Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual

This section defines and describes some advantages of using kernel threads. It also describes some kernel threads features and type of model, as well as the design changes made to the OpenVMS operating system.

By using threads as a programming model, you can gain the following advantages:

• More modular code design
• Simpler application design and maintenance
• The potential to run independent flows of execution in parallel on multiple CPUs
• The potential to make better use of available CPU resources through parallel execution

With kernel threads, the OpenVMS operating system implements the following two features:

• Multiple execution contexts within a process
• Efficient use of the OpenVMS and DECthreads schedulers

Before the implementation of kernel threads, the scheduling model for the OpenVMS operating system was per process. The only scheduling context was the process itself; that is, only one execution context per process. Since a threaded application could create thousands of threads, many of these threads could potentially be executing at the same time. But because OpenVMS processes had only a single execution context, in effect, only one of those application threads was running at any one time. If this multithreaded application was running on a multiprocessor system, the application could not make use of more than a single CPU.

After the implementation of kernel threads, the scheduling model allows for multiple execution contexts within a process; that is, more than one application thread can be executing concurrently. These execution contexts are called kernel threads. Kernel threads allows a multithreaded application to have a thread executing on every CPU in a multiprocessor system. Kernel threads, therefore, allow a threaded application to take advantage of multiple CPUs in a symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) system.

1.6.2.2 Efficient Use of the OpenVMS and DECthreads Schedulers

It is the function of the user mode thread manager to schedule individual user mode application threads. On OpenVMS, DECthreads is the user mode threading package of choice. Before the implementation of kernel threads, DECthreads multiplexed user mode threads on the single OpenVMS execution context---the process. DECthreads implemented parts of its scheduling by using a periodic timer. When the AST executed and the thread manager gained control, the thread manager could then select a new application thread for execution. But because the thread manager could not detect that a thread had entered an OpenVMS wait state, the entire application blocked until that periodic AST was delivered. That resulted in a delay until the thread manager regained control and could schedule another thread. Once the thread manager gained control, it could schedule a previously preempted thread unaware that the thread was in a wait state. The lack of integration between the OpenVMS and DECthreads schedulers could result in wasted CPU resources.

After the implementation of kernel threads, the scheduling model provides for scheduler callbacks. A scheduler callback is an upcall from the OpenVMS scheduler to the thread manager whenever a thread changes state. This upcall allows the OpenVMS scheduler to inform the thread manager that the current thread is stalled and that another thread should be scheduled. Upcalls also inform the thread manager that an event a thread is waiting on has completed. With kernel threads, the two schedulers are better integrated, minimizing application thread scheduling delays.

1.6.3 Kernel Threads Model and Design Features

This section presents the type of kernel threads model that OpenVMS Alpha implements, and some features of the operating system design that changed to implement the kernel thread model.

1.6.3.1 Kernel Threads Model

The OpenVMS kernel threads model is one that implements a few kernel threads to many user threads with integrated schedulers. With this model, there is a mapping of many user threads to only several execution contexts or kernel threads. The kernel threads have no knowledge of the individual threads within an application. The thread manager multiplexes those user threads on an execution context, though a single process can have multiple execution contexts. This model also integrates the user mode thread manager scheduler with the OpenVMS scheduler.

1.6.3.2 Kernel Threads Design Features

Design additions and modifications made to various features of OpenVMS Alpha are as follows:

• Process Structure
• Access to Inner Modes
• Scheduling
• ASTs
• Event Flags
• Process Control Services

With the implementation of OpenVMS kernel threads, all processes are a threaded process with at least one kernel thread. Every kernel thread gets a set of stacks, one for each access mode. Quotas and limits are maintained and enforced at the process level. The process virtual address space remains per process and is shared by all threads. The scheduling entity moves from the process to the kernel thread. In general, ASTs are delivered directly to the kernel threads. Event flags and locks remain per process. See Section 1.6.4 for more information.

1.6.3.2.2 Access to Inner Modes

With the implementation of kernel threads, a single threaded process continues to function exactly as it has in the past. A multithreaded process may have multiple threads executing in user mode or in user mode ASTs, as is also possible for supervisor mode. Except in cases where an activity in inner mode is considered thread safe, a multithreaded process may have only a single thread executing in an inner mode at any one time. Multithreaded processes retain the normal preemption of inner mode by more inner mode ASTs. A special inner mode semaphore serializes access to inner mode.

