[dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[Charles Ju]

Hi,

I have developed my own packet capture code and would like to just use the
dpdk libraries such as the ACL Library and mempool libraries. In this case,
does these libraries require the EAL?

Re: [dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[Wiles, Keith]

> On Sep 10, 2018, at 3:05 AM, Charles Ju <charlesyju@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have developed my own packet capture code and would like to just use the
> dpdk libraries such as the ACL Library and mempool libraries. In this case,
> does these libraries require the EAL?

It depends on the code, but I assume it is using the DPDK memory system rte_malloc() and the like.

You will have to replace these calls as the memory subsystem is inited from EAL. Also I assume it maybe calling into other library components and they will have to modified as well.

DPDK is not a collection of functions like libc. The libc library is a collection of functions that are pretty much independent from each other and easy to use in a standalone fashion. DPDK Libraries are not typically written to be standalone as they use other highly optimized routines in DPDK.

It is not to say we should not look at making some parts of DPDK replaceable or be able to be swapped out with other user components. We have done a lot of work to allow external memory managers or hardware based memory in the case of SOCs.


Regards,
Keith

Re: [dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[Stephen Hemminger]

On Mon, 10 Sep 2018 16:05:33 +0800
Charles Ju <charlesyju@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I have developed my own packet capture code and would like to just use the
> dpdk libraries such as the ACL Library and mempool libraries. In this case,
> does these libraries require the EAL?

If you are going to extract bits and pieces then you are going to have
to look at the internals of the source code.  And deal with future changes.
I don't think it is fair to developers to expect that cherry picking libraries
will work.

[dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[Charles Ju]

Hi,

I have developed my own packet capture code and would like to just use the
dpdk libraries such as the ACL Library and mempool libraries. In this case,
does these libraries require the EAL?

Re: [dpdk-users] Using dpdk libraries without EAL

[Wiles, Keith]

> On Sep 10, 2018, at 3:20 AM, Charles Ju <charlesyju@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I have developed my own packet capture code and would like to just use the
> dpdk libraries such as the ACL Library and mempool libraries. In this case,
> does these libraries require the EAL?

There is a number of dependences with mempool, but if you can write your own eal that calls the memory setup then yes you can. The problem is EAL does a lot of initializations for memory, pci and threads and not calling rte_eal_init() means you need to write some code to make sure everything is setup for mempool to work.

If you are going to use the PMDs then you have a bit more work to get them to work as mbufs, rings, buses and a number of other libs all need to be inited. EAL does that work today and breaking those dependences is not easy.

Regards,
Keith