James Carlson wrote:

>Darren Reed writes:
>  
>
>>On BSD, the same rule works (applying to both broadcast and multicast)
>>but because of the flags that are specific to broadcast/multicast are
>>present in their equivalent of the mblk_t, it is also possible to write
>>rules that are specific to one, e.g:
>>
>>block in quick all with broadcast
>>    
>>
>
>So ... should that same thing work on Solaris one day or not?
>  
>

I'd like it to, yes.

>You previously said that IP Filter doesn't need to know the difference
>between broadcast and multicast.  But this makes it look as though
>knowing that difference would in fact benefit IP Filter.
>  
>

It enables better rules to be written, yes.


>>>I don't think that's the point.  The point is what sort of
>>>functionality makes sense for users of this interface.  What gyrations
>>>IP may need to go through to provide the needed information are a
>>>separate design and implementation matter (and I don't think I share
>>>the concern about "scope" -- our IP _implementation_ is already hip
>>>deep in MAC layer trivia, and doing a compare between dl_dest_addr_*
>>>and dl_brdcst_addr_*, to both of which IP has ready access, shouldn't
>>>be hard).
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>I'll look into this but it makes no difference to the architecture,
>>only the implementation that would enable setting just one of
>>the flags rather than both.
>>    
>>
>
>I disagree.  Setting both flags as an attempted emulation of the BSD
>interface _is_ architectural, because it means that consumers of the
>interface can't actually rely on it to implement user interface
>artifacts such as the "with broadcast" filter.
>
>I could go along with this _if_ there's a commitment to repair the
>interface before changing the stability.  "Repair" would mean that
>either the flags operate as intended, or that the interface itself is
>removed.
>  
>

Are you taking to task the setting of both bits as a way of saying
"I know it's not unicast, but I can't decide if it is multicast/broadcast"
or something else?

Darren


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