1 files changed, 70 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/dma-buf.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/dma-buf.rst
index f8f6decde359..100bfd227265 100644
--- a/Documentation/driver-api/dma-buf.rst
+++ b/Documentation/driver-api/dma-buf.rst
@@ -178,3 +178,73 @@ DMA Fence uABI/Sync File
 .. kernel-doc:: include/linux/sync_file.h
    :internal:
 
+Indefinite DMA Fences
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+At various times &dma_fence with an indefinite time until dma_fence_wait()
+finishes have been proposed. Examples include:
+
+* Future fences, used in HWC1 to signal when a buffer isn't used by the display
+  any longer, and created with the screen update that makes the buffer visible.
+  The time this fence completes is entirely under userspace's control.
+
+* Proxy fences, proposed to handle &drm_syncobj for which the fence has not yet
+  been set. Used to asynchronously delay command submission.
+
+* Userspace fences or gpu futexes, fine-grained locking within a command buffer
+  that userspace uses for synchronization across engines or with the CPU, which
+  are then imported as a DMA fence for integration into existing winsys
+  protocols.
+
+* Long-running compute command buffers, while still using traditional end of
+  batch DMA fences for memory management instead of context preemption DMA
+  fences which get reattached when the compute job is rescheduled.
+
+Common to all these schemes is that userspace controls the dependencies of these
+fences and controls when they fire. Mixing indefinite fences with normal
+in-kernel DMA fences does not work, even when a fallback timeout is included to
+protect against malicious userspace:
+
+* Only the kernel knows about all DMA fence dependencies, userspace is not aware
+  of dependencies injected due to memory management or scheduler decisions.
+
+* Only userspace knows about all dependencies in indefinite fences and when
+  exactly they will complete, the kernel has no visibility.
+
+Furthermore the kernel has to be able to hold up userspace command submission
+for memory management needs, which means we must support indefinite fences being
+dependent upon DMA fences. If the kernel also support indefinite fences in the
+kernel like a DMA fence, like any of the above proposal would, there is the
+potential for deadlocks.
+
+.. kernel-render:: DOT
+   :alt: Indefinite Fencing Dependency Cycle
+   :caption: Indefinite Fencing Dependency Cycle
+
+   digraph "Fencing Cycle" {
+      node [shape=box bgcolor=grey style=filled]
+      kernel [label="Kernel DMA Fences"]
+      userspace [label="userspace controlled fences"]
+      kernel -> userspace [label="memory management"]
+      userspace -> kernel [label="Future fence, fence proxy, ..."]
+
+      { rank=same; kernel userspace }
+   }
+
+This means that the kernel might accidentally create deadlocks
+through memory management dependencies which userspace is unaware of, which
+randomly hangs workloads until the timeout kicks in. Workloads, which from
+userspace's perspective, do not contain a deadlock.  In such a mixed fencing
+architecture there is no single entity with knowledge of all dependencies.
+Thefore preventing such deadlocks from within the kernel is not possible.
+
+The only solution to avoid dependencies loops is by not allowing indefinite
+fences in the kernel. This means:
+
+* No future fences, proxy fences or userspace fences imported as DMA fences,
+  with or without a timeout.
+
+* No DMA fences that signal end of batchbuffer for command submission where
+  userspace is allowed to use userspace fencing or long running compute
+  workloads. This also means no implicit fencing for shared buffers in these
+  cases.