[dpdk-dev] [PATCH] net/enic: fix multi-process operation

Ferruh Yigit ferruh.yigit at intel.com
Tue Sep 19 14:58:36 CEST 2017


On 9/19/2017 6:31 AM, John Daley (johndale) wrote:
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Thomas Monjalon [mailto:thomas at monjalon.net]
>> Sent: Monday, September 18, 2017 3:25 PM
>> To: John Daley (johndale) <johndale at cisco.com>
>> Cc: Ferruh Yigit <ferruh.yigit at intel.com>; dev at dpdk.org; Sergio Gonzalez
>> Monroy <sergio.gonzalez.monroy at intel.com>
>> Subject: Re: [PATCH] net/enic: fix multi-process operation
>>
>> 18/09/2017 23:27, Ferruh Yigit:
>>> On 9/11/2017 7:58 PM, John Daley wrote:
>>>> - Use rte_malloc() instead of malloc() for the per device 'vdev' structure
>>>>   so that it can be shared across processes.
>>>> - Only initialize the device if the process type is RTE_PROC_PRIMARY
>>>> - Only allow the primary process to do queue setup, start/stop, promisc
>>>>   allmulticast, mac add/del, mtu.
>> [...]
>>>> --- a/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
>>>> +++ b/drivers/net/enic/enic_ethdev.c
>>>> @@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ enicpmd_dev_filter_ctrl(struct rte_eth_dev
>>>> *dev,  static void enicpmd_dev_tx_queue_release(void *txq)  {
>>>>  	ENICPMD_FUNC_TRACE();
>>>> +
>>>> +	if (rte_eal_process_type() != RTE_PROC_PRIMARY)
>>>> +		return;
>>>> +
>>>
>>> Hi John,
>>>
>>> I am not sure about these updates. Agree that these functions should
>>> know process type, but all others PMDs don't do this.
> 
> I looked at mlx5 and it does something similar with its mlx5_is_secondary() in functions that modify fields in its shared private structure.

Right, mlx5 also has these checks.

> 
>>>
>>> Added a few more people for comment, but as far I understand its
>>> application responsibility to NOT call these functions if it is
>>> secondary process.
>>>
>>> For device init/uninit, that is part of eal_init() and have to be
>>> called both for primary and secondary process and PMD needs to protect
>>> it, for other functions application's responsibility.
> 
> I put the checks into the PMD because I didn't want to trust the app and I didn't see checks in the library functions. I assumed that is why it was done in mlx5. I was afraid that the secondary may try to write fields in the shared structure and cause some silent bad behavior, like if secondary sets the MTU then the primary does, then secondary assumes it was different than what it is, or something like that.

The set values are in the shared memory, so a variable set by secondary
will be visible to primary, via versa. Of course a synchronization
required between primary and secondary processes.

Also why secondary shouldn't be allowed to do some work, like start/stop
the port?

I believe this should be application level concern, at worst libraries
but not drivers.

>>
>> Yes for now it is the policy.
>> But it is a gray area and it could be clearer with my "ownership proposal":
>> 	http://dpdk.org/ml/archives/dev/2017-September/074656.html
>> A secondary process could manage the ports it owns.
> 
> I think the ownership concept would help make DPDK more flexible and potentially cleaner. Perhaps ownership checks could be pushed the lib functions, like rte_eth_dev_set_mtu(), and remove all such checks in the PMD(s). 
>>
>> Feel free to comment the proposal.



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