linux-kernel - Re: why network devices don't do reference counting? (Re: [PATCH] Module use count must be updated as bridges are created/destroyed)

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Date:	Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:54:23 +0200
From:	Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@...el.hist.no>
To:	Stephen Hemminger <shemminger@...ux-foundation.org>
CC:	Jan Engelhardt <jengelh@...putergmbh.de>,
	Oleg Verych <olecom@...wer.upol.cz>,
	Jan Beulich <jbeulich@...ell.com>,
	bridge@...ts.linux-foundation.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: why network devices don't do reference counting? (Re: [PATCH]
 Module use count must be updated as bridges are created/destroyed)

Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:18:55 +0200 (CEST)
> Jan Engelhardt <jengelh@...putergmbh.de> wrote:
>
>   
>> On Sep 26 2007 14:06, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
>>     
>>>>> No, network devices don't do reference counting.
>>>>>           
>>>> Could you explain why, please?
>>>>
>>>> After `udevd` on boot loads lots of unused crap, i surrendered, and use
>>>> $(rmmod `lsmod | just first column`). Networing bravely wipes away. OK,
>>>> there are lots of configs: udev, hotplug, modprobe, that somebody might
>>>> like to fix. But it came to the end with me. I just don't care. So,
>>>> please answer :)
>>>>         
>>> For hotplug and other reasons, the network developers decided that being
>>> able to remove a network module at any time was a good thing. It works.
>>>       
>> Except that for ipv6.ko, it's all opposite. After modprobe,
>> it already got a refcount like 8 and you're wondering how
>> to get rid of that.
>>     
>
> ipv6 is not a network driver, it is a protocol. You might be able to remove it if you zap
> all the routes and applications, ...
>   
Wouldn't it be enough to down all the interfaces and close all the sockets?
No need to bring down every app.

Helge Hafting
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