1.6.3.2.3 Scheduling

With the implementation of kernel threads, the OpenVMS scheduler concerns itself with kernel threads, and not processes. At certain points in the OpenVMS executive at which the scheduler could wait a kernel thread, it can instead transfer control to the thread manager. This transfer of control, known as a callback or upcall, allows the thread manager the chance to reschedule stalled application threads.

1.6.3.2.4 ASTs

With the implementation of kernel threads, ASTs are not delivered to the process. They are delivered to the kernel thread on which the event was initiated. Inner mode ASTs are generally delivered to the kernel thread already in inner mode. If no thread is in inner mode, the AST is delivered to the kernel thread that initiated the event.

1.6.3.2.5 Event Flags

With the implementation of kernel threads, event flags continue to function on a per-process basis, maintaining compatibility with existing application behavior.

1.6.3.2.6 Process Control Services

With the implementation of kernel threads, many process control services continue to function at the process level. SYS$SUSPEND and SYS$RESUME system services, for example, continue to change the scheduling state of the entire process, including all of its threads. Other services such as SYS$HIBER and SYS$SCHDWK act on individual kernel threads instead of the entire process.

1.6.4 Kernel Threads Process Structure

• Process control block (PCB) and process header (PHD)
• Kernel thread block (KTB)
• Floating-point registers and execution data block (FRED)
• Kernel threads region
• Per-kernel thread stacks
• Per-kernel thread data cells
• Process status bits

Two primary data structures exist in the OpenVMS executive that describe the context of a process:

• Software process control block (PCB)
• Process header (PHD)

The PCB contains fields that identify the process to the system. The PCB comprises contexts that pertain to quotas and limits, scheduling state, privileges, AST queues, and identifiers. In general, any information that is required to be resident at all times is in the PCB. Therefore, the PCB is allocated from nonpaged pool.

The PHD contains fields that pertain to a process's virtual address space. The PHD consists of the working set list and the process section table. The PHD also contains the hardware process control block (HWPCB) and a floating-point register save area. The HWPCB contains the hardware execution context of the process. The PHD is allocated as part of a balance set slot, and it can be outswapped.

1.6.4.1.1 Effect of a Multithreaded Process on the PCB and PHD

With multiple execution contexts within the same process, the multiple threads of execution all share the same address space, but have some independent software and hardware context. This change to a multithreaded process results in an impact on the PCB and PHD structures, and on any code that references them.

Before the implementation of kernel threads, the PCB contained much context that was per-process. Now, with the introduction of multiple threads of execution, much context becomes per-thread. To accommodate per-thread context, a new data structure, the kernel thread block (KTB), is created, with the per-thread context removed from the PCB. However, the PCB continues to contain context common to all threads, such as quotas and limits. The new per-kernel thread structure contains the scheduling state, priority, and the AST queues.

The PHD contains the HWPCB which gives a process its single execution context. The HWPCB remains in the PHD; this HWPCB is used by a process when it is first created. This execution context is also called the initial thread. A single threaded process has only this one execution context. A new structure, the floating-point registers and execution data block (FRED), is created to contain the hardware context of the newly created kernel threads. Since all threads in a process share the same address space, the PHD continues to describe the entire virtual memory layout of the process.

1.6.4.2 Kernel Thread Block (KTB)

The kernel thread block (KTB) is a new per-kernel-thread data structure. The KTB contains all per-thread software context moved from the PCB. The KTB is the basic unit of scheduling, a role previously performed by the PCB, and is the data structure placed in the scheduling state queues. Since the KTB is the logical extension of the PCB, the SCHED spinlock synchronizes access to the KTB and the PCB.

Typically, the number of KTBs a multithreaded process has is the same as the number of CPUs on the system. Actually, the number of KTBs is limited by the value of the system parameter MULTITHREAD. If MULTITHREAD is zero, the OpenVMS kernel support is disabled. With kernel threads disabled, user-level threading is still possible with DECthreads. The environment is identical to the OpenVMS environment prior to the OpenVMS Version 7.0 release. If MULTITHREAD is nonzero, it represents the maximum number of execution contexts or kernel threads that a process can own, including the initial one.

