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Network devices can allocate reasources and private memory using netdev_ops->ndo_init(). However, the release of these resources can occur in one of two different places. Either netdev_ops->ndo_uninit() or netdev->destructor(). The decision of which operation frees the resources depends upon whether it is necessary for all netdev refs to be released before it is safe to perform the freeing. netdev_ops->ndo_uninit() presumably can occur right after the NETDEV_UNREGISTER notifier completes and the unicast and multicast address lists are flushed. netdev->destructor(), on the other hand, does not run until the netdev references all go away. Further complicating the situation is that netdev->destructor() almost universally does also a free_netdev(). This creates a problem for the logic in register_netdevice(). Because all callers of register_netdevice() manage the freeing of the netdev, and invoke free_netdev(dev) if register_netdevice() fails. If netdev_ops->ndo_init() succeeds, but something else fails inside of register_netdevice(), it does call ndo_ops->ndo_uninit(). But it is not able to invoke netdev->destructor(). This is because netdev->destructor() will do a free_netdev() and then the caller of register_netdevice() will do the same. However, this means that the resources that would normally be released by netdev->destructor() will not be. Over the years drivers have added local hacks to deal with this, by invoking their destructor parts by hand when register_netdevice() fails. Many drivers do not try to deal with this, and instead we have leaks. Let's close this hole by formalizing the distinction between what private things need to be freed up by netdev->destructor() and whether the driver needs unregister_netdevice() to perform the free_netdev(). netdev->priv_destructor() performs all actions to free up the private resources that used to be freed by netdev->destructor(), except for free_netdev(). netdev->needs_free_netdev is a boolean that indicates whether free_netdev() should be done at the end of unregister_netdevice(). Now, register_netdevice() can sanely release all resources after ndo_ops->ndo_init() succeeds, by invoking both ndo_ops->ndo_uninit() and netdev->priv_destructor(). And at the end of unregister_netdevice(), we invoke netdev->priv_destructor() and optionally call free_netdev(). Signed-off-by: David S. Miller <davem@davemloft.net>
To understand all the Linux-USB framework, you'll use these resources:
* This source code. This is necessarily an evolving work, and
includes kerneldoc that should help you get a current overview.
("make pdfdocs", and then look at "usb.pdf" for host side and
"gadget.pdf" for peripheral side.) Also, Documentation/usb has
more information.
* The USB 2.0 specification (from www.usb.org), with supplements
such as those for USB OTG and the various device classes.
The USB specification has a good overview chapter, and USB
peripherals conform to the widely known "Chapter 9".
* Chip specifications for USB controllers. Examples include
host controllers (on PCs, servers, and more); peripheral
controllers (in devices with Linux firmware, like printers or
cell phones); and hard-wired peripherals like Ethernet adapters.
* Specifications for other protocols implemented by USB peripheral
functions. Some are vendor-specific; others are vendor-neutral
but just standardized outside of the www.usb.org team.
Here is a list of what each subdirectory here is, and what is contained in
them.
core/ - This is for the core USB host code, including the
usbfs files and the hub class driver ("hub_wq").
host/ - This is for USB host controller drivers. This
includes UHCI, OHCI, EHCI, and others that might
be used with more specialized "embedded" systems.
gadget/ - This is for USB peripheral controller drivers and
the various gadget drivers which talk to them.
Individual USB driver directories. A new driver should be added to the
first subdirectory in the list below that it fits into.
image/ - This is for still image drivers, like scanners or
digital cameras.
../input/ - This is for any driver that uses the input subsystem,
like keyboard, mice, touchscreens, tablets, etc.
../media/ - This is for multimedia drivers, like video cameras,
radios, and any other drivers that talk to the v4l
subsystem.
../net/ - This is for network drivers.
serial/ - This is for USB to serial drivers.
storage/ - This is for USB mass-storage drivers.
class/ - This is for all USB device drivers that do not fit
into any of the above categories, and work for a range
of USB Class specified devices.
misc/ - This is for all USB device drivers that do not fit
into any of the above categories.