueue_kick(vq);
> +
> +	return ret;
> +}
> +
> +static void report_free_page_func(struct work_struct *work)
> +{
> +	struct virtio_balloon *vb;
> +	int ret;
> +
> +	vb = container_of(work, struct virtio_balloon, report_free_page_work);
> +
> +	/* Start by sending the received cmd id to host with an outbuf */
> +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, vb->cmd_id_received);
> +	if (unlikely(ret))
> +		goto err;
> +
> +	ret = walk_free_mem_block(vb, 0, &virtio_balloon_send_free_pages);
> +	if (unlikely(ret < 0))
> +		goto err;
> +
> +	/* End by sending a stop id to host with an outbuf */
> +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID);
> +	if (likely(!ret))
> +		return;
> +err:
> +	dev_err(&vb->vdev->dev, "%s failure: free page vq is
broken\n",
> +		__func__);
> +}
> +
So that's very simple, but it only works well if the whole
free list fits in the queue or host processes the queue faster
than the guest. What if it doesn't?
If we had restartability you could just drop the lock
and wait for a vq interrupt to make more progress, which
would be better I think.

>  #ifdef CONFIG_BALLOON_COMPACTION
>  /*
>   * virtballoon_migratepage - perform the balloon page migration on behalf
of
> @@ -537,6 +681,7 @@ static struct file_system_type balloon_fs = {
>  static int virtballoon_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)
>  {
>  	struct virtio_balloon *vb;
> +	__u32 poison_val;
>  	int err;
>  
>  	if (!vdev->config->get) {
> @@ -566,18 +711,39 @@ static int virtballoon_probe(struct virtio_device
*vdev)
>  	if (err)
>  		goto out_free_vb;
>  
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT)) {
> +		/*
> +		 * There is always one entry reserved for cmd id, so the ring
> +		 * size needs to be at least two to report free page hint.
> +		 */
> +		if (virtqueue_get_vring_size(vb->free_page_vq) < 2)
> +			goto out_free_vb;
> +		vb->balloon_wq = alloc_workqueue("balloon-wq",
> +					WQ_FREEZABLE | WQ_CPU_INTENSIVE, 0);
> +		if (!vb->balloon_wq) {
> +			err = -ENOMEM;
> +			goto out_del_vqs;
> +		}
> +		INIT_WORK(&vb->report_free_page_work, report_free_page_func);
> +		if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_PAGE_POISON)) {
> +			poison_val = PAGE_POISON;
> +			virtio_cwrite(vb->vdev, struct virtio_balloon_config,
> +				      poison_val, &poison_val);
> +		}
> +	}
> +
>  	vb->nb.notifier_call = virtballoon_oom_notify;
>  	vb->nb.priority = VIRTBALLOON_OOM_NOTIFY_PRIORITY;
>  	err = register_oom_notifier(&vb->nb);
>  	if (err < 0)
> -		goto out_del_vqs;
> +		goto out_del_balloon_wq;
>  
>  #ifdef CONFIG_BALLOON_COMPACTION
>  	balloon_mnt = kern_mount(&balloon_fs);
>  	if (IS_ERR(balloon_mnt)) {
>  		err = PTR_ERR(balloon_mnt);
>  		unregister_oom_notifier(&vb->nb);
> -		goto out_del_vqs;
> +		goto out_del_balloon_wq;
>  	}
>  
>  	vb->vb_dev_info.migratepage = virtballoon_migratepage;
> @@ -587,7 +753,7 @@ static int virtballoon_probe(struct virtio_device
*vdev)
>  		kern_unmount(balloon_mnt);
>  		unregister_oom_notifier(&vb->nb);
>  		vb->vb_dev_info.inode = NULL;
> -		goto out_del_vqs;
> +		goto out_del_balloon_wq;
>  	}
>  	vb->vb_dev_info.inode->i_mapping->a_ops = &balloon_aops;
>  #endif
> @@ -598,6 +764,9 @@ static int virtballoon_probe(struct virtio_device
*vdev)
>  		virtballoon_changed(vdev);
>  	return 0;
>  
> +out_del_balloon_wq:
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT))
> +		destroy_workqueue(vb->balloon_wq);
>  out_del_vqs:
>  	vdev->config->del_vqs(vdev);
>  out_free_vb:
> @@ -631,6 +800,11 @@ static void virtballoon_remove(struct virtio_device
*vdev)
>  	cancel_work_sync(&vb->update_balloon_size_work);
>  	cancel_work_sync(&vb->update_balloon_stats_work);
>  