The KTB, in reality, is not an independent structure from the PCB. Both the PCB and KTB are defined as sparse structures. The fields of the PCB that move to the KTB retain their original PCB offsets in the KTB. In the PCB, these fields are unused. In effect, if the two structures are overlaid, the result is the PCB as it currently exists with new fields appended at the end. The PCB and KTB for the initial thread occupy the same block of nonpaged pool; therefore, the KTB address for the initial thread is the same as for the PCB.

1.6.4.3 Floating-Point Registers and Execution Data Block (FRED)

To allow for multiple execution contexts, not only are additional KTBs required to maintain the software context, but additional HWPCBs must be created to maintain the hardware context. Each HWPCB has allocated with it a block of 256 bytes for preserving the contents of the floating-point registers across context switches. Another 128 bytes is allocated for per-kernel thread data.

The combined structure that contains the HWPCB, floating-point register save area, and per-kernel thread data is called the floating-point registers and execution data (FRED) block. These structures reside in the process's balance set slot. This allows the FREDs to be outswapped with the process header.

1.6.4.4 Kernel Threads Region

Much process context resides in P1 space, taking the form of data cells and the process stacks. Some of these data cells need to be per kernel thread, as do the stacks. During initialization of the multithread environment, a kernel thread region in P1 space is initialized to contain the per-kernel-thread data cells and stacks. The region begins at the boundary between P0 and P1 space at address 40000000x, and it grows toward higher addresses and the initial thread's user stack. The region is divided into per-kernel-thread areas. Each area contains pages for data cells and the four stacks.

1.6.4.5 Per-Kernel Thread Stacks

A process is created with four stacks; each access mode has one stack. All four of these stacks are located in P1 space. Stack sizes are either fixed, determined by a SYSGEN parameter, or expandable. The parameter KSTACKPAGES controls the size of the kernel stack. This parameter continues to control all kernel stack sizes, including those created for new execution contexts of kernel threads. The executive stack is a fixed size of two pages; with kernel threads implementation, the executive stack for new execution contexts continues to be two pages in size. The supervisor stack is a fixed size of four pages; with kernel threads implementation, the supervisor stack for new execution contexts is reduced to two pages in size.

For the user stack, a more complex situation exists. OpenVMS allocates P1 space from high to lower addresses. The user stack is placed after the lowest P1 space address allocated. This allows the user stack to expand on demand toward P0 space. With the introduction of multiple sets of stacks, the locations of these stacks impose a limit on the size of each area in which they can reside. With the implementation of kernel threads, the user stack is no longer boundless. The initial user stack remains semi-boundless; it still grows toward P0 space, but the limit is the per-kernel thread region instead of P0 space.

1.6.4.6 Per-Kernel-Thread Data Cells

Several pages in P1 space contain process state in the form of data cells. A number of these cells must have a per-kernel-thread equivalent. These data cells do not all reside on pages with the same protection. Because of this, the per-kernel-thread area reserves two pages for these cells. Each page has a different page protection; one page protection is user read, user write (URUW); the other is user read, executive write (UREW).

1.6.4.7 Summary of Process Data Structures

Process creation results in a PCB/KTB, a PHD/FRED, and a set of stacks. All processes have a single kernel thread, the initial thread.

A multithreaded process always begins as a single threaded process. A multithreaded process contains a PCB/KTB pair and a PHD/FRED pair for the initial thread; for its other threads, it contains additional KTBs, additional FREDs, and additional sets of stacks. When the multithreaded application exits, the process returns to its single threaded state, and all additional KTBs, FREDs, and stacks are deleted.

This chapter describes communication mechanisms used within a process and between processes. It also describes programming with intra-cluster communication (ICC). It contains the following sections:

Section 2.1 describes communication within a process.

Section 2.2 describes communication between processes.

Section 2.3 describes intra-cluster communication.

