Re: [PATCH 1/2] net: ethernet: sxgbe: remove private tx queue lock

Lino Sanfilippo [off-list ref] :

The driver uses a private lock for synchronization between the xmit
function and the xmit completion handler, but since the NETIF_F_LLTX flag
is not set, the xmit function is also called with the xmit_lock held.

On the other hand the xmit completion handler first takes the private lock
and (in case that the tx queue has been stopped) the xmit_lock, leading
to a reverse locking order and the potential danger of a deadlock.

netif_tx_stop_queue is used by:
1. xmit function before releasing lock and returning.
2. sxgbe_restart_tx_queue()
   <- sxgbe_tx_interrupt
   <- sxgbe_reset_all_tx_queues()
      <- sxgbe_tx_timeout()

Given xmit won't be called again until tx queue is enabled, it's not clear
how a deadlock could happen due to #1.

Regardless of deadlocks anywhere else, #2 has some serious problem due to
the lack of exclusion between the tx queue restart handler and the xmit
handler.

-- 
Ueimor