SYNOPSIS

In sys/sf_buf.h Ft struct sf_buf * Fn sf_buf_alloc struct vm_page *m int flags Ft void Fn sf_buf_free struct sf_buf *sf Ft vm_offset_t Fn sf_buf_kva struct sf_buf *sf Ft struct vm_page * Fn sf_buf_page struct sf_buf *sf

DESCRIPTION

The interface, historically the sendfile(2) buffer interface, allows kernel subsystems to manage temporary kernel address space mappings for physical memory pages. On systems with a direct memory map region (allowing all physical pages to be visible in the kernel address space at all times), the Vt struct sf_buf will point to an address in the direct map region; on systems without a direct memory map region, the Vt struct sf_buf will manage a temporary kernel address space mapping valid for the lifetime of the Vt struct sf_buf.

Call Fn sf_buf_alloc to allocate a Vt struct sf_buf for a physical memory page. Fn sf_buf_alloc is not responsible for arranging for the page to be present in physical memory; the caller should already have arranged for the page to be wired, i.e., by calling vm_page_wire9. Several flags may be passed to Fn sf_buf_alloc :

SFB_CATCH

Cause Fn sf_buf_alloc to abort and return NULL if a signal is received waiting for a Vt struct sf_buf to become available.

SFB_NOWAIT

Cause Fn sf_buf_alloc to return NULL rather than sleeping if a Vt struct sf_buf is not immediately available.

SFB_CPUPRIVATE

Cause Fn sf_buf_alloc to only arrange that the temporary mapping be valid on the current CPU, avoiding unnecessary TLB shootdowns for mappings that will only be accessed on a single CPU at a time. The caller must ensure that accesses to the virtual address occur only on the CPU from which Fn sf_buf_alloc was invoked, perhaps by using Fn sched_pin .

Call Fn sf_buf_kva to return a kernel mapped address for the page.

Call Fn sf_buf_page to return a pointer to the page originally passed into Fn sf_buf_alloc .

Call Fn sf_buf_free to release the Vt struct sf_buf reference. The caller is responsible for releasing any wiring they have previously acquired on the physical page; Fn sf_buf_free releases only the temporary kernel address space mapping, not the page itself.

Uses of this interface include managing mappings of borrowed pages from user memory, such as in zero-copy socket I/O, or pages of memory from the buffer cache referenced by mbuf external storage for sendfile(2).

AUTHORS

An -nosplit The Vt struct sf_buf API was designed and implemented by An Alan L. Cox . This manual page was written by An Robert N. M. Watson .