> +	if (virtio_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT)) {
> +		cancel_work_sync(&vb->report_free_page_work);
> +		destroy_workqueue(vb->balloon_wq);
> +	}
> +
>  	remove_common(vb);
>  #ifdef CONFIG_BALLOON_COMPACTION
>  	if (vb->vb_dev_info.inode)
> @@ -674,6 +848,9 @@ static int virtballoon_restore(struct virtio_device
*vdev)
>  
>  static int virtballoon_validate(struct virtio_device *vdev)
>  {
> +	if (!page_poisoning_enabled())
> +		__virtio_clear_bit(vdev, VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_PAGE_POISON);
> +
>  	__virtio_clear_bit(vdev, VIRTIO_F_IOMMU_PLATFORM);
>  	return 0;
>  }
> @@ -682,6 +859,8 @@ static unsigned int features[] = {
>  	VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_MUST_TELL_HOST,
>  	VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_STATS_VQ,
>  	VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_DEFLATE_ON_OOM,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT,
> +	VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_PAGE_POISON,
>  };
>  
>  static struct virtio_driver virtio_balloon_driver = {
> diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/virtio_balloon.h
b/include/uapi/linux/virtio_balloon.h
> index 343d7dd..3f97067 100644
> --- a/include/uapi/linux/virtio_balloon.h
> +++ b/include/uapi/linux/virtio_balloon.h
> @@ -34,15 +34,22 @@
>  #define VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_MUST_TELL_HOST	0 /* Tell before reclaiming pages
*/
>  #define VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_STATS_VQ	1 /* Memory Stats virtqueue */
>  #define VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_DEFLATE_ON_OOM	2 /* Deflate balloon on OOM */
> +#define VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_FREE_PAGE_HINT	3 /* VQ to report free pages */
> +#define VIRTIO_BALLOON_F_PAGE_POISON	4 /* Guest is using page poisoning */
>  
>  /* Size of a PFN in the balloon interface. */
>  #define VIRTIO_BALLOON_PFN_SHIFT 12
>  
> +#define VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID		0
>  struct virtio_balloon_config {
>  	/* Number of pages host wants Guest to give up. */
>  	__u32 num_pages;
>  	/* Number of pages we've actually got in balloon. */
>  	__u32 actual;
> +	/* Free page report command id, readonly by guest */
> +	__u32 free_page_report_cmd_id;
> +	/* Stores PAGE_POISON if page poisoning is in use */
> +	__u32 poison_val;
>  };
>  
>  #define VIRTIO_BALLOON_S_SWAP_IN  0   /* Amount of memory swapped in */
> -- 
> 2.7.4

On 01/25/2018 09:49 PM, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 05:14:06PM +0800, Wei Wang wrote:
>> +
>> +static void report_free_page_func(struct work_struct *work)
>> +{
>> +	struct virtio_balloon *vb;
>> +	int ret;
>> +
>> +	vb = container_of(work, struct virtio_balloon,
report_free_page_work);
>> +
>> +	/* Start by sending the received cmd id to host with an outbuf */
>> +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, vb->cmd_id_received);
>> +	if (unlikely(ret))
>> +		goto err;
>> +
>> +	ret = walk_free_mem_block(vb, 0,
&virtio_balloon_send_free_pages);
>> +	if (unlikely(ret < 0))
>> +		goto err;
>> +
>> +	/* End by sending a stop id to host with an outbuf */
>> +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID);
>> +	if (likely(!ret))
>> +		return;
>> +err:
>> +	dev_err(&vb->vdev->dev, "%s failure: free page vq is
broken\n",
>> +		__func__);
>> +}
>> +
> So that's very simple, but it only works well if the whole
> free list fits in the queue or host processes the queue faster
> than the guest. What if it doesn't?
This is the case that the virtqueue gets full, and I think we've agreed 
that this is an optimization feature and losing some hints to report 
isn't important, right?

