The newly added function v9fs_co_readdir_many() retrieves multiple
directory entries with a single fs driver request. It is intended to
replace uses of v9fs_co_readdir(), the latter only retrives a single
directory entry per fs driver request instead.

The reason for this planned replacement is that for every fs driver
request the coroutine is dispatched from main I/O thread to a
background I/O thread and eventually dispatched back to main I/O
thread. Hopping between threads adds latency. So if a 9pfs Treaddir
request reads a large amount of directory entries, this currently
sums up to huge latencies of several hundred ms or even more. So
using v9fs_co_readdir_many() instead of v9fs_co_readdir() will
provide significant performance improvements.

Signed-off-by: Christian Schoenebeck <qemu_oss@crudebyte.com>
---
 hw/9pfs/9p.h    |  22 +++++++
 hw/9pfs/codir.c | 165 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 hw/9pfs/coth.h  |   3 +
 3 files changed, 190 insertions(+)

diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p.h b/hw/9pfs/9p.h
index 561774e843..93b7030edf 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p.h
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p.h
@@ -215,6 +215,28 @@ static inline void v9fs_readdir_init(V9fsDir *dir)
     qemu_co_mutex_init(&dir->readdir_mutex);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Type for 9p fs drivers' (a.k.a. 9p backends) result of readdir requests,
+ * which is a chained list of directory entries.
+ */
+typedef struct V9fsDirEnt {
+    /* mandatory (must not be NULL) information for all readdir requests */
+    struct dirent *dent;
+    /*
+     * optional (may be NULL): A full stat of each directory entry is just
+     * done if explicitly told to fs driver.
+     */
+    struct stat *st;
+    /*
+     * instead of an array, directory entries are always returned as
+     * chained list, that's because the amount of entries retrieved by fs
+     * drivers is dependent on the individual entries' name (since response
+     * messages are size limited), so the final amount cannot be estimated
+     * before hand
+     */
+    struct V9fsDirEnt *next;
+} V9fsDirEnt;
+
 /*
  * Filled by fs driver on open and other
  * calls.
diff --git a/hw/9pfs/codir.c b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
index ff57fb8619..8a8128ea13 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/codir.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ static int do_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp, struct dirent **dent)
     return err;
 }
 
+/*
+ * TODO: This will be removed for performance reasons.
+ * Use v9fs_co_readdir_many() instead.
+ */
 int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
                                  struct dirent **dent)
 {
@@ -52,6 +56,167 @@ int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
     return err;
 }
 
