---

yaml
---
r: 234943
b: refs/heads/master
c: fea6512
h: refs/heads/master
i:
  234941: dcc83b1
  234939: fa7c4c6
  234935: 02b0218
  234927: 368e247
  234911: 72ea904
  234879: e39006e
v: v3

[refs]

@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 ---
-refs/heads/master: 37743de384951ef97c040e69039820c987849501
+refs/heads/master: fea651267e52a88e7b81e01b6717d968254b6ddb

trunk/Documentation/RCU/whatisRCU.txt

@@ -849,6 +849,37 @@ All:  lockdep-checked RCU-protected pointer access
 See the comment headers in the source code (or the docbook generated
 from them) for more information.
 
+However, given that there are no fewer than four families of RCU APIs
+in the Linux kernel, how do you choose which one to use?  The following
+list can be helpful:
+
+a.	Will readers need to block?  If so, you need SRCU.
+
+b.	What about the -rt patchset?  If readers would need to block
+	in an non-rt kernel, you need SRCU.  If readers would block
+	in a -rt kernel, but not in a non-rt kernel, SRCU is not
+	necessary.
+
+c.	Do you need to treat NMI handlers, hardirq handlers,
+	and code segments with preemption disabled (whether
+	via preempt_disable(), local_irq_save(), local_bh_disable(),
+	or some other mechanism) as if they were explicit RCU readers?
+	If so, you need RCU-sched.
+
+d.	Do you need RCU grace periods to complete even in the face
+	of softirq monopolization of one or more of the CPUs?  For
+	example, is your code subject to network-based denial-of-service
+	attacks?  If so, you need RCU-bh.
+
+e.	Is your workload too update-intensive for normal use of
+	RCU, but inappropriate for other synchronization mechanisms?
+	If so, consider SLAB_DESTROY_BY_RCU.  But please be careful!
+
+f.	Otherwise, use RCU.
+
+Of course, this all assumes that you have determined that RCU is in fact
+the right tool for your job.
+
 
 8.  ANSWERS TO QUICK QUIZZES