option directive and turning on AOE

[Scott Long]

Julian Elischer wrote:
> 
> 
> Scott Long wrote:
> 
>> Andre Oppermann wrote:
>>
>>>
>>
>> Having a single common interface is definitely attractive, but there are
>> performance and locking issues with the Netgraph framework that should
>> probably be resolved first. 
> 
> 
> both of these issues are in fact not major..
> netgraph itself has no locking issuess.. (Netgraph is the framework),
> but some of teh node types have issues.  Specifically, node types that 
> can be caled
> from outside the netgraph framework, such as nodes that tie netgraph to 
> other subsystems
> need to be worked on so that control enterring netgraph code from those 
> subsystems
> gets an appropriate lock. This is not always needed, but every node 
> needs to be
> examined with this in mind now that we have locking in teh rest of the 
> system
> more worked out.
> 
> performace..  well it can be fast. it depends on a lot of issues however..
> in particular how many locks get contentions.
> 
>>
>>
>> Scott
> 
> 
> 

My employer has done extensive profiling of packet delivery through
netgraph.  While the locking of the netgraph framework is definitely
correct, it's not terribly efficient and leads to a good deal of
latency.  We are looking at various proposals on how to address this.
This isn't a criticism of you or Netgraph, just a set 'real-life'
observations under very high load (bridging and packet inspection on
4 GigE links simultaneously qualifies as high load =-)

Scott