[dpdk-dev] Is there any HW requirement for a NIC to use the eventdev API for implementing Rx/Tx?

[dpdk-dev] Is there any HW requirement for a NIC to use the eventdev API for implementing Rx/Tx?

[Kevin Wilson]

Hi,
According to what I understand from:
http://dpdk.org/doc/guides/eventdevs/index.html

only 3 drivers currently use the eventdev API,
NXP DPAA,NXP DPAA2 and Octeon SSOVF.

My question is: is there any HW requirements from a NIC
so that it will use the eventdev API for RX/TX instead
of the traditional polling mode used by all the other PMD drivers ?
Or theoretically and practically, one can implement DPDK driver using the
eventndev API for Rx/Tx for any NIC ?

Regards,
Kevin

Re: [dpdk-dev] Is there any HW requirement for a NIC to use the eventdev API for implementing Rx/Tx?

[Jerin Jacob]

-----Original Message-----
> Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2018 05:02:01 +0300
> From: Kevin Wilson <wkevils@gmail.com>
> To: dev@dpdk.org, jerin.jacob@caviumnetworks.com
> Subject: Is there any HW requirement for a NIC to use the eventdev API for
>  implementing Rx/Tx?
> 
> Hi,
> According to what I understand from:
> http://dpdk.org/doc/guides/eventdevs/index.html
> 
> only 3 drivers currently use the eventdev API,
> NXP DPAA,NXP DPAA2 and Octeon SSOVF.

There are two more SW drivers too(implementing the same eventdev API).
http://dpdk.org/doc/guides/eventdevs/sw.html
http://dpdk.org/doc/guides/eventdevs/opdl.html

> 
> My question is: is there any HW requirements from a NIC
> so that it will use the eventdev API for RX/TX instead
> of the traditional polling mode used by all the other PMD drivers ?
> Or theoretically and practically, one can implement DPDK driver using the
> eventndev API for Rx/Tx for any NIC ?

No HW requirement. For the poll mode ONLY NICs, application can use SW event driver to
enable event mode. The NIC driver(ethdev) completely isolated from
eventdev. One can use eventdev -> ethdev RX adapter to take the events
from NICs and injects to eventdev. Based on the HW capability of
underneath eventdev and/or ethdev PMD, it can choose to do in HW or with
help of a service core, But the application interface is same irrespective
HW or SW or combination of two.

https://dpdk.org/doc/guides/prog_guide/event_ethernet_rx_adapter.html

/Jerin


> 
> Regards,
> Kevin