+/*
+ * This is solely executed on a background IO thread.
+ *
+ * See v9fs_co_readdir_many() (as its only user) below for details.
+ */
+static int do_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
+                           struct V9fsDirEnt **entries, off_t offset,
+                           int32_t maxsize, bool dostat)
+{
+    V9fsState *s = pdu->s;
+    V9fsString name;
+    int len, err = 0;
+    int32_t size = 0;
+    off_t saved_dir_pos;
+    struct dirent *dent;
+    struct V9fsDirEnt *e = NULL;
+    V9fsPath path;
+    struct stat stbuf;
+
+    *entries = NULL;
+    v9fs_path_init(&path);
+
+    /*
+     * TODO: Here should be a warn_report_once() if lock failed.
+     *
+     * With a good 9p client we should not get into concurrency here,
+     * because a good client would not use the same fid for concurrent
+     * requests. We do the lock here for safety reasons though. However
+     * the client would then suffer performance issues, so better log that
+     * issue here.
+     */
+    v9fs_readdir_lock(&fidp->fs.dir);
+
+    /* seek directory to requested initial position */
+    if (offset == 0) {
+        s->ops->rewinddir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
+    } else {
+        s->ops->seekdir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs, offset);
+    }
+
+    /* save the directory position */
+    saved_dir_pos = s->ops->telldir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
+    if (saved_dir_pos < 0) {
+        err = saved_dir_pos;
+        goto out;
+    }
+
+    while (true) {
+        /* get directory entry from fs driver */
+        err = do_readdir(pdu, fidp, &dent);
+        if (err || !dent) {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        /*
+         * stop this loop as soon as it would exceed the allowed maximum
+         * response message size for the directory entries collected so far,
+         * because anything beyond that size would need to be discarded by
+         * 9p controller (main thread / top half) anyway
+         */
+        v9fs_string_init(&name);
+        v9fs_string_sprintf(&name, "%s", dent->d_name);
+        len = v9fs_readdir_response_size(&name);
+        v9fs_string_free(&name);
+        if (size + len > maxsize) {
+            /* this is not an error case actually */
+            break;
+        }
+
+        /* append next node to result chain */
+        if (!e) {
+            *entries = e = g_malloc0(sizeof(V9fsDirEnt));
+        } else {
+            e = e->next = g_malloc0(sizeof(V9fsDirEnt));
+        }
+        e->dent = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct dirent));
+        memcpy(e->dent, dent, sizeof(struct dirent));
+
+        /* perform a full stat() for directory entry if requested by caller */
+        if (dostat) {
+            err = s->ops->name_to_path(
+                &s->ctx, &fidp->path, dent->d_name, &path
+            );
+            if (err < 0) {
+                err = -errno;
+                break;
+            }
+
+            err = s->ops->lstat(&s->ctx, &path, &stbuf);
+            if (err < 0) {
+                err = -errno;
+                break;
+            }
+
+            e->st = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct stat));
+            memcpy(e->st, &stbuf, sizeof(struct stat));
+        }
+
+        size += len;
+        saved_dir_pos = dent->d_off;
+    }
+
+    /* restore (last) saved position */
+    s->ops->seekdir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs, saved_dir_pos);
+
+out:
+    v9fs_readdir_unlock(&fidp->fs.dir);
+    v9fs_path_free(&path);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        return err;
+    }
+    return size;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief Reads multiple directory entries in one rush.
+ *
+ * Retrieves the requested (max. amount of) directory entries from the fs
+ * driver. This function must only be called by the main IO thread (top half).
+ * Internally this function call will be dispatched to a background IO thread
+ * (bottom half) where it is eventually executed by the fs driver.
+ *
+ * @discussion Acquiring multiple directory entries in one rush from the fs
+ * driver, instead of retrieving each directory entry individually, is very
+ * beneficial from performance point of view. Because for every fs driver
+ * request latency is added, which in practice could lead to overall
+ * latencies of several hundred ms for reading all entries (of just a single
+ * directory) if every directory entry was individually requested from fs
+ * driver.
+ *
+ * @note You must @b ALWAYS call @c v9fs_free_dirents(entries) after calling
+ * v9fs_co_readdir_many(), both on success and on error cases of this
+ * function, to avoid memory leaks once @p entries are no longer needed.
+ *
+ * @param pdu - the causing 9p (T_readdir) client request
+ * @param fidp - already opened directory where readdir shall be performed on
+ * @param entries - output for directory entries (must not be NULL)
+ * @param offset - initial position inside the directory the function shall
+ *                 seek to before retrieving the directory entries
+ * @param maxsize - maximum result message body size (in bytes)
+ * @param dostat - whether a stat() should be performed and returned for
+ *                 each directory entry
+ * @returns resulting response message body size (in bytes) on success,
+ *          negative error code otherwise
+ */
+int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
+                                      struct V9fsDirEnt **entries,
+                                      off_t offset, int32_t maxsize,
+                                      bool dostat)
+{
+    int err = 0;
+
+    if (v9fs_request_cancelled(pdu)) {
+        return -EINTR;
+    }
+    v9fs_co_run_in_worker({
+        err = do_readdir_many(pdu, fidp, entries, offset, maxsize, dostat);
+    });
+    return err;
+}
+
 off_t v9fs_co_telldir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp)
 {
     off_t err;
diff --git a/hw/9pfs/coth.h b/hw/9pfs/coth.h
index c2cdc7a9ea..fd4a45bc7c 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/coth.h
+++ b/hw/9pfs/coth.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@
 void co_run_in_worker_bh(void *);
 int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readlink(V9fsPDU *, V9fsPath *, V9fsString *);
 int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *, struct dirent **);
+int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *,
+                                      struct V9fsDirEnt **, off_t, int32_t,
+                                      bool);
 off_t coroutine_fn v9fs_co_telldir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *);
 void coroutine_fn v9fs_co_seekdir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *, off_t);
 void coroutine_fn v9fs_co_rewinddir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *);
-- 
2.20.1

