release_pbn_...al_reference(9)

💅 release_pbn_lock_provisional_reference(9) — the Kernel API Manual, bestie edition 💅

okay so this one's from the Kernel API Manual (section 9, kernel interfaces, iykyk) and it's genuinely such a niche little icon. it's all about the physical block number lock situation in dm-vdo, and honestly? the way this function knows exactly when to let go of a provisional reference is main character energy. let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

release_pbn_lock_provisional_reference — if the lock is the one responsible for a provisional reference, this bad boy releases that reference. like, it's the lock's job, and it does it, periodt 💅

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

void release_pbn_lock_provisional_reference (struct pbn_lock *lock ,
physical_block_number_t locked_pbn , struct block_allocator *allocator
);

no cap, that's the whole signature. three arguments, void return, she's not giving you anything back except vibes and a released reference ✨

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• lock — the lock. that's it. that's the whole description. she's the star of the show 👑
• locked_pbn — the PBN (physical block number, bestie) that's covered by the lock. she's the block in question 🧚
• allocator — the block allocator you're releasing the reference from. this is where the reference goes back home 🏠

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so here's the tea: this method gets called when the lock is released. that's literally it — that's the moment. when the lock is released, this function steps in, checks if it's responsible for a provisional reference, and if so, releases that reference. lowkey elegant, highkey important 🔥

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⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

all the neighbours in the kernel file ./drivers/md/dm-vdo/physical-zone.c — go say hi to the whole friend group 💖

• vdo_is_pbn_read_lock(9)
• vdo_downgrade_pbn_write_lock(9)
• vdo_claim_pbn_lock_increment(9)
• vdo_assign_pbn_lock_provisional_reference(9)
• vdo_unassign_pbn_lock_provisional_reference(9)
• union idle_pbn_lock(9)
• struct pbn_lock_pool(9)
• return_pbn_lock_to_pool(9)
• make_pbn_lock_pool(9)
• free_pbn_lock_pool(9)
• borrow_pbn_lock_from_pool(9)
• initialize_zone(9)
• vdo_make_physical_zones(9)
• vdo_free_physical_zones(9)
• vdo_get_physical_zone_pbn_lock(9)
• vdo_attempt_physical_zone_pbn_lock(9)
• allocate_and_lock_block(9)
• retry_allocation(9)
• continue_allocating(9)
• vdo_allocate_block_in_zone(9)
• vdo_release_physical_zone_pbn_lock(9)
• vdo_dump_physical_zone(9)

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ngl this one is a tiny little helper with a big job. don't sleep on it 💀

and that's the whole page, bestie — no cap. brought to you from ./drivers/md/dm-vdo, dated October 2026, and yeah, she's still rocking the release_pbn_...al_reference(9) title in the footer. slay 💜✨🎀