[PATCH v9 0/6] PowerPC: in kernel handling of CPU hotplug events for crash kernel

[Sourabh Jain]

Hello Eric,

On 13/03/23 21:12, Eric DeVolder wrote:
>
>
> On 3/12/23 13:11, Sourabh Jain wrote:
>> The Problem:
>> ============
>> Post hotplug/DLPAR events the capture kernel holds stale information 
>> about the
>> system. Dump collection with stale capture kernel might end up in 
>> dump capture
>> failure or an inaccurate dump collection.
>>
>> Existing solution:
>> ==================
>> The existing solution to keep the capture kernel up-to-date by 
>> monitoring
>> hotplug event via udev rule and trigger a full capture kernel reload for
>> every hotplug event.
>>
>> Shortcomings:
>> ------------------------------------------------
>> - Leaves a window where kernel crash might not lead to a successful dump
>>    collection.
>> - Reloading all kexec components for each hotplug is inefficient.
>> - udev rules are prone to races if hotplug events are frequent.
>>
>> More about issues with an existing solution is posted here:
>>   - https://lkml.org/lkml/2020/12/14/532
>>   - 
>> https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2022-February/240254.html
>>
>> Proposed Solution:
>> ==================
>> Instead of reloading all kexec segments on hotplug event, this patch 
>> series
>> focuses on updating only the relevant kexec segment. Once the kexec 
>> segments
>> are loaded in the kernel reserved area then an arch-specific hotplug 
>> handler
>> will update the relevant kexec segment based on hotplug event type.
>>
>> Series Dependecies
>> ==================
>> This patch series implements the crash hotplug handler on PowerPC. 
>> The generic
>> crash hotplug update is introduced by 
>> https://lkml.org/lkml/2023/3/6/1358 patch
>> series.
>>
>> Git tree for testing:
>> =====================
>> The below git tree has this patch series applied on top of dependent 
>> patch
>> series.
>> https://github.com/sourabhjains/linux/tree/in-kernel-crash-update-v9
>>
>> To realise the feature the kdump udev rules must be disabled for 
>> CPU/Memory
>> hotplug events. Comment out the below line in kdump udev rule file:
>>
>>    RHEL: /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/98-kexec.rules
>>
>>        #SUBSYSTEM=="cpu", ACTION=="online", GOTO="kdump_reload_cpu"
>>     #SUBSYSTEM=="memory", ACTION=="online", GOTO="kdump_reload_mem"
>>     #SUBSYSTEM=="memory", ACTION=="offline", GOTO="kdump_reload_mem"
>>
>>    SLES: /usr/lib/kdump/70-kdump.rules
>>
>>     #SUBSYSTEM=="memory", ACTION=="add|remove", GOTO="kdump_try_restart"
>>     #SUBSYSTEM=="cpu", ACTION=="online", GOTO="kdump_try_restart"
>>
>
> Sourabh,
>
> The above seems to contradict what I anticipate to be udev rules 
> changes once the base series is accepted. Specifically I'm suggesting 
> the following:
>
>  - Prevent udev from updating kdump crash kernel on hot un/plug changes.
>    Add the following as the first lines to the RHEL udev rule file
>    /usr/lib/udev/rules.d/98-kexec.rules:
>
>    # The kernel handles updates to crash elfcorehdr for cpu and memory 
> changes
>    SUBSYSTEM=="cpu", ATTRS{crash_hotplug}=="1", GOTO="kdump_reload_end"
>    SUBSYSTEM=="memory", ATTRS{crash_hotplug}=="1", 
> GOTO="kdump_reload_end"
>
>    With this changeset applied, the two rules evaluate to false for
>    cpu and memory change events and thus skip the userspace
>    unload-then-reload of kdump.
>
> The above additions allow distros to deploy the udev rule immediately 
> and work properly even if the base patchset isn't yet merged, or down 
> the road, enabled/configured.
>
> Am I missing something such that your recommendation is different than 
> mine? ]

It is just for the test I have been suggesting to disable the udev 
rules, but your udev rules changes is the way forward.

I will use the above changes to control kdump service reload.

>> Note: only kexec_file_load syscall will work. For kexec_load minor
>> changes are required in kexec tool.
>
> Will this be the same/similar change as I have posted, or do you 
> envision something different?

I think the generic changes will be same. I might need to add some 
PowerPC specific changes to
make sure elfcorehdr and FDT kexec segment should have additional buffer 
space to accommodate
additional memory ranges.

Thanks for the suggestion, I will align the PowerPC kexec tool changes 
with your changes.

- Souarbh