[dpdk-dev] KNI discussion in userspace event

[Thomas Monjalon]

2016-10-28 15:31, Ferruh Yigit:
> * virtio-user + vhost-net
> This can be valid alternative, removes the out of tree kernel module
> need. But missing control path. Proof of concept work will be done.

That's probably a smart alternative for packet injection.
What do you mean exactly by "missing control path"?

> * Remove ethtool support ?

That's the other part of KNI.
It works only for e1000/ixgbe. That's a niche.

> Still there is some interest, will keep it. But not able to extend it to
> other drivers with current design.

It should be removed one day.
We must seriously think about a generic alternative.
Either we add DPDK support in ethtool or we create a dpdk-ethtool.
(or at least a library as the one in examples/).
Or we do nothing and wait to have more hardware like Mellanox supporting
a kernel bifurcated driver approach.

> *KNI PMD
> Patch is in the mail list, missing comments. If it gets some
> interest/comments/acks it may go in to next release.

I'm not against KNI PMD but it looks strange to add more support
to an old dying approach.