STRATEGY=WAL_LOG missing checkpoint interlocks and sync
Noah Misch <noah@leadboat.com>
From: Noah Misch <noah@leadboat.com>
To: pgsql-bugs@postgresql.org, dilipbalaut@gmail.com
Cc: robertmhaas@gmail.com
Date: 2024-01-30T19:50:03Z
Lists: pgsql-bugs
Attachments
- WAL_LOG-1-chkpt-interleave-v1.patch (text/plain) patch v1
- WAL_LOG-2-PG_VERSION-sync-v1.patch (text/plain) patch v1
- test-WAL_LOG-chkpt-interleave-v0.patch (text/plain) patch v0
(1) CreateDirAndVersionFile() uses a code sequence: XLogInsert(), XLogFlush(),
write(PG_VERSION). This is missing the interlock with checkpoints, which
pd_lsn usually secures. This breaks when one takes a base backup between the
XLogInsert() and the write(). The transam/README "action first and then write
a WAL entry" strategy works well. createdb_failure_callback() will remove the
whole directory on failure.
(2) RelationMapCopy() reasons that it doesn't need RelationMappingLock.
CheckPointRelationMap() relies on RelationMappingLock to avoid completing a
checkpoint between the WAL and the sync. A base backup taken in the middle of
write_relmap_file() has no relmap after recovery.
(3) CreateDirAndVersionFile() populates the PG_VERSION file without syncing
it. An OS crash after the next checkpoint may leave PG_VERSION empty or
missing. Let's fsync the file immediately. I used LazyFS to confirm the
defect and fix. Though I was skeptical about adding a wait event in back
branches, I plan to do so anyway. Commit 368ffde got away with it, and we do
have this pattern of the sync event being separate from the write event.
I'm also attaching a test for (1) and (2), but I plan not to commit it. If
you want to see the bugs in action, you might find it informative. I
abandoned it when this complication felt like it would take awhile to resolve:
+ # FIXME While this is an effective test of XLOG_DBASE_CREATE_WAL_LOG, the
+ # XLOG_RELMAP_UPDATE makes the backup's checkpoint hang waiting for
+ # RelationMappingLock. To have a test that both fails with the bug and
+ # passes with its fix, we'd need a procedure like this:
+ #
+ # while (backup client still not done)
+ # {
+ # run backup client until it's waiting on a lock CREATE DATABASE holds;
+ # unpause CREATE DATABASE and re-pause it after its next lock release;
+ # }
As a generalization of that test, it would be great to have one that tries a
base backup after every XLogInsert() of a CREATE DATABASE or even every
XLogInsert() of a src/test/regress run. Reintroducing (1) or (2) isn't too
likely, but some part of the system could have or acquire similar bugs.
Thanks,
nm
Commits
-
Sync PG_VERSION file in CREATE DATABASE.
- 8fa4a1ac6118 15.6 landed
- 48a6bf5c4ea8 16.2 landed
- 0b6517a3b79a 17.0 landed
-
Handle interleavings between CREATE DATABASE steps and base backup.
- d493bed28f7f 15.6 landed
- 6d423e9ff95a 16.2 landed
- df220714e50f 17.0 landed
-
Fix waiting in RegisterSyncRequest().
- 368ffdeee422 12.11 cited