On Mittwoch, 29. Juli 2020 10:12:33 CEST Christian Schoenebeck wrote:
> The newly added function v9fs_co_readdir_many() retrieves multiple
> directory entries with a single fs driver request. It is intended to
> replace uses of v9fs_co_readdir(), the latter only retrives a single
> directory entry per fs driver request instead.
> 
> The reason for this planned replacement is that for every fs driver
> request the coroutine is dispatched from main I/O thread to a
> background I/O thread and eventually dispatched back to main I/O
> thread. Hopping between threads adds latency. So if a 9pfs Treaddir
> request reads a large amount of directory entries, this currently
> sums up to huge latencies of several hundred ms or even more. So
> using v9fs_co_readdir_many() instead of v9fs_co_readdir() will
> provide significant performance improvements.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Christian Schoenebeck <qemu_oss@crudebyte.com>
> ---
>  hw/9pfs/9p.h    |  22 +++++++
>  hw/9pfs/codir.c | 165 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  hw/9pfs/coth.h  |   3 +
>  3 files changed, 190 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p.h b/hw/9pfs/9p.h
> index 561774e843..93b7030edf 100644
> --- a/hw/9pfs/9p.h
> +++ b/hw/9pfs/9p.h
> @@ -215,6 +215,28 @@ static inline void v9fs_readdir_init(V9fsDir *dir)
>      qemu_co_mutex_init(&dir->readdir_mutex);
>  }
> 
> +/**
> + * Type for 9p fs drivers' (a.k.a. 9p backends) result of readdir requests,
> + * which is a chained list of directory entries.
> + */
> +typedef struct V9fsDirEnt {
> +    /* mandatory (must not be NULL) information for all readdir requests */
> +    struct dirent *dent;
> +    /*
> +     * optional (may be NULL): A full stat of each directory entry is just
> +     * done if explicitly told to fs driver.
> +     */
> +    struct stat *st;
> +    /*
> +     * instead of an array, directory entries are always returned as
> +     * chained list, that's because the amount of entries retrieved by fs
> +     * drivers is dependent on the individual entries' name (since response
> +     * messages are size limited), so the final amount cannot be estimated
> +     * before hand
> +     */
> +    struct V9fsDirEnt *next;
> +} V9fsDirEnt;
> +
>  /*
>   * Filled by fs driver on open and other
>   * calls.
> diff --git a/hw/9pfs/codir.c b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
> index ff57fb8619..8a8128ea13 100644
> --- a/hw/9pfs/codir.c
> +++ b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
> @@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ static int do_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
> struct dirent **dent) return err;
>  }
> 
> +/*
> + * TODO: This will be removed for performance reasons.
> + * Use v9fs_co_readdir_many() instead.
> + */
>  int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
>                                   struct dirent **dent)
>  {
> @@ -52,6 +56,167 @@ int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu,
> V9fsFidState *fidp, return err;
>  }
> 
> +/*
> + * This is solely executed on a background IO thread.
> + *
> + * See v9fs_co_readdir_many() (as its only user) below for details.
> + */
> +static int do_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
> +                           struct V9fsDirEnt **entries, off_t offset,
> +                           int32_t maxsize, bool dostat)
> +{
> +    V9fsState *s = pdu->s;
> +    V9fsString name;
> +    int len, err = 0;
> +    int32_t size = 0;
> +    off_t saved_dir_pos;
> +    struct dirent *dent;
> +    struct V9fsDirEnt *e = NULL;
> +    V9fsPath path;
> +    struct stat stbuf;
> +
> +    *entries = NULL;
> +    v9fs_path_init(&path);
> +
> +    /*
> +     * TODO: Here should be a warn_report_once() if lock failed.
> +     *
> +     * With a good 9p client we should not get into concurrency here,
> +     * because a good client would not use the same fid for concurrent
> +     * requests. We do the lock here for safety reasons though. However
> +     * the client would then suffer performance issues, so better log that
> +     * issue here.
> +     */
> +    v9fs_readdir_lock(&fidp->fs.dir);
> +
> +    /* seek directory to requested initial position */
> +    if (offset == 0) {
> +        s->ops->rewinddir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
> +    } else {
> +        s->ops->seekdir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs, offset);
> +    }
> +
> +    /* save the directory position */
> +    saved_dir_pos = s->ops->telldir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
> +    if (saved_dir_pos < 0) {
> +        err = saved_dir_pos;
> +        goto out;
> +    }
> +
> +    while (true) {

