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author | Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org> | 2024-04-10 20:55:34 +0000 |
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committer | Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org> | 2024-04-10 20:55:34 +0000 |
commit | 7f1d6c8fec531fa1762d6d65576aecbee837982c (patch) | |
tree | b37177c380fa30d0336aad7cac9c72035523206a /external-reshape-design.txt | |
parent | Initial commit. (diff) | |
download | mdadm-upstream/4.3.tar.xz mdadm-upstream/4.3.zip |
Adding upstream version 4.3.upstream/4.3
Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>
Diffstat (limited to 'external-reshape-design.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | external-reshape-design.txt | 280 |
1 files changed, 280 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/external-reshape-design.txt b/external-reshape-design.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e4cf4e1 --- /dev/null +++ b/external-reshape-design.txt @@ -0,0 +1,280 @@ +External Reshape + +1 Problem statement + +External (third-party metadata) reshape differs from native-metadata +reshape in three key ways: + +1.1 Format specific constraints + +In the native case reshape is limited by what is implemented in the +generic reshape routine (Grow_reshape()) and what is supported by the +kernel. There are exceptional cases where Grow_reshape() may block +operations when it knows that the kernel implementation is broken, but +otherwise the kernel is relied upon to be the final arbiter of what +reshape operations are supported. + +In the external case the kernel, and the generic checks in +Grow_reshape(), become the super-set of what reshapes are possible. The +metadata format may not support, or have yet to implement a given +reshape type. The implication for Grow_reshape() is that it must query +the metadata handler and effect changes in the metadata before the new +geometry is posted to the kernel. The ->reshape_super method allows +Grow_reshape() to validate the requested operation and post the metadata +update. + +1.2 Scope of reshape + +Native metadata reshape is always performed at the array scope (no +metadata relationship with sibling arrays on the same disks). External +reshape, depending on the format, may not allow the number of member +disks to be changed in a subarray unless the change is simultaneously +applied to all subarrays in the container. For example the imsm format +requires all member disks to be a member of all subarrays, so a 4-disk +raid5 in a container that also houses a 4-disk raid10 array could not be +reshaped to 5 disks as the imsm format does not support a 5-disk raid10 +representation. This requires the ->reshape_super method to check the +contents of the array and ask the user to run the reshape at container +scope (if all subarrays are agreeable to the change), or report an +error in the case where one subarray cannot support the change. + +1.3 Monitoring / checkpointing + +Reshape, unlike rebuild/resync, requires strict checkpointing to survive +interrupted reshape operations. For example when expanding a raid5 +array the first few stripes of the array will be overwritten in a +destructive manner. When restarting the reshape process we need to know +the exact location of the last successfully written stripe, and we need +to restore the data in any partially overwritten stripe. Native +metadata stores this backup data in the unused portion of spares that +are being promoted to array members, or in an external backup file +(located on a non-involved block device). + +The kernel is in charge of recording checkpoints of reshape progress, +but mdadm is delegated the task of managing the backup space which +involves: +1/ Identifying what data will be overwritten in the next unit of reshape + operation +2/ Suspending access to that region so that a snapshot of the data can + be transferred to the backup space. +3/ Allowing the kernel to reshape the saved region and setting the + boundary for the next backup. + +In the external reshape case we want to preserve this mdadm +'reshape-manager' arrangement, but have a third actor, mdmon, to +consider. It is tempting to give the role of managing reshape to mdmon, +but that is counter to its role as a monitor, and conflicts with the +existing capabilities and role of mdadm to manage the progress of +reshape. For clarity the external reshape implementation maintains the +role of mdmon as a (mostly) passive recorder of raid events, and mdadm +treats it as it would the kernel in the native reshape case (modulo +needing to send explicit metadata update messages and checking that +mdmon took the expected action). + +External reshape can use the generic md backup file as a fallback, but in the +optimal/firmware-compatible case