[PATCH bpf-next] bpf: warn against BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP in bpf_ringbuf_discard()

[Eyal Birger]

Document that BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP is not recommended for
bpf_ringbuf_discard().

A discard done with BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP can suppress a later adaptive
wakeup from a valid record, leaving an epoll-based userspace consumer
asleep even though data is available in the ring buffer.

Scenario:

epoll_wait(rb_fd);                     // blocks

rec = bpf_ringbuf_reserve(&rb, ...);
bpf_ringbuf_discard(rec, BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP);

rec = bpf_ringbuf_reserve(&rb, ...);
bpf_ringbuf_submit(rec, 0);           // valid record, but no wakeup

This behavior is surprising in the context of bpf_ringbuf_discard()
as it seems natural not to want to wake userspace.

Reported-by: Shmulik Ladkani <shmulik.ladkani@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Eyal Birger <eyal.birger@xxxxxxxxx>
---
 include/uapi/linux/bpf.h       | 3 ++-
 tools/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h | 3 ++-
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h b/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
index c8d400b7680a..c46b06d45904 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
@@ -4645,7 +4645,8 @@ union bpf_attr {
  * 	Description
  * 		Discard reserved ring buffer sample, pointed to by *data*.
  * 		If **BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP** is specified in *flags*, no notification
- * 		of new data availability is sent.
+ * 		of new data availability is sent, which is not recommended as
+ * 		it can suppress a later adaptive wakeup from a subsequent submit.
  * 		If **BPF_RB_FORCE_WAKEUP** is specified in *flags*, notification
  * 		of new data availability is sent unconditionally.
  * 		If **0** is specified in *flags*, an adaptive notification
diff --git a/tools/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h b/tools/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
index 5e38b4887de6..96de37c3b896 100644
--- a/tools/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
+++ b/tools/include/uapi/linux/bpf.h
@@ -4645,7 +4645,8 @@ union bpf_attr {
  * 	Description
  * 		Discard reserved ring buffer sample, pointed to by *data*.
  * 		If **BPF_RB_NO_WAKEUP** is specified in *flags*, no notification
- * 		of new data availability is sent.
+ * 		of new data availability is sent, which is not recommended as
+ * 		it can suppress a later adaptive wakeup from a subsequent submit.
  * 		If **BPF_RB_FORCE_WAKEUP** is specified in *flags*, notification
  * 		of new data availability is sent unconditionally.
  * 		If **0** is specified in *flags*, an adaptive notification
-- 
2.43.0