[PATCH dpdk v4 3/4] net/tap: detect namespace change

Robin Jarry rjarry at redhat.com
Thu Oct 30 18:55:42 CET 2025


When an interface is moved to another network namespace, the kernel
sends RTM_DELLINK. Detect this case by using TUNGETDEVNETNS ioctl on the
keep-alive fd. If successful, the interface still exists but in
a different namespace.

To handle this, temporarily switch to the new namespace using setns(),
query the new ifindex, recreate netlink and LSC interrupt sockets in
that namespace, then switch back. Replace the old netlink socket with
the new one so subsequent operations work in the target namespace.

This allows the driver to track interfaces across namespace changes
without losing control.

TUNGETDEVNETNS support was added in Linux 5.2. Only compile netns
support if this ioctl number is defined.

Signed-off-by: Robin Jarry <rjarry at redhat.com>
---
 doc/guides/rel_notes/release_25_11.rst |   2 +
 drivers/net/tap/rte_eth_tap.c          | 115 ++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 114 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_25_11.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_25_11.rst
index 41b6131c80f3..f70173487de4 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_25_11.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_25_11.rst
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ New Features
 
   * Replaced ``ioctl`` based link control with a Netlink based implementation.
   * Linux net devices can now be renamed without breaking link control.
+  * Linux net devices can now be moved to different namespaces without breaking link control
+    (requires Linux >= 5.2).
 
 
 Removed Items
diff --git a/drivers/net/tap/rte_eth_tap.c b/drivers/net/tap/rte_eth_tap.c
index e006c71989a8..7869183c0ffe 100644
--- a/drivers/net/tap/rte_eth_tap.c
+++ b/drivers/net/tap/rte_eth_tap.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <net/if.h>
 #include <linux/if_tun.h>
+#include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 
 #include <tap_rss.h>
@@ -1638,17 +1639,119 @@ tap_set_mc_addr_list(struct rte_eth_dev *dev __rte_unused,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void tap_dev_intr_handler(void *cb_arg);
+static int tap_lsc_intr_handle_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, int set);
+
+static int
+tap_netns_change(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
+{
+	struct pmd_internals *pmd = dev->data->dev_private;
+#ifdef TUNGETDEVNETNS
+	int netns_fd, orig_netns_fd, new_nlsk_fd;
+
+	netns_fd = ioctl(pmd->ka_fd, TUNGETDEVNETNS);
+	if (netns_fd < 0) {
+		TAP_LOG(INFO, "%s: interface deleted", pmd->name);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	/* Interface was moved to another namespace */
+	pmd->if_index = 0;
+
+	/* Save current namespace */
+	orig_netns_fd = open("/proc/self/ns/net", O_RDONLY);
+	if (orig_netns_fd < 0) {
+		TAP_LOG(ERR, "%s: failed to open original netns: %s",
+			pmd->name, strerror(errno));
+		close(netns_fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* Switch to new namespace */
+	if (setns(netns_fd, CLONE_NEWNET) < 0) {
+		TAP_LOG(ERR, "%s: failed to enter new netns: %s",
+			pmd->name, strerror(errno));
+		close(netns_fd);
+		close(orig_netns_fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Update ifindex by querying interface name.
+	 * The interface now has a new ifindex in the new namespace.
+	 */
+	pmd->if_index = if_nametoindex(pmd->name);
+
+	/* Recreate netlink socket in new namespace */
+	new_nlsk_fd = tap_nl_init(0);
+
+	/* Recreate LSC interrupt netlink socket in new namespace */
+	rte_intr_callback_unregister_pending(pmd->intr_handle, tap_dev_intr_handler, dev, NULL);
+	if (tap_lsc_intr_handle_set(dev, 1) < 0)
+		TAP_LOG(WARNING, "%s: failed to recreate LSC interrupt socket",
+			pmd->name);
+
+	/* Switch back to original namespace */
+	if (setns(orig_netns_fd, CLONE_NEWNET) < 0)
+		TAP_LOG(ERR, "%s: failed to return to original netns: %s",
+			pmd->name, strerror(errno));
+
+	close(orig_netns_fd);
+	close(netns_fd);
+
+	if (pmd->if_index == 0) {
+		TAP_LOG(WARNING, "%s: interface moved to another namespace, "
+			"failed to get new ifindex",
+			pmd->name);
+		if (new_nlsk_fd >= 0)
+			close(new_nlsk_fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (new_nlsk_fd < 0) {
+		TAP_LOG(WARNING, "%s: failed to recreate netlink socket in new namespace",
+			pmd->name);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* Close old netlink socket and replace with new one */
+	if (pmd->nlsk_fd >= 0)
+		tap_nl_final(pmd->nlsk_fd);
+	pmd->nlsk_fd = new_nlsk_fd;
+
+	TAP_LOG(INFO, "%s: interface moved to another namespace, new ifindex: %u",
+		pmd->name, pmd->if_index);
+#else
+	TAP_LOG(WARNING, "%s: interface deleted or moved to another namespace",
+		pmd->name);
+#endif
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int
 tap_nl_msg_handler(struct nlmsghdr *nh, void *arg)
 {
 	struct rte_eth_dev *dev = arg;
 	struct pmd_internals *pmd = dev->data->dev_private;
 	struct ifinfomsg *info = NLMSG_DATA(nh);
+	int is_local = (info->ifi_index == pmd->if_index);
+	int is_remote = (info->ifi_index == pmd->remote_if_index);
 
-	if (nh->nlmsg_type != RTM_NEWLINK ||
-	    (info->ifi_index != pmd->if_index &&
-	     info->ifi_index != pmd->remote_if_index))
+	/* Ignore messages not for our interfaces */
+	if (!is_local && !is_remote)
 		return 0;
+
+	if (nh->nlmsg_type == RTM_DELLINK && is_local) {
+		/*
+		 * RTM_DELLINK may indicate the interface was moved to another
+		 * network namespace. Check if the device still exists by
+		 * querying its namespace via the keep-alive fd.
+		 */
+		int ret = tap_netns_change(dev);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return ret;
+	}
 	return tap_link_update(dev, 0);
 }
 
@@ -1677,6 +1780,12 @@ tap_lsc_intr_handle_set(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, int set)
 		return 0;
 	}
 	if (set) {
+		/*
+		 * Subscribe to RTMGRP_LINK to receive RTM_NEWLINK (link state
+		 * changes) events. Also receives RTM_DELLINK events which are
+		 * used for namespace change detection when TUNGETDEVNETNS is
+		 * available.
+		 */
 		rte_intr_fd_set(pmd->intr_handle, tap_nl_init(RTMGRP_LINK));
 		if (unlikely(rte_intr_fd_get(pmd->intr_handle) == -1))
 			return -EBADF;
-- 
2.51.1



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