The operating system allows your process to communicate within itself and with other processes. Processes can be either wholly independent or cooperative. This chapter presents considerations for developing applications that require the concurrent execution of many programs, and how you can use process communication to perform the following functions:

• Synchronize events
• Share data
• Obtain information about events important to the program you are executing

Communicating within a process, from one program component to another, can be performed using the following methods:

• Local event flags
• Logical names (in supervisor mode)
• Global symbols (command language interpreter symbols)
• Common area

For passing information among chained images, you can use all four methods because the image reading the information executes immediately after the image that deposited it. Only the common area allows you to pass data reliably from one image to another in the event that another image's execution intervenes between the two communicating images.

For communicating within a single image, you can use event flags, logical names, and symbols. For synchronizing events within a single image, use event flags. See Chapter 16 for more information about synchronizing events.

Because permanent mailboxes and permanent global sections are not deleted when the creating image exits, they also can be used to pass information from the current image to a later executing image. However, Compaq recommends that you use the common area because it uses fewer system resources than the permanent structures and does not require privilege. (You need the PRMMBX privilege to create a permanent mailbox and the PRMGBL privilege to create a permanent global section.)

2.1.1 Using Local Event Flags

Event flags are status-posting bits maintained by the operating system for general programming use. Programs can set, clear, and read event flags. By setting and clearing event flags at specific points, one program component can signal when an event has occurred. Other program components can then check the event flag to determine when the event has been completed. For more information about using local and common event flags for synchronizing events, refer to Chapter 16.

2.1.2 Using Logical Names

Logical names can store up to 255 bytes of data. When you need to pass information from one program to another within a process, you can assign data to a logical name when you create the logical name; then, other programs can access the contents of the logical name. See Chapter 12 for more information about logical name system services.

2.1.2.1 Using Logical Name Tables

If both processes are part of the same job, you can place the logical name in the process logical name table (LNM$PROCESS) or in the job logical name table (LNM$JOB). If a subprocess is prevented from inheriting the process logical name table, you must communicate using the job logical name table. If the processes are in the same group, place the logical name in the group logical name table LNM$GROUP (requires GRPNAM or SYSPRV privilege). If the processes are not in the same group, place the logical name in the system logical name table LNM$SYSTEM (requires SYSNAM or SYSPRV privilege). You can also use symbols, but only between a parent and a spawned subprocess that has inherited the parent's symbols.

2.1.2.2 Using Access Modes

You can create a logical name under three access modes---user, supervisor, or executive. If you create a process logical name in user mode, it is deleted after the image exits. If you create a logical name in supervisor or executive mode, it is retained after the image exits. Therefore, to share data within the process from one image to the next, use supervisor-mode or executive-mode logical names.

2.1.2.3 Creating and Accessing Logical Names

Perform the following steps to create and access a logical name:

1. Create the logical name and store data in it. Use LIB$SET_LOGICAL to create a supervisor logical name. No special privileges are required. You can also use the system service SYS$CRELNM. SYS$CRELNM also allows you to create a logical name for the system or group table and to create a logical name in any other mode, assuming you have appropriate privileges.
2. Access the logical name. Use the system service SYS$TRNLNM. SYS$TRNLNM searches for the logical name and returns information about it.
3. Once you have finished using the logical name, delete it. Use the routine LIB$DELETE_LOGICAL or SYS$DELLNM. LIB$DELETE_LOGICAL deletes the supervisor logical name without requiring any special privileges. SYS$DELLNM requires special privileges to delete logical names for privileged modes. However, you can also use this routine to delete logical name tables or a logical name within a system or group table.

Example 2-1 creates a spawned subprocess to perform an iterative calculation. The logical name REP_NUMBER specifies the number of times that REPEAT, the program executing in the subprocess, should perform the calculation. Because both the parent process and the subprocess are part of the same job, REP_NUMBER is placed in the job logical name table LNM$JOB. (Note that logical names are case sensitive; specifically, LNM$JOB is a system-defined logical name that refers to the job logical name table, whereas lnm$job is not.) To satisfy the references to LNM$_STRING, the example includes the file $LNMDEF.

