[dpdk-dev] KNI broken again with 4.9 kernel

[Mcnamara, John]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dev [mailto:dev-bounces at dpdk.org] On Behalf Of Stephen Hemminger
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2016 11:41 PM
> To: dev at dpdk.org
> Subject: [dpdk-dev] KNI broken again with 4.9 kernel
> 
> /build/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/kni/igb_main.c:2317:21: error:
> initialization from incompatible pointer type [-Werror=incompatible-
> pointer-types]
>   .ndo_set_vf_vlan = igb_ndo_set_vf_vlan,
>                      ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> I am sure Ferruh Yigit will fix it.
> 
> Which raises a couple of questions:
>  1. Why is DPDK still keeping KNI support for Intel specific ethtool
> functionality.
>     This always breaks, is code bloat, and means a 3rd copy of base code
> (Linux, DPDK PMD, + KNI)
> 
>  2. Why is KNI not upstream?
>     If not acceptable due to security or supportablity then why does it
> still exist?
> 
>  3. If not upstream, then maintainer should track upstream kernel changes
> and fix DPDK before
>     kernel is released.  The ABI is normally set early in the rc cycle
> weeks before release.


Hi Stephen,

On point 2: The feedback we have always received is that the KNI code isn't upstreamable. Do you think there is an upstream path? 

> If not acceptable due to security or supportablity then why does it
> still exist?

The most commonly expressed reason when we have asked this question in the past (and we did again at Userspace a few months ago) is that the people who use it want the performance.

On point 3: We do have an internal continuous integration system that runs nightly compiles of DPDK against the latest kernel and flags any issues.

John