rcu: Add rcu_gp_might_be_stalled()

This commit adds rcu_gp_might_be_stalled(), which returns true if there
is some reason to believe that the RCU grace period is stalled.  The use
case is where an RCU free-memory path needs to allocate memory in order
to free it, a situation that should be avoided where possible.

But where it is necessary, there is always the alternative of using
synchronize_rcu() to wait for a grace period in order to avoid the
allocation.  And if the grace period is stalled, allocating memory to
asynchronously wait for it is a bad idea of epic proportions: Far better
to let others use the memory, because these others might actually be
able to free that memory before the grace period ends.

Thus, rcu_gp_might_be_stalled() can be used to help decide whether
allocating memory on an RCU free path is a semi-reasonable course
of action.

Cc: Joel Fernandes <joel@joelfernandes.org>
Cc: Uladzislau Rezki <urezki@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Paul E. McKenney <paulmck@kernel.org>

2 files changed, 2 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/include/linux/rcutiny.h b/include/linux/rcutiny.h
index 045c28b71f4f..dbf5ac439594 100644
--- a/include/linux/rcutiny.h
+++ b/include/linux/rcutiny.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ static inline bool rcu_inkernel_boot_has_ended(void) { return true; }
 static inline bool rcu_is_watching(void) { return true; }
 static inline void rcu_momentary_dyntick_idle(void) { }
 static inline void kfree_rcu_scheduler_running(void) { }
+static inline bool rcu_gp_might_be_stalled(void) { return false; }
 
 /* Avoid RCU read-side critical sections leaking across. */
 static inline void rcu_all_qs(void) { barrier(); }
diff --git a/include/linux/rcutree.h b/include/linux/rcutree.h
index 45f3f66bb04d..fbc26274af4d 100644
--- a/include/linux/rcutree.h
+++ b/include/linux/rcutree.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ void rcu_barrier(void);
 bool rcu_eqs_special_set(int cpu);
 void rcu_momentary_dyntick_idle(void);
 void kfree_rcu_scheduler_running(void);
+bool rcu_gp_might_be_stalled(void);
 unsigned long get_state_synchronize_rcu(void);
 void cond_synchronize_rcu(unsigned long oldstate);