Subject: Re: [RFC mptcp-next] tcp: mptcp: use mptcp receive buffer space to select rcv window

From: Florian Westphal <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2020 21:59:20 +0100

Eric Dumazet <[email-masked]> wrote:
> >>> +/* If ssk has an mptcp parent socket, use the mptcp rcvbuf occupancy,
> >>> + * not the ssk one.
> >>> + *
> >>> + * In mptcp, rwin is about the mptcp-level connection data.
> >>> + *
> >>> + * Data that is still on the ssk rx queue can thus be ignored,
> >>> + * as far as mptcp peer is concerened that data is still inflight.
> >>> + */
> >>> +void mptcp_space(const struct sock *ssk, int *space, int *full_space)
> >>> +{
> >>> +	const struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow = mptcp_subflow_ctx(ssk);
> >>> +	const struct sock *sk = READ_ONCE(subflow->conn);
> >>
> >> What are the rules protecting subflow->conn lifetime ?
> >>
> >> Why dereferencing sk after this line is safe ?
> > 
> > Subflow sockets hold a reference on the master/parent mptcp-socket.
> > 
> 
> Presence of READ_ONCE() tells something might happen on
> this pointer after you read it.

Right, sorry about this. The READ_ONCE() isn't needed anymore after
recent improvement from Paolo.

> Can this pointer be set while this thread is owning the socket lock ?

Only by the one holding the sk lock, so no race.

> If not, then you do not need READ_ONCE(), this is confusing.

Yes.

> If yes, then it means that whatever changes the pointer might also release the reference
> on the old object.

The reference is released only after aquiring the socket lock.