Re: [[RFC xdp-hints] 00/16] XDP hints and AF_XDP support

[Alexander Lobakin <alexandr.lobakin@intel.com>]

From: Ederson de Souza <ederson.desouza@intel.com>
Date: Mon,  2 Aug 2021 18:03:15 -0700

> While there's some work going on different aspects of the XDP hints, I'd like
> to present and ask for comments on this patch series.
> 
> XDP hints/metadata is a way for the driver to transmit information regarding a
> specific XDP frame along with the frame. Following current discussions and
> based on top of Saeed's early patches, this series provides the XDP hints with
> one (or two, depending on how you view it) use case: RX/TX timestamps for the
> igc driver.
> 
> Keeping with Saeed's patches, to enable XDP hints usage, one has to first
> enable it with bpftool like:
> 
>   bpftool net xdp set dev <iface> md_btf on
> 
> >From the driver perspective, support for XDP hints is achieved by:
> 
>  - Adding support for XDP_SETUP_MD_BTF operation, where it can register the BTF.
> 
>  - Adding support for XDP_QUERY_MD_BTF so user space can retrieve the BTF id.
> 
>  - Adding the relevant data to the metadata area of the XDP frame.
> 
>     - One of this relevant data is the BTF id of the BTF in use.
> 
> In order to make use of the BPF CO-RE mechanism, this series makes the driver
> name of the struct for the XDP hints be called `xdp_hints___<driver_name>` (in
> this series, as I'm using igc driver, it becomes `xdp_hints___igc`). This
> should help BPF programs, as they can simply refer to the struct as `xdp_hints`.
> 
> A common issue is how to standardize the names of the fields in the BTF. Here,
> a series of macros is provided on the `include/net/xdp.h`, that goes by
> `XDP_GENERIC_` prefixes. In there, the `btf_id` field was added, that needs
> to be strategically positioned at the end of the struct. Also added are the
> `rx_timestamp` and  `tx_timestamp` fields, as I believe they're generic as
> well. The macros also provide `u32` and `u64` types. Besides, I also ended
> up adding a `valid_map` field. It should help whoever is using the XDP hints
> to be sure of what is valid in that hints. It also makes the driver life
> simple, as it just uses a single struct and validates fields as it fills
> them.
> 
> The BPF sample `xdp_sample_pkts` was modified to demonstrate the usage of XDP
> hints on BPF programs. It's a very simple example, but it shows some nice
> things about it. For instance, instead of getting the struct somehow before,
> it uses CO-RE to simply name the XDP hint field it's interested in and
> read it using `BPF_CORE_READ`. (I also tried to use `bpf_core_field_exists` to
> make it even more dynamic, but couldn't get to build it. I mention why in the
> example.)
> 
> Also, as much of my interest lies in the user space side, the one using
> AF_XDP, to support it a few additional things were done.
> 
> Firstly, a new "driver info" is provided, to be obtained via
> `ioctl(SIOCETHTOOL)`: "xdp_headroom". This is how much XDP headroom is
> required by the driver. While not really important for the RX path (as the
> driver already applies that headroom to the XDP frame), it's
> important for the TX path, as here, it's the application responsibility to
> factor in the XDP headroom area. (Note that the TX timestamp is obtained from
> the XDP frame of the transmitted packet, when that frame goes back to the
> completion queue.)
> 
> A series of helpers was also added to libbpf to help manage this headroom
> area. They go by the prefix " xsk_umem__adjust_", to adjust consumer and
> producer data and metadata.
> 
> In order to read the XDP hints from the memory, another series of helpers was
> added. They read the BTF from the BTF id, and create a hashmap of the offsets
> and sizes of the fields, that is then used to actually retrieve the data.
> 
> I modified the "xdpsock" example to show the use of XDP hints on the AF_XDP
> world, along with the proposed API.
> 
> Finally, I know that Michal and Alexandr (and probably others that I don't
> know) are working in this same front. This RFC is not to race any other work,
> instead I hope it can help in the discussion of the best solution for the
> XDP hints – and I truly think it brings value, specifically for the AF_XDP
> usages.

XDP Hints have been discussed on Netdev 0x15, and we kinda
established the optimal way for doing it. This RFC's approach
is not actual anymore.
You could just write to me and request write perms on our open
GitHub repo (which was mentioned here several times) for Hints
to do things if not together, then in one place at least.
I'll be off for two weeks since next Monday, Michal could get
you into things if you decide to join after than point
(if at all).

Thanks,
Al