Oracle database wait event ‘db file async I/O submit’ timing bug

This blogpost is a look into a bug in the wait interface that has been reported by me to Oracle a few times. I verified all versions from Oracle 11.2 version up to 18.2.0.0.180417 on Linux x86_64, in all these versions this bug is present. The bug is that the wait event ‘db file async I/O submit’ does not time anything when using ASM, only when using a filesystem, where this wait event essentially times the time the system call io_submit takes. All tests are done on Linux x86_64, Oracle Linux 7.4 with database and grid version 18.2.0.0.180417

So what?
You might have not seen this wait event before; that’s perfectly possible, because this wait event is unique to the database writer. So does this wait event matter?

When the Oracle datebase engine is set to using asynchronous I/O, and when it makes sense to use asynchronous I/O (!), the engine will use the combination of io_submit() to issue I/O requests to the operating system, and when needs to, fetch the I/O requests using io_getevents(). In general (so not consistently), the engine does not time io_submit, which is a non-blocking call, it only times when it needs to wait for I/O requests using io_getevents(), which is reported as a wait event in an IO wait event class. A lot of ‘%parallel%’ IO related wait events can time asynchronous IO calls.

So why would the engine then time io_submit() for the database writer?
Well, io_submit() is not a blocking call, UNLESS the device queue to which the requests are submitted is full. This means that the developers of the database writer code decided to implement a wait event for io_submit, which is not the case for any other process.

To understand why this makes sense, a little knowledge about database writer internals is necessary. When blocks are dirtied in the cache and these blocks are checkpointed later on, these must be written to disk. The amount of blocks to be written and therefore the number of writes can get high very quickly. The way this is processed is quite interesting (simplified obviously; and when using a filesystem):

a) the database writer picks up a batch of blocks needing writing, for up to 128 IO requests.
b) that batch is submitted, timed by ‘db file async I/O submit’
c) a blocking io_getevents call is issued, timed by ‘db file parallel write’, to wait for the IOs to finish. The interesting thing specifically for the database writer is that the minimal number of IOs ready to wait for is very low (a few IOs to 25-75% of the IOs if the amount gets bigger). Any finished IO will be picked up here, however it’s perfectly possible IOs are still active after this step. In fact, I think it’s deliberately made that way.
d) if any IO requests are still pending, a nonblocking, non-wait event timed io_getevents call is issued to pick up any finished IOs.
e) if any blocks still need writing for which no IO request have been submitted, go to a).
f) if at this point IO requests are still pending, to to c).

This means that the database writer can submit huge amounts of IO requests, and keep on doing that, much more than any other process, because it doesn’t need to wait for all IOs to finish. So, this means that if there is a process that is likely to run into a blocking io_submit call, it’s the database writer.

When using a database without ASM, the above wait timing is exactly what happens. A function call graph of io_submit for the database writer when the database uses a filesystem looks like this:

 | | | | | > kslwtbctx(0x7ffc55eb3e60, 0x8b4, ...)
 | | | | | | > sltrgftime64(0x6c2f4288, 0x6bbe3ca0, ...)
 | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffc55eb3400, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffc55eb3400, ...)
 | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000005d returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | |  kslwait_timeout_centi_to_micro(0x7fffffff, 0x19183e92, ...)
 | | | | | |  kskthbwt(0x19c37b0d8, 0xb3, ...)
 | | | | | |  kslwt_start_snapshot(0x6c2f5538, 0x6c2f5538, ...)
 | | | | | | < kslwt_start_snapshot+0x0000000000d0 returns: 0x6c2f4ae8
 | | | | |  ksfdgo(0x800, 0, ...)
 | | | | | | > ksfd_skgfqio(0x7fc304483f78, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | | > skgfqio(0x7fc3091fddc0, 0x7fc304483f78, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > skgfrvldtrq(0x7fc304483f78, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | | |  sltrgftime64(0x2000, 0x7fc3043772b0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffc55eae3b0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffc55eae3b0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000005d returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | | | |  skgfr_lio_listio64(0x7fc3091fddc0, 0x1, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | > io_submit@plt(0x7fc302992000, 0x115, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | < io_submit+0x000000000007 returns: 0x115
 | | | | | | | | < skgfr_lio_listio64+0x000000000131 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < skgfqio+0x00000000035e returns: 0
 | | | | | | < ksfd_skgfqio+0x0000000001f5 returns: 0
 | | | | |  kslwtectx(0x7ffc55eb3e60, 0x7fc304483f78, ...)
 | | | | | | > sltrgftime64(0x7ffc55eb3e60, 0x7fc304483f78, ...)
 | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffc55eb33e0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffc55eb33e0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000005d returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | |  kslwt_end_snapshot(0x6c2f5538, 0x6c2f5538, ...)
 | | | | | | | > kslwh_enter_waithist_int(0x6c2f5538, 0x6c2f5538, ...)
 | | | | | | |  kslwtrk_enter_wait_int(0x6c2f5538, 0x6c2f5538, ...)
 | | | | | | | < kslwtrk_enter_wait_int+0x000000000019 returns: 0x6bcaa180
 | | | | | |  kslwt_update_stats_int(0x6c2f5538, 0x6c2f5538, ...)
 | | | | | | | > kews_update_wait_time(0x9, 0x8f54, ...)
 | | | | | | |  ksucpu_wait_update(0x9, 0x8f54, ...)
 | | | | | | | < ksucpu_wait_update+0x000000000036 returns: 0x6bd658b0
 | | | | | |  kskthewt(0x19c38402c, 0xb3, ...)
 | | | | | | < kskthewt+0x0000000005b1 returns: 0x30
 | | | | |  select event#, name from v$event_name where event# = to_number('b3','xx');
    EVENT# NAME
---------- ----------------------------------------------------------------
       179 db file async I/O submit

Now on to the actual purpose of this blog post, the same situation, but now when ASM is used. When ASM is used, there is a significant increase in the call stack. This means more code is executed. This may sound strange at first, but it’s very logical if you give it some thought: when using ASM, the Oracle database is talking to raw devices. This means that any of the functionality a filesystem performs, which is implemented in ASM must in some way be performed. This is done in several additional layers in the database code.

Let’s look at a backtrace of io_submit of the database writer when using a filesystem:

#0  0x00007f22bdb36690 in io_submit () from /lib64/libaio.so.1
#1  0x0000000004832ef0 in skgfr_lio_listio64 ()
#2  0x000000001238b7ce in skgfqio ()
#3  0x0000000011d5c3ad in ksfd_skgfqio ()
#4  0x0000000011d57fce in ksfdgo ()
#5  0x0000000000d9f21c in ksfdaio ()
#6  0x00000000039c4a5e in kcfisio ()
#7  0x0000000001d836ec in kcbbdrv ()
#8  0x000000001222fac5 in ksb_act_run_int ()
#9  0x000000001222e792 in ksb_act_run ()
#10 0x0000000003b8b9ce in ksbabs ()
#11 0x0000000003baa161 in ksbrdp ()
#12 0x0000000003fbaed7 in opirip ()
#13 0x00000000026ecaa0 in opidrv ()
#14 0x00000000032904cf in sou2o ()
#15 0x0000000000d681cd in opimai_real ()
#16 0x000000000329d2a1 in ssthrdmain ()
#17 0x0000000000d680d3 in main ()

If you want to follow the call sequence, a backtrace/stacktrace must be read from the bottom up.
ksb = kernel service background processes
kcf = kernel cache file management
ksfd = kernel service functions disk IO
skgf = o/s dependent kernel generic fiile
I hope you recognise the logical layers that are necessary for doing the I/O.

Now look at a backtrace of io_submit of the database writer when using ASM:

#0  0x00007f22bdb36690 in io_submit () from /lib64/libaio.so.1
#1  0x0000000004832ef0 in skgfr_lio_listio64 ()
#2  0x000000001238b7ce in skgfqio ()
#3  0x0000000011d5c3ad in ksfd_skgfqio ()
#4  0x0000000011d57fce in ksfdgo ()
#5  0x0000000000d9f21c in ksfdaio ()
#6  0x000000000755c1a8 in kfk_ufs_async_io ()
#7  0x0000000001455fb2 in kfk_submit_io ()
#8  0x00000000014551a8 in kfk_io1 ()
#9  0x0000000001450b3e in kfk_transitIO ()
#10 0x000000000143c450 in kfioSubmitIO ()
#11 0x000000000143bbaa in kfioRequestPriv ()
#12 0x000000000143b160 in kfioRequest ()
#13 0x000000000136f6bd in ksfdafRequest ()
#14 0x000000000137311a in ksfdafGo ()
#15 0x0000000011d58179 in ksfdgo ()
#16 0x0000000000d9f269 in ksfdaio ()
#17 0x00000000039c4a5e in kcfisio ()
#18 0x0000000001d836ec in kcbbdrv ()
#19 0x000000001222fac5 in ksb_act_run_int ()
#20 0x000000001222e792 in ksb_act_run ()
#21 0x0000000003b8b9ce in ksbabs ()
#22 0x0000000003baa161 in ksbrdp ()
#23 0x0000000003fbaed7 in opirip ()
#24 0x00000000026ecaa0 in opidrv ()
#25 0x00000000032904cf in sou2o ()
#26 0x0000000000d681cd in opimai_real ()
#27 0x000000000329d2a1 in ssthrdmain ()
#28 0x0000000000d680d3 in main ()

Essentially, a couple of layers are added to facilitate ASM; ksfdaf, kfio, kfk.
So the logical sequence becomes:
ksb = kernel service background processes
kcf = kernel cache file management
ksfd = kernel service functions disk IO
ksfdaf = kernel service functions disk IO ASM files
kfio = kernel automatic storage management translation I/O layer
kfk = kernel automatic storage management KFK
ksfd = kernel service functions disk IO
skgf = o/s dependent kernel generic file

Now to give an overview of the function call sequence, I simply need to cut out a lot of functions because otherwise it would be unreadable.

 | | | | | > ksfdgo(0x806, 0x35b4, ...)
 | | | | | | > ksfdafGo(0x806, 0x35b4, ...)
 | | | | | | | > ksfdafRequest(0x7ffcc7d845a0, 0x10f, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > kfioRequest(0x7ffcc7d845a0, 0x10f, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | > _setjmp@plt(0x7ffcc7d821d8, 0x10f, ...)
 | | | | | | | | |  __sigsetjmp(0x7ffcc7d821d8, 0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | |  __sigjmp_save(0x7ffcc7d821d8, 0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | |  kfioRequestPriv(0x7ffcc7d845a0, 0x10f, ...)
...
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > ksfdgo(0x188, 0x35c5, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > ksfd_skgfqio(0x7f4232709f78, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > skgfqio(0x7f4237483dc0, 0x7f4232709f78, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > skgfrvldtrq(0x7f4232709f78, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  sltrgftime64(0x2000, 0x7f4230b61c98, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d7bb10, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d7bb10, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x000000000059 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  skgfr_lio_listio64(0x7f4237483dc0, 0x1, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > io_submit@plt(0x7f4230ad8000, 0x112, ...)
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < io_submit+0x000000000007 returns: 0x112
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < skgfr_lio_listio64+0x000000000131 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < skgfqio+0x00000000035e returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < ksfd_skgfqio+0x0000000001f5 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | < ksfdgo+0x000000000135 returns: 0
...
 | | | | | | | | | < kfioRequestPriv+0x000000000224 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | | < kfioRequest+0x000000000251 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < ksfdafRequest+0x0000000003c8 returns: 0
 | | | | | | < ksfdafGo+0x000000000081 returns: 0x1
 | | | | |  kslwtbctx(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x7f4232709f38, ...)
 | | | | | | > sltrgftime64(0x6da39e68, 0x6d2f5bc0, ...)
 | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d86500, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d86500, ...)
 | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x000000000059 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | |  kslwait_timeout_centi_to_micro(0x7fffffff, 0x14cb3fcb, ...)
 | | | | | |  kskthbwt(0x2b0f3fe06, 0xb3, ...)
 | | | | | |  kslwt_start_snapshot(0x6da3b118, 0x6da3b118, ...)
 | | | | | | < kslwt_start_snapshot+0x0000000000d0 returns: 0x6da3a6c8
 | | | | |  ksfdgo(0x808, 0, ...)
 | | | | |  kslwtectx(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | > sltrgftime64(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x9, ...)
 | | | | | | | > clock_gettime@plt(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d864e0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | > clock_gettime(0x1, 0x7ffcc7d864e0, ...)
 | | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x000000000059 returns: 0
 | | | | | | | < clock_gettime+0x00000000003a returns: 0
 | | | | | |  kslwt_end_snapshot(0x6da3b118, 0x6da3b118, ...)
 | | | | | | | > kslwh_enter_waithist_int(0x6da3b118, 0x6da3b118, ...)
 | | | | | | |  kslwtrk_enter_wait_int(0x6da3b118, 0x6da3b118, ...)
 | | | | | | | < kslwtrk_enter_wait_int+0x000000000019 returns: 0x6dacf1e8
 | | | | | |  kslwt_update_stats_int(0x6da3b118, 0x6da3b118, ...)
 | | | | | | | > kews_update_wait_time(0x9, 0xd02, ...)
 | | | | | | |  ksucpu_wait_update(0x9, 0xd02, ...)
 | | | | | | | < ksucpu_wait_update+0x000000000036 returns: 0x6db40f70
 | | | | | |  kskthewt(0x2b0f40b08, 0xb3, ...)
 | | | | | | < kskthewt+0x0000000005b1 returns: 0x30
 | | | | |  ksfdafCopyWaitCtx(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0xb3, ...)
 | | | | | | > _intel_fast_memcpy(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x7f423270a848, ...)
 | | | | | |  _intel_fast_memcpy.P(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x7f423270a848, ...)
 | | | | | |  __intel_ssse3_rep_memcpy(0x7ffcc7d86f60, 0x7f423270a848, ...)
 | | | | | | < __intel_ssse3_rep_memcpy+0x00000000242e returns: 0x7ffcc7d86f60
 | | | | | < ksfdafCopyWaitCtx+0x000000000038 returns: 0x7ffcc7d86f60
 | | | | < ksfdaio+0x00000000055f returns: 0x7ffcc7d86f60
 | | |  oradebug setorapname dbw0
Oracle pid: 18, Unix process pid: 3617, image: oracle@o182-fs.local (DBW0)
SQL> oradebug event sql_trace wait=true
Statement processed.