the reshape-manager will use the metadata +specific areas for managing reshape. The implementation also needs to spawn a +reshape-manager per subarray when the reshape is being carried out at the +container level. For these two reasons the ->manage_reshape() method is +introduced. This method in addition to base tasks mentioned above: +1/ Processed each subarray one at a time in series - where appropriate. +2/ Uses either generic routines in Grow.c for md-style backup file + support, or uses the metadata-format specific location for storing + recovery data. +This aims to avoid a "midlayer mistake"[1] and lets the metadata handler +optionally take advantage of generic infrastructure in Grow.c + +2 Details for specific reshape requests + +There are quite a few moving pieces spread out across md, mdadm, and mdmon for +the support of external reshape, and there are several different types of +reshape that need to be comprehended by the implementation. A rundown of +these details follows. + +2.0 General provisions: + +Obtain an exclusive open on the container to make sure we are not +running concurrently with a Create() event. + +2.1 Freezing sync_action + + Before making any attempt at a reshape we 'freeze' every array in + the container to ensure no spare assignment or recovery happens. + This involves writing 'frozen' to sync_action and changing the '/' + after 'external:' in metadata_version to a '-'. mdmon knows that + this means not to perform any management. + + Before doing this we check that all sync_actions are 'idle', which + is racy but still useful. + Afterwards we check that all member arrays have no spares + or partial spares (recovery_start != 'none') which would indicate a + race. If they do, we unfreeze again. + + Once this completes we know all the arrays are stable. They may + still have failed devices as devices can fail at any time. However + we treat those like failures that happen during the reshape. + +2.2 Reshape size + + 1/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): checks if mdmon is running and optionally + initializes st->update_tail + 2/ mdadm::Grow_reshape() calls ->reshape_super() to check that the size change + is allowed (being performed at subarray scope / enough room) prepares a + metadata update + 3/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): flushes the metadata update (via + flush_metadata_update(), or ->sync_metadata()) + 4/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): post the new size to the kernel + + +2.3 Reshape level (simple-takeover) + +"simple-takeover" implies the level change can be satisfied without touching +sync_action + + 1/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): checks if mdmon is running and optionally + initializes st->update_tail + 2/ mdadm::Grow_reshape() calls ->reshape_super() to check that the level change + is allowed (being performed at subarray scope) prepares a + metadata update + 2a/ raid10 --> raid0: degrade all mirror legs prior to calling + ->reshape_super + 3/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): flushes the metadata update (via + flush_metadata_update(), or ->sync_metadata()) + 4/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): post the new level to the kernel + +2.4 Reshape chunk, layout + +2.5 Reshape raid disks (grow) + + 1/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): unconditionally initializes st->update_tail + because only redundant raid levels can modify the number of raid disks + 2/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): calls ->reshape_super() to check that the level + change is allowed (being performed at proper scope / permissible + geometry / proper spares available in the container), chooses + the spares to use, and prepares a metadata update. + 3/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): Converts each subarray in the container to the + raid level that can perform the reshape and starts mdmon. + 4/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): Pushes the update to mdmon. + 5/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): uses container_content to find details of + the spares and passes them to the kernel. + 6/ mdadm::Grow_reshape(): gives raid_disks update to the kernel, + sets sync_max, sync_min, suspend_lo, suspend_hi all to zero, + and starts the reshape by writing 'reshape' to sync_action. + 7/ mdmon::monitor notices the sync_action change and tells + managemon to check for new devices. managemon notices the new + devices, opens relevant sysfs file, and passes them all to + monitor. + 8/ mdadm::Grow_reshape() calls ->manage_reshape to oversee the + rest of the reshape. + + 9/ mdadm::<format>->manage_reshape(): saves data that will be overwritten by + the kernel to either the backup file or the metadata specific