netdev - Re: [PATCH net-next] bridge: skip fdb add if the port shouldn't learn

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Date:	Tue, 02 Jun 2015 10:14:41 -0700
From:	roopa <roopa@...ulusnetworks.com>
To:	Scott Feldman <sfeldma@...il.com>
CC:	Nikolay Aleksandrov <nikolay@...ulusnetworks.com>,
	Stephen Hemminger <stephen@...workplumber.org>,
	Netdev <netdev@...r.kernel.org>,
	Wilson Kok <wkok@...ulusnetworks.com>,
	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>,
	bridge@...ts.linux-foundation.org,
	Jiří Pírko <jiri@...nulli.us>
Subject: Re: [PATCH net-next] bridge: skip fdb add if the port shouldn't learn

On 5/27/15, 9:01 AM, Scott Feldman wrote:
> On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 1:35 AM, Nikolay Aleksandrov
> <nikolay@...ulusnetworks.com> wrote:
>> On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 9:59 AM, Scott Feldman <sfeldma@...il.com> wrote:
>>> On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 12:05 AM, Nikolay Aleksandrov
>>> <nikolay@...ulusnetworks.com> wrote:
>>>> On Tue, May 26, 2015 at 7:28 PM, Stephen Hemminger
>>>> <stephen@...workplumber.org> wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 21 May 2015 03:42:57 -0700
>>>>> Nikolay Aleksandrov <nikolay@...ulusnetworks.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> From: Wilson Kok <wkok@...ulusnetworks.com>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Check in fdb_add_entry() if the source port should learn, similar
>>>>>> check is used in br_fdb_update.
>>>>>> Note that new fdb entries which are added manually or
>>>>>> as local ones are still permitted.
>>>>>> This patch has been tested by running traffic via a bridge port and
>>>>>> switching the port's state, also by manually adding/removing entries
>>>>>> from the bridge's fdb.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Signed-off-by: Wilson Kok <wkok@...ulusnetworks.com>
>>>>>> Signed-off-by: Nikolay Aleksandrov <nikolay@...ulusnetworks.com>
>>>>> What is the problem this is trying to solve?
>>>>>
>>>>> I think user should be allowed to manually add any entry
>>>>> even if learning.
>>>> Hi Stephen,
>>>> I have been thinking about the use case and have discussed it
>>>> internally with colleagues and the patch
>>>> author, the main problem is when there's an external software that
>>>> adds dynamic entries (learning) and
>>>> it could experience a race condition, here's a possible situation:
>>>> * external software learns a mac from hw, sends an add to kernel
>>>>   * right before that, port goes blocking (or down) and kernel flushes
>>>>     mac, sends notification about the state change and mac flush
>>>>   * right after that, kernel gets the previous add from external software, it's
>>>>     allowed to add, and then sends an add notification
>>>>   * mean while, external software processes the link block/down and mac flush,
>>>>     followed by the mac add from kernel.  At this point, external software can't
>>>>     really know whether it's a user adding the mac intentionally or it's
>>>>     a race.
>>>>
>>>> This issue can't really be avoided in user-space.
>>>> As I've noted local and static entries are still allowed, and iproute2
>>>> bridge utility always
>>>> marks the entries as static (NUD_NOARP), this only affects external
>>>> dynamic entries which
>>>> are usually sent by something that does the learning externally.
>>>> I'll keep digging to see if there's another way to go about this since
>>>> I'd like to give the user
>>>> full freedom. Personally I don't have strong feeling for this patch
>>>> and if it's not preferred then
>>>> I'll post a revert.
>>> So there is already a switchdev API to add/del an externally learned
>>> FDB entry which holds rtnl_lock and avoids these races.  I would
>>> suggest using that and revert this patch.
>>>
>>> See call_switchdev_notifiers(SWITCHDEV_FDB_ADD|SWITCHDEV_FDB_DEL) and
>>> the handler in br.c:br_switchdev_event().
>>>
>>> -scott
>> Hmm, I'm new to the switchdev API and am possibly missing something,
>> but how do you suggest to use it here ?
> You need to call
> call_switchdev_notifiers(SWITCHDEV_FDB_ADD|SWITCHDEV_FDB_DEL) when the
> device learns a new mac/vlan on the port interface.
>
>> How can we differentiate between user-added entry and an externally
>> learned one ?
> Externally added ones will be marked with NTF_EXT_LEARNED set in
> ndm->ndm_flags in the netlink echo.  Manually added ones from the user
> will have ndm->ndm_state set to NUD_NOARP in the netlink echo.
>
>> Do you mean to use (for example) the NTF_EXT_LEARNED flag when adding
>> an entry from user-space so
>> the API can get called in br_fdb_add ?
> No.  br_fdb_add is the bridge's .ndo_fdb_add handler called when user
> manually adds an FDB entry using netlink RTM_NEWNEIGH.  For externally
> learned entries, use the internal
> call_switchdev_notifiers(SWITCHDEV_FDB_ADD|SWITCHDEV_FDB_DEL).

scott, I am assuming you are ok with an external learning entity (user 
space driver or a controller) pushing entries
with the NTF_EXT_LEARNED correct ?. Because NTF_EXT_LEARNED is in uapi 
(and analogous to RTNH_F_OFFLOAD in the fib offload world IMO)
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