Actually, in the tests, there is no chance to see the ring is full. If 
we check the host patches that were shared before, the device side 
operation is quite simple, it just clears the related bits from the 
bitmap, and then continues to take entries from the virtqueue till the 
virtqueue gets empty.

> If we had restartability you could just drop the lock
> and wait for a vq interrupt to make more progress, which
> would be better I think.
>
Restartability means that caller needs to record the state where it was 
when it stopped last time. The controversy is that the free list is not 
static once the lock is dropped, so everything is dynamically changing, 
including the state that was recorded. The method we are using is more 
prudent, IMHO. How about taking the fundamental solution, and seek to 
improve incrementally in the future?


Best,
Wei

On Fri, Jan 26, 2018 at 09:40:44AM +0800, Wei Wang
wrote:
> On 01/25/2018 09:49 PM, Michael S. Tsirkin wrote:
> > On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 05:14:06PM +0800, Wei Wang wrote:
> > > +
> > > +static void report_free_page_func(struct work_struct *work)
> > > +{
> > > +	struct virtio_balloon *vb;
> > > +	int ret;
> > > +
> > > +	vb = container_of(work, struct virtio_balloon,
report_free_page_work);
> > > +
> > > +	/* Start by sending the received cmd id to host with an outbuf
*/
> > > +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, vb->cmd_id_received);
> > > +	if (unlikely(ret))
> > > +		goto err;
> > > +
> > > +	ret = walk_free_mem_block(vb, 0,
&virtio_balloon_send_free_pages);
> > > +	if (unlikely(ret < 0))
> > > +		goto err;
> > > +
> > > +	/* End by sending a stop id to host with an outbuf */
> > > +	ret = send_cmd_id(vb, VIRTIO_BALLOON_FREE_PAGE_REPORT_STOP_ID);
> > > +	if (likely(!ret))
> > > +		return;
> > > +err:
> > > +	dev_err(&vb->vdev->dev, "%s failure: free page
vq is broken\n",
> > > +		__func__);
> > > +}
> > > +
> > So that's very simple, but it only works well if the whole
> > free list fits in the queue or host processes the queue faster
> > than the guest. What if it doesn't?
> 
> This is the case that the virtqueue gets full, and I think we've agreed
that
> this is an optimization feature and losing some hints to report isn't
> important, right?
> 
> Actually, in the tests, there is no chance to see the ring is full. If we
> check the host patches that were shared before, the device side operation
is
> quite simple, it just clears the related bits from the bitmap, and then
> continues to take entries from the virtqueue till the virtqueue gets empty.
> 
> 
> > If we had restartability you could just drop the lock
> > and wait for a vq interrupt to make more progress, which
> > would be better I think.
> > 
> 
> Restartability means that caller needs to record the state where it was
when
> it stopped last time.
See my comment on the mm patch: if you rotate the previously reported
pages towards the end, then you mostly get restartability for free,
if only per zone.
The only thing remaining will be stopping at a page you already reported.

There aren't many zones so restartability wrt zones is kind of
trivial.
> The controversy is that the free list is not static
> once the lock is dropped, so everything is dynamically changing, including
> the state that was recorded. The method we are using is more prudent, IMHO.
> How about taking the fundamental solution, and seek to improve
incrementally
> in the future?
> 
> 
> Best,
> Wei
I'd like to see kicks happen outside the spinlock. kick with a spinlock
taken looks like a scalability issue that won't be easy to
reproduce but hurt workloads at random unexpected times.

-- 
MST