location, + advances sync_max, waits for reshape, ping mdmon, repeat. + Meanwhile mdmon::read_and_act(): records checkpoints. + Specifically. + + 9a/ if the 'next' stripe to be reshaped will over-write + itself during reshape then: + 9a.1/ increase suspend_hi to cover a suitable number of + stripes. + 9a.2/ backup those stripes safely. + 9a.3/ advance sync_max to allow those stripes to be backed up + 9a.4/ when sync_completed indicates that those stripes have + been reshaped, manage_reshape must ping_manager + 9a.5/ when mdmon notices that sync_completed has been updated, + it records the new checkpoint in the metadata + 9a.6/ after the ping_manager, manage_reshape will increase + suspend_lo to allow access to those stripes again + + 9b/ if the 'next' stripe to be reshaped will over-write unused + space during reshape then we apply same process as above, + except that there is no need to back anything up. + Note that we *do* need to keep suspend_hi progressing as + it is not safe to write to the area-under-reshape. For + kernel-managed-metadata this protection is provided by + ->reshape_safe, but that does not protect us in the case + of user-space-managed-metadata. + + 10/ mdadm::<format>->manage_reshape(): Once reshape completes changes the raid + level back to the nominal raid level (if necessary) + + FIXME: native metadata does not have the capability to record the original + raid level in reshape-restart case because the kernel always records current + raid level to the metadata, whereas external metadata can masquerade at an + alternate level based on the reshape state. + +2.6 Reshape raid disks (shrink) + +3 Interaction with metadata handle. + + The following calls are made into the metadata handler to assist + with initiating and monitoring a 'reshape'. + + 1/ ->reshape_super is called quite early (after only minimial + checks) to make sure that the metadata can record the new shape + and any necessary transitions. It may be passed a 'container' + or an individual array within a container, and it should notice + the difference and act accordingly. + When a reshape is requested against a container it is expected + that it should be applied to every array in the container, + however it is up to the metadata handler to determine final + policy. + + If the reshape is supportable, the internal copy of the metadata + should be updated, and a metadata update suitable for sending + to mdmon should be queued. + + If the reshape will involve converting spares into array members, + this must be recorded in the metadata too. + + 2/ ->container_content will be called to find out the new state + of all the array, or all arrays in the container. Any newly + added devices (with state==0 and raid_disk >= 0) will be added + to the array as spares with the relevant slot number. + + It is likely that the info returned by ->container_content will + have ->reshape_active set, ->reshape_progress set to e.g. 0, and + new_* set appropriately. mdadm will use this information to + cause the correct reshape to start at an appropriate time. + + 3/ ->set_array_state will be called by mdmon when reshape has + started and again periodically as it progresses. This should + record the ->last_checkpoint as the point where reshape has + progressed to. When the reshape finished this will be called + again and it should notice that ->curr_action is no longer + 'reshape' and so should record that the reshape has finished + providing 'last_checkpoint' has progressed suitably. + + 4/ ->manage_reshape will be called once the reshape has been set + up in the kernel but before sync_max has been moved from 0, so + no actual reshape will have happened. + + ->manage_reshape should call progress_reshape() to allow the + reshape to progress, and should back-up any data as indicated + by the return value. See the documentation of that function + for more details. + ->manage_reshape will be called multiple times when a + container is being reshaped, once for each member array in + the container. + + + The progress of the metadata is as follows: + 1/ mdadm sends a metadata update to mdmon which marks the array + as undergoing a reshape. This is set up by + ->reshape_super and applied by ->process_update + For container-wide reshape, this happens once for the whole + container. + 2/ mdmon notices progress via the sysfs files and calls + ->set_array_state to update the state periodically + For container-wide reshape, this happens repeatedly for + one array, then repeatedly for the next, etc. + 3/ mdmon notices when reshape has finished and call + ->set_array_state to record the the reshape is complete. + For container-wide reshape, this happens once for each + member array. + + + +... + +[1]: Linux kernel design patterns - part 3, Neil Brown https://lwn.net/Articles/336262/ |