Then go to the trace directory, and tail the database writer trace file.
Next, attach to the database writer with gdb, and break on the io_submit call and perform a sleep 1 (sleep for 1 second). This should add 1000000 microseconds to the waiting time, if the wait event includes the function we put the break on.

(gdb) break io_submit
Breakpoint 1 at 0x7f336b986690
(gdb) commands
Type commands for breakpoint(s) 1, one per line.
End with a line saying just "end".
>shell sleep 1
>c
>end

Now continue the database writer, and execute a checkpoint (alter system checkpoint), and look at the wait events:

WAIT #0: nam='db file async I/O submit' ela= 2 requests=11 interrupt=0 timeout=0 obj#=-1 tim=15801301770
WAIT #0: nam='db file parallel write' ela= 5077 requests=1 interrupt=0 timeout=2147483647 obj#=-1 tim=15801306930

Well, it’s clear nothing has timed the one second we added, right? (the time in the wait event is at ‘ela’, which is in microseconds)

For the sake of completeness, and to validate this test method, let’s add the sleep to io_getevents (io_getevents_0_4) to see if ‘db file parallel write’ does show the extra time we added in the system call, because ‘db file parallel write’ is supposed to time io_getevents():

(gdb) dis 1
(gdb) break io_getevents_0_4
Breakpoint 2 at 0x7f336b986650
(gdb) commands
Type commands for breakpoint(s) 2, one per line.
End with a line saying just "end".
>shell sleep 1
>c
>end

Continue the database writer again, and execute a checkpoint:

WAIT #0: nam='db file async I/O submit' ela= 1 requests=22 interrupt=0 timeout=0 obj#=-1 tim=15983030322
WAIT #0: nam='db file parallel write' ela= 1003978 requests=2 interrupt=0 timeout=2147483647 obj#=-1 tim=15984034336

Yay! There we got the artificial waiting time!

Based on this, I can only come the conclusion that the wait event ‘db file async I/O submit’ does not perform any actual timing of the io_submit system call when ASM is used with the Oracle database.