Re: apparently missing locking in if_bnx.c

[David Young <dyoung%pobox.com@localhost>]

On Tue, Mar 06, 2012 at 10:33:27AM -0500, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
> I am wondering whether a stacked software driver is what's calling the bnx
> start routine in BBN's case.  The locking in some of those is kind of dodgy.

Dodgy and expensive. :-/

Word to the wise: avoid a mutex acquire/release on every packet if you
can!  There are lots of possible strategies, e.g., amortize locks over
several packets, or else use per-CPU packet queues so you don't have to
synchronize with other CPUs.

Dave

-- 
David Young
dyoung%pobox.com@localhost    Urbana, IL    (217) 721-9981