Peter Memishian wrote: > > Project Name: PF PACKET (pfpack) > > > > Project Synopsis: > > > > Implement PF_PACKET API for socket access to MAC layer. > > > > Project Purpose: > > > > The current method to send and receive packets from the MAC layer is to > > use DLPI (STREAMS). No socket alternative exists. Linux provides a > > special socket type, PF_PACKET for applications that wish to monitor > > network traffic or inject packets directly onto the wire. > > > > This project aims to provide an API that is both compatible with > > existing socket applications using PF_PACKET and better performance that > > the DLPI. A prototype was built this summer (2008) using the newly > > developed Volo framework. The intent here is to build an actual Volo > > module that is feature complete and production quality. > > Aye. > > As a logistical matter, I presume that many of the applications that would > use PF_PACKET also want to some packet filtering, ideally in the kernel, > and presumably with BPF. What's the current plan to integrate BPF and > PF_PACKET? I'm partially interested because ideally I'd like to see > PF_PACKET and BPF remain decoupled (e.g, so that we could also provide BPF > functionality via a STREAMS module for DLPI), but I don't see support in > the current Volo architecture for filtering modules. >
We are in the prototyping phase of porting BPF to Solaris kernel, the purpose is to improve the performance of those applications that use libpcap. To provide multiple sets of API to use BPF functionality would not be difficult IMO, but for PF_PACKET's case, as Darren pointed out, PF_PACKET applications don't use BPF language, so I don't know if this makes much sense. BTW: Volo will provide socket filter mechanism after the first phase (already sent out for design review). Hopefully there will be a follow-on putback. - yxn _______________________________________________ networking-discuss mailing list [email protected]
