RE: [PATCH v3 1/2] ethdev: add random item support

[Michael Baum <michaelba@nvidia.com>]

On 12/8/2023 8:54 PM, 0 Dariusz Sosnowski wrote:
> 
> Hi Michael,
> 
> > +Item: ``RANDOM``
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +Matches a random value.
> > +
> > +The rundom number is generated by PMD,
> s/rundom/random
Ack, thank you.

> 
> I'm not sure that mentioning PMD here is fully correct, because in my opinion it
> implies that SW generates it.
> HW, SW and system clock were mentioned as examples of sources of randomness
> in previous discussions on this API.
> 
> Also, I think it's worth adding that "number == unsigned integer with at most 32
> bits."
> It gives some leeway for any driver implementing this API - value is uint32_t but
> not all bits must be used.
> For example, some HW may support only 16-bit random number generation.
> Such HW might implement validation on mask, where mask with more than 16
> bits would be rejected.
> 
> What do you think about the following proposal based on those comments?
> 
> "A random unsigned integer (at most 32-bit) is generated for each packet during
> flow rule processing, by either HW, SW or some external source.
> Application can match on either exact value or range of values."
I think your suggestion is good, but the words "for each packet" imply that the generated random value is oriented to the packet.
So I'm taking it and keeping the next lines: 
" This value is not based on the packet data/headers.
Application shouldn't assume that this value is kept during the lifetime of the packet."
> 
> > +Application shouldn't assume that this value is kept during the life
> > +time of the packet.
> s/life time/lifetime
Ack, thank you.

> 
> Best regards,
> Dariusz Sosnowski