docs: add brief docs explaing udev's flock() block device node synchronization

docs/BLOCK_DEVICE_LOCKING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# Locking Block Device Access
+
+*TL;DR: Use BSD file locks
+[(`flock(2)`)](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/flock.2.html) on block
+device nodes to synchronize access for partitioning and file system formatting
+tools.*
+
+`systemd-udevd` probes all block devices showing up for file system superblock
+and partition table information (utilizing `libblkid`). If another program
+concurrently modifies a superblock or partition table this probing might be
+affected, which is bad in itself, but also might in turn result in undesired
+effects in programs subscribing to `udev` events.
+
+Applications manipulating a block device can temporarily stop `systemd-udevd`
+from processing rules on it — and thus bar it from probing the device — by
+taking a BSD file lock on the block device node. Specifically, whenever
+`systemd-udevd` starts processing a block device it takes a `LOCK_SH|LOCK_NB`
+lock using [`flock(2)`](http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man2/flock.2.html) on
+the main block device (i.e. never on any partition block device, but on the
+device the partition belongs to). If this lock cannot be taken (i.e. `flock()`
+returns `EBUSY`), it refrains from processing the device. If it manages to take
+the lock it is kept for the entire time the device is processed.
+
+Note that `systemd-udevd` also watches all block device nodes it manages for
+`inotify()` `IN_CLOSE` events: whenever such an event is seen, this is used as
+trigger to re-run the rule-set for the device.
+
+These two concepts allow tools such as disk partitioners or file system
+formatting tools to safely and easily take exclusive ownership of a block
+device while operating: before starting work on the block device, they should
+take an `LOCK_EX` lock on it. This has two effects: first of all, in case
+`systemd-udevd` is still processing the device the tool will wait for it to
+finish. Second, after the lock is taken, it can be sure that that
+`systemd-udevd` will refrain from processing the block device, and thus all
+other client applications subscribed to it won't get device notifications from
+potentially half-written data either. After the operation is complete the
+partitioner/formatter can simply close the device node. This has two effects:
+it implicitly releases the lock, so that `systemd-udevd` can process events on
+the device node again. Secondly, it results an `IN_CLOSE` event, which causes
+`systemd-udevd` to immediately re-process the device — seeing all changes the
+tool made — and notify subscribed clients about it.
+
+Besides synchronizing block device access between `systemd-udevd` and such
+tools this scheme may also be used to synchronize access between those tools
+themselves. However, do note that `flock()` locks are advisory only. This means
+if one tool honours this scheme and another tool does not, they will of course
+not be synchronized properly, and might interfere with each other's work.
+
+Note that the file locks follow the usual access semantics of BSD locks: since
+`systemd-udevd` never writes to such block devices it only takes a `LOCK_SH`
+*shared* lock. A program intending to make changes to the block device should
+take a `LOCK_EX` *exclusive* lock instead. For further details, see the
+`flock(2)` man page.
+
+And please keep in mind: BSD file locks (`flock()`) and POSIX file locks
+(`lockf()`, `F_SETLK`, …) are different concepts, and in their effect
+orthogonal. The scheme discussed above uses the former and not the latter,
+because the these types of locks more closely match the required semantics.
+
+Summarizing: it is recommended to take `LOCK_EX` BSD file locks when
+manipulating block devices in all tools that change file system block devices
+(`mkfs`, `fsck`, …) or partition tables (`fdisk`, `parted`, …), right after
+opening the node.

docs/index.md

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # systemd Documentation
 
 * [Automatic Boot Assessment](https://systemd.io/AUTOMATIC_BOOT_ASSESSMENT)
+* [Locking Block Device Access](https://systemd.io/BLOCK_DEVICE_LOCKING)
 * [The Boot Loader Interface](https://systemd.io/BOOT_LOADER_INTERFACE)
 * [The Boot Loader Specification](https://systemd.io/BOOT_LOADER_SPECIFICATION)
 * [Control Group APIs and Delegation](https://systemd.io/CGROUP_DELEGATION)