To address your concern about aborting a readdir request, one could add here:

        if (v9fs_request_cancelled(pdu)) {
            err = -EINTR;
            break;
        }

That's a minimal invasive change, so it would be Ok to add it to this patch 
already, or at any time later as a separate patch in future, as you like.

> +        /* get directory entry from fs driver */
> +        err = do_readdir(pdu, fidp, &dent);
> +        if (err || !dent) {
> +            break;
> +        }
> +
> +        /*
> +         * stop this loop as soon as it would exceed the allowed maximum
> +         * response message size for the directory entries collected so
> far, +         * because anything beyond that size would need to be
> discarded by +         * 9p controller (main thread / top half) anyway
> +         */
> +        v9fs_string_init(&name);
> +        v9fs_string_sprintf(&name, "%s", dent->d_name);
> +        len = v9fs_readdir_response_size(&name);
> +        v9fs_string_free(&name);
> +        if (size + len > maxsize) {
> +            /* this is not an error case actually */
> +            break;
> +        }
> +
> +        /* append next node to result chain */
> +        if (!e) {
> +            *entries = e = g_malloc0(sizeof(V9fsDirEnt));
> +        } else {
> +            e = e->next = g_malloc0(sizeof(V9fsDirEnt));
> +        }
> +        e->dent = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct dirent));
> +        memcpy(e->dent, dent, sizeof(struct dirent));
> +
> +        /* perform a full stat() for directory entry if requested by caller
> */ +        if (dostat) {
> +            err = s->ops->name_to_path(
> +                &s->ctx, &fidp->path, dent->d_name, &path
> +            );
> +            if (err < 0) {
> +                err = -errno;
> +                break;
> +            }
> +
> +            err = s->ops->lstat(&s->ctx, &path, &stbuf);
> +            if (err < 0) {
> +                err = -errno;
> +                break;
> +            }
> +
> +            e->st = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct stat));
> +            memcpy(e->st, &stbuf, sizeof(struct stat));
> +        }
> +
> +        size += len;
> +        saved_dir_pos = dent->d_off;
> +    }
> +
> +    /* restore (last) saved position */
> +    s->ops->seekdir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs, saved_dir_pos);
> +
> +out:
> +    v9fs_readdir_unlock(&fidp->fs.dir);
> +    v9fs_path_free(&path);
> +    if (err < 0) {
> +        return err;
> +    }
> +    return size;
> +}
> +
> +/**
> + * @brief Reads multiple directory entries in one rush.
> + *
> + * Retrieves the requested (max. amount of) directory entries from the fs
> + * driver. This function must only be called by the main IO thread (top
> half). + * Internally this function call will be dispatched to a background
> IO thread + * (bottom half) where it is eventually executed by the fs
> driver. + *
> + * @discussion Acquiring multiple directory entries in one rush from the fs
> + * driver, instead of retrieving each directory entry individually, is
> very + * beneficial from performance point of view. Because for every fs
> driver + * request latency is added, which in practice could lead to
> overall + * latencies of several hundred ms for reading all entries (of
> just a single + * directory) if every directory entry was individually
> requested from fs + * driver.
> + *
> + * @note You must @b ALWAYS call @c v9fs_free_dirents(entries) after
> calling + * v9fs_co_readdir_many(), both on success and on error cases of
> this + * function, to avoid memory leaks once @p entries are no longer
> needed. + *
> + * @param pdu - the causing 9p (T_readdir) client request
> + * @param fidp - already opened directory where readdir shall be performed
> on + * @param entries - output for directory entries (must not be NULL) + *
> @param offset - initial position inside the directory the function shall +
> *                 seek to before retrieving the directory entries + *
> @param maxsize - maximum result message body size (in bytes)
> + * @param dostat - whether a stat() should be performed and returned for
> + *                 each directory entry
> + * @returns resulting response message body size (in bytes) on success,
> + *          negative error code otherwise
> + */
> +int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
> +                                      struct V9fsDirEnt **entries,
> +                                      off_t offset, int32_t maxsize,
> +                                      bool dostat)
> +{
> +    int err = 0;
> +
> +    if (v9fs_request_cancelled(pdu)) {
> +        return -EINTR;
> +    }
> +    v9fs_co_run_in_worker({
> +        err = do_readdir_many(pdu, fidp, entries, offset, maxsize, dostat);
> +    });
> +    return err;
> +}
> +
>  off_t v9fs_co_telldir(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp)
>  {
>      off_t err;
> diff --git a/hw/9pfs/coth.h b/hw/9pfs/coth.h
> index c2cdc7a9ea..fd4a45bc7c 100644
> --- a/hw/9pfs/coth.h
> +++ b/hw/9pfs/coth.h
> @@ -49,6 +49,9 @@
>  void co_run_in_worker_bh(void *);
>  int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readlink(V9fsPDU *, V9fsPath *, V9fsString *);
>  int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *, struct dirent
> **); +int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *,
> +                                      struct V9fsDirEnt **, off_t, int32_t,
> +                                      bool);
>  off_t coroutine_fn v9fs_co_telldir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *);
>  void coroutine_fn v9fs_co_seekdir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *, off_t);
>  void coroutine_fn v9fs_co_rewinddir(V9fsPDU *, V9fsFidState *);

