Re: [dpdk-dev] [PATCH] ixgbe:Add write memory barrier for recv pkts.

[Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org>]

On Wed, 15 Apr 2015 21:46:27 +0800
Dong.Wang <dong.wang.pro@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Yes, current implementation works well with IA, and the transmit packets 
> function's rte_wmb() is also unneccessary.
> 
> But there are two reasons for adding rte_wmb() in recv pkts function:
> 1) The memory barrier in recv pkts function and xmit pkts function are 
> inconsistent, rte_wmb() should be added to recv pkts function or be 
> removed from xmit pkts function.
> 2) DPDK will support PowerPC processor (Other developers are working on 
> it), I check the memory ordering of PowerPC, there was no mention of 
> store-store instruction's principle in MPC8544 Reference Manual, only 
> said it is weak memory ordering.
> 
> So, I think it is neccessary to add rte_wmb() to recv pkts function.
> 
> Dong

If PowerPC requires additional memory barriers then it should
introduce a new generic set of memory barrier macros that are no-ops
on other architectures.

Please don't penalize x86 for places where other CPU's have
weaker consistency.