Buffer Cache

Overview

The buffer cache is a linked list of buf structures holding cached copies of disk block contents.

Caching disk blocks in memory reduces the number of disk reads and also provides a synchronization point for disk blocks used by multiple processes.

Role

1. Sync access to disk blocks to ensure only one copy of a block in memory and only one kernel thread can use this copy.

2. Cache popular blocks See bio.c

Source code

struct buf {
  int valid;   // has data been read from disk?
  int disk;    // does disk “own” buf?
  uint dev;
  uint blockno;
  struct sleeplock lock;
  uint refcnt;
  struct buf *prev; // LRU cache list
  struct buf *next;
  uchar data[BSIZE];
};

struct {
  struct spinlock lock;
  struct buf buf[NBUF];

  // Linked list of all buffers, through prev/next.
  // head.next is most recently used.
  struct buf head;
} bcache;

buffer cache impl.

struct {
  struct spinlock lock;
  struct buf buf[NBUF];

  // Linked list of all buffers, through prev/next.
  // head.next is most recently used.
  struct buf head;
} bcache;

void
binit(void)
{
  struct buf *b;

  initlock(&bcache.lock, "bcache");

  // Create linked list of buffers
  bcache.head.prev = &bcache.head;
  bcache.head.next = &bcache.head;
  for(b = bcache.buf; b < bcache.buf+NBUF; b++){
    b->next = bcache.head.next;
    b->prev = &bcache.head;
    initsleeplock(&b->lock, "buffer");
    bcache.head.next->prev = b;
    bcache.head.next = b;
  }
}

// Look through buffer cache for block on device dev.
// If not found, allocate a buffer.
// In either case, return locked buffer.
static struct buf*
bget(uint dev, uint blockno)
{
  struct buf *b;

  acquire(&bcache.lock);

  // Is the block already cached?
  for(b = bcache.head.next; b != &bcache.head; b = b->next){
    if(b->dev == dev && b->blockno == blockno){
      b->refcnt++;
      release(&bcache.lock);
      acquiresleep(&b->lock);
      return b;
    }
  }

  // Not cached; recycle an unused buffer.
  for(b = bcache.head.prev; b != &bcache.head; b = b->prev){
    if(b->refcnt == 0) {
      b->dev = dev;
      b->blockno = blockno;
      b->valid = 0;
      b->refcnt = 1;
      release(&bcache.lock);
      acquiresleep(&b->lock);
      return b;
    }
  }
  panic("bget: no buffers");
}

// Return a locked buf with the contents of the indicated block.
struct buf*
bread(uint dev, uint blockno)
{
  struct buf *b;

  b = bget(dev, blockno);
  if(!b->valid) {
    virtio_disk_rw(b->dev, b, 0);
    b->valid = 1;
  }
  return b;
}

// Write b's contents to disk.  Must be locked.
void
bwrite(struct buf *b)
{
  if(!holdingsleep(&b->lock))
    panic("bwrite");
  virtio_disk_rw(b->dev, b, 1);
}

// Release a locked buffer.
// Move to the head of the MRU list.
void
brelse(struct buf *b)
{
  if(!holdingsleep(&b->lock))
    panic("brelse");

  releasesleep(&b->lock);

  acquire(&bcache.lock);
  b->refcnt--;
  if (b->refcnt == 0) {
    // no one is waiting for it.
    b->next->prev = b->prev;
    b->prev->next = b->next;
    b->next = bcache.head.next;
    b->prev = &bcache.head;
    bcache.head.next->prev = b;
    bcache.head.next = b;
  }
  
  release(&bcache.lock);
}

void
bpin(struct buf *b) {
  acquire(&bcache.lock);
  b->refcnt++;
  release(&bcache.lock);
}

void
bunpin(struct buf *b) {
  acquire(&bcache.lock);
  b->refcnt--;
  release(&bcache.lock);
}