netdev - Re: [PATCH] net: add ability to clear stats via ethtool

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Message-Id: <20080602114116.1c1a5efd.billfink@mindspring.com>
Date:	Mon, 2 Jun 2008 11:41:16 -0400
From:	Bill Fink <billfink@...dspring.com>
To:	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>
Cc:	bhutchings@...arflare.com, alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk, jimi@...x.net,
	akpm@...ux-foundation.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	netdev@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] net: add ability to clear stats via ethtool -
 e1000/pcnet32

On Sun, 01 Jun 2008, David Miller wrote:

> From: Bill Fink <billfink@...dspring.com>
> Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 16:46:14 -0400
> 
> > Another issue that occurred to me is if multiple people are working
> > on troubleshooting a network problem, how do we insure that they all
> > get a consistent view of the stats?
> 
> Some of them definitely won't get a consistent view if one of them
> triggers this undesirable statistic clearing knob.

The typical case I was referring to is for example when I am assisting
someone else with troubleshooting.  This is coordinated with the system
admin, who would usually be the one to clear/snapshot the stats.  This
cannot be done by a normal user as it requires root privileges.  BTW
I'm also not clear why running "ethtool -S" requires root privileges,
as it would be more convenient if a normal user could do this (currently
I have to be given sudo access).

This is a useful mechanism for many, many people.  Bottom line I don't
really care if it's done in the kernel or in user space, but it should
be possible using the standard "ethtool -S" command, and I have raised
at least a couple of issues with modifying the ethtool command to
support this (but which wouldn't be an issue if implemented in the
kernel).

						-Bill
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