Example 2-1 Performing an Iterative Calculation with a Spawned Subprocess

PROGRAM CALC ! Status variable and system routines INTEGER*4 STATUS, 2 SYS$CRELNM, 2 LIB$GET_EF, 2 LIB$SPAWN ! Define itmlst structure STRUCTURE /ITMLST/ UNION MAP INTEGER*2 BUFLEN INTEGER*2 CODE INTEGER*4 BUFADR INTEGER*4 RETLENADR END MAP MAP INTEGER*4 END_LIST END MAP END UNION END STRUCTURE ! Declare itmlst RECORD /ITMLST/ LNMLIST(2) ! Number to pass to REPEAT.FOR CHARACTER*3 REPETITIONS_STR INTEGER REPETITIONS ! Symbols for LIB$SPAWN and SYS$CRELNM ! Include FORSYSDEF symbol definitions: INCLUDE '($LNMDEF)' EXTERNAL CLI$M_NOLOGNAM, 2 CLI$M_NOCLISYM, 2 CLI$M_NOKEYPAD, 2 CLI$M_NOWAIT, 2 LNM$_STRING . . ! Set REPETITIONS_STR . ! Set up and create logical name REP_NUMBER in job table LNMLIST(1).BUFLEN = 3 LNMLIST(1).CODE = %LOC (LNM$_STRING) LNMLIST(1).BUFADR = %LOC(REPETITIONS_STR) LNMLIST(1).RETLENADR = 0 LNMLIST(2).END_LIST = 0 STATUS = SYS$CRELNM (, 2 'LNM$JOB', ! Logical name table 2 'REP_NUMBER',, ! Logical name 2 LNMLIST) ! List specifying ! equivalence string IF (.NOT. STATUS) CALL LIB$SIGNAL (%VAL(STATUS)) ! Execute REPEAT.FOR in a subprocess MASK = %LOC (CLI$M_NOLOGNAM) .OR. 2 %LOC (CLI$M_NOCLISYM) .OR. 2 %LOC (CLI$M_NOKEYPAD) .OR. 2 %LOC (CLI$M_NOWAIT) STATUS = LIB$GET_EF (FLAG) IF (.NOT. STATUS) CALL LIB$SIGNAL (%VAL(STATUS)) STATUS = LIB$SPAWN ('RUN REPEAT',,,MASK,,,,FLAG) IF (.NOT. STATUS) CALL LIB$SIGNAL (%VAL(STATUS)) . . .

REPEAT.FOR

PROGRAM REPEAT ! Repeats a calculation REP_NUMBER of times, ! where REP_NUMBER is a logical name ! Status variables and system routines INTEGER STATUS, 2 SYS$TRNLNM, 2 SYS$DELLNM ! Number of times to repeat INTEGER*4 REITERATE, 2 REPEAT_STR_LEN CHARACTER*3 REPEAT_STR ! Item list for SYS$TRNLNM ! Define itmlst structure STRUCTURE /ITMLST/ UNION MAP INTEGER*2 BUFLEN INTEGER*2 CODE INTEGER*4 BUFADR INTEGER*4 RETLENADR END MAP MAP INTEGER*4 END_LIST END MAP END UNION END STRUCTURE ! Declare itmlst RECORD /ITMLST/ LNMLIST (2) ! Define item code EXTERNAL LNM$_STRING ! Set up and translate the logical name REP_NUMBER LNMLIST(1).BUFLEN = 3 LNMLIST(1).CODE = LNM$_STRING LNMLIST(1).BUFADR = %LOC(REPEAT_STR) LNMLIST(1).RETLENADR = %LOC(REPEAT_STR_LEN) LNMLIST(2).END_LIST = 0 STATUS = SYS$TRNLNM (, 2 'LNM$JOB', ! Logical name table 2 'REP_NUMBER',, ! Logical name 2 LNMLIST) ! List requesting ! equivalence string IF (.NOT. STATUS) CALL LIB$SIGNAL (%VAL(STATUS)) ! Convert equivalence string to integer ! BN causes spaces to be ignored READ (UNIT = REPEAT_STR (1:REPEAT_STR_LEN), 2 FMT = '(BN,I3)') REITERATE ! Calculations DO I = 1, REITERATE . . . END DO ! Delete logical name STATUS = SYS$DELLNM ('LNM$JOB', ! Logical name table 2 'REP_NUMBER',) ! Logical name IF (.NOT. STATUS) CALL LIB$SIGNAL (%VAL(STATUS)) END

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