On Donnerstag, 30. Juli 2020 12:08:33 CEST Christian Schoenebeck wrote:
> > @@ -52,6 +56,167 @@ int coroutine_fn v9fs_co_readdir(V9fsPDU *pdu,
> > V9fsFidState *fidp, return err;
> > 
> >  }
> > 
> > +/*
> > + * This is solely executed on a background IO thread.
> > + *
> > + * See v9fs_co_readdir_many() (as its only user) below for details.
> > + */
> > +static int do_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
> > +                           struct V9fsDirEnt **entries, off_t offset,
> > +                           int32_t maxsize, bool dostat)
> > +{
> > +    V9fsState *s = pdu->s;
> > +    V9fsString name;
> > +    int len, err = 0;
> > +    int32_t size = 0;
> > +    off_t saved_dir_pos;
> > +    struct dirent *dent;
> > +    struct V9fsDirEnt *e = NULL;
> > +    V9fsPath path;
> > +    struct stat stbuf;
> > +
> > +    *entries = NULL;
> > +    v9fs_path_init(&path);
> > +
> > +    /*
> > +     * TODO: Here should be a warn_report_once() if lock failed.
> > +     *
> > +     * With a good 9p client we should not get into concurrency here,
> > +     * because a good client would not use the same fid for concurrent
> > +     * requests. We do the lock here for safety reasons though. However
> > +     * the client would then suffer performance issues, so better log
> > that
> > +     * issue here.
> > +     */
> > +    v9fs_readdir_lock(&fidp->fs.dir);
> > +
> > +    /* seek directory to requested initial position */
> > +    if (offset == 0) {
> > +        s->ops->rewinddir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
> > +    } else {
> > +        s->ops->seekdir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs, offset);
> > +    }
> > +
> > +    /* save the directory position */
> > +    saved_dir_pos = s->ops->telldir(&s->ctx, &fidp->fs);
> > +    if (saved_dir_pos < 0) {
> > +        err = saved_dir_pos;
> > +        goto out;
> > +    }
> > +
> > +    while (true) {
> 
> To address your concern about aborting a readdir request, one could add
> here:
> 
>         if (v9fs_request_cancelled(pdu)) {
>             err = -EINTR;
>             break;
>         }
> 
> That's a minimal invasive change, so it would be Ok to add it to this patch
> already, or at any time later as a separate patch in future, as you like.

I've applied this change now, as well as the minor comment change in patch 3 
and pushed this overall patch set onto my queue:

https://github.com/cschoenebeck/qemu/commits/master

My plan is to send a PR once 5.1 is released (in presumably ~1-2 weeks), 
unless I hear back from you on anything else on this patch set.

Best regards
Christian Schoenebeck