netdev - RE: [rfc] Merging the Open vSwitch datapath

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Date:	Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:45:19 -0700
From:	"Rose, Gregory V" <gregory.v.rose@...el.com>
To:	Ben Pfaff <blp@...ira.com>
CC:	"netdev@...r.kernel.org" <netdev@...r.kernel.org>,
	Jesse Gross <jesse@...ira.com>,
	Stephen Hemminger <shemminger@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Chris Wright <chrisw@...s-sol.org>,
	Herbert Xu <herbert@...dor.apana.org.au>,
	Arnd Bergmann <arnd@...db.de>,
	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>
Subject: RE: [rfc] Merging the Open vSwitch datapath

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Ben Pfaff [mailto:blp@...ira.com]
>Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 11:33 AM
>To: Rose, Gregory V
>Cc: netdev@...r.kernel.org; Jesse Gross; Stephen Hemminger; Chris
>Wright; Herbert Xu; Arnd Bergmann; David Miller
>Subject: Re: [rfc] Merging the Open vSwitch datapath
>
>[restoring CCs that I inadvertently busted upthread]
>
>On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 11:26:17AM -0700, Rose, Gregory V wrote:
>> >From: netdev-owner@...r.kernel.org [mailto:netdev-
>owner@...r.kernel.org]
>> >On Behalf Of Ben Pfaff
>> >
>> >Simon Horman <horms@...ge.net.au> writes:
>> >
>> >>    * Possible use of netlink for user-space interface
>> >
>> >I'm working on this one this week, for what it's worth.
>>
>> I just want to put in a plug for the netlink interface.  For NICs with
>> EVB we'll need it.
>
>Off-hand, the main reasons to use Netlink, instead of the existing
>character device interface, are that Netlink is easier to extend and
>that it should reduce or eliminate the 32-to-64 bit compat layer
>currently in the Open vSwitch tree.
>
>Why will NICs with EVB require Netlink for the Open vSwitch interface?

As of now there are no existing ways to get switch configuration to a NIC without resorting to a customized interface such as a private IOCTL.  EVB is an emerging standard that I think would be desirable to support in the kernel.  As you mention netlink is easier to extend and I think it would be a great way to add support for NIC EVB in the kernel.  But even with a kernel interface there is still no user level tool.

>From what I can tell the Open vSwitch interface with its ability to set packet forwarding rules is also a good candidate for a user space tool to set rules for EVB capable NICs.  Seems like a natural extension to me.

- Greg

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