Re: [dpdk-dev] mlx5 under FreeBSD

[Mit Matelske <mit@pt.net>]

> Monday, November 19, 2018 1:23 AM, Mit Matelske:
>> Subject: Re: [dpdk-dev] mlx5 under FreeBSD
>> 
>> > 15/11/2018 17:48, Mit Matelske:
>> >> Is anyone working to include support for the mlx5 PMD under FreeBSD?
>> >
>> > I think Stephen (Cc) looked at it.
>> >
>> >> I've started down this road by building Linux compatibility layers
>> >> for the required Netlink and Ethtool calls in the driver, but would
>> >> gladly accept help and advice from those much more knowledgeable then
>> myself!
> 
> Are you sure netlink and ioctl is all you need?
> Looks like also sysfs stuff, and I am not sure what else is missing from the
> DPDK eal layer, the FreeBSD has many not supported functions.

No, I'm not sure of anything.  I've just started focusing on this.  I do know to
get it to compile I had to include subsets the following includes:

libmnl/libmnl.h
linux/ethtool.h
linux/netlink.h
linux/neighbour.h
linux/types.h
linux/rtnetlink.h
linux/pkt_cls.h
linux/pkt_sched.h
linux/if_ether.h
linux/tc_act/tc_gact.h
linux/tc_act/tc_mirred.h

My initial goal is to change the DPDK code as little as possible, but that
might not be be possible.  You'd have a much better feel for that than me
at this point.

> 
> We haven't started to work on it because the majority of our use cases are for
> Linux. 

I figured as much.  

> Nevertheless, we can help with code reviews and guidance.

Once I get somewhere I will definitely take you up on that.

Thanks!

Mit

> 
>> >
>> > Cc also mlx5 maintainers.
>> 
>> Thomas-
>> 
>> Thanks for looping the correct people in!
>> 
>> >
>> >> Though not important, why did Mellanox build a PMD that relied on the
>> >> kernel driver being in place unlike most other PMDs?
>> >
>> > Because it allows to choose which flows go to DPDK and which ones are
>> > processed by the kernel.
>> > Actually, you should ask why other PMDs don't have this feature ;)
> 
> +1.
> 
>> 
>> Very fair response.  We actually wrote our own "shim" into the stack for all
>> the relevant drivers we use to both keep the existing ifnet interfaces around
>> and to pass packets to and from the stack from every interface.
>> 
>> Your comment matches one of my co-worker's when I explained to him how
>> the mlx5 driver works.
>> 
>> Mit
>>