> -----Original Message----- > From: Thomas Monjalon <tho...@monjalon.net> > Sent: Friday, December 17, 2021 4:19 PM > To: Randles, Ronan <ronan.rand...@intel.com>; Van Haaren, Harry > <harry.van.haa...@intel.com> > Cc: Jerin Jacob <jerinjac...@gmail.com>; dev@dpdk.org; Richardson, Bruce > <bruce.richard...@intel.com> > Subject: Re: [PATCH 05/12] gen: add raw packet data API and tests > > 17/12/2021 12:40, Van Haaren, Harry: > > I could ramble on a bit more, but mostly diminishing returns I think... > > I'll just use this email as a reply to Thomas' tweet; > > https://twitter.com/tmonjalo/status/1337313985662771201 > > My original question was to know available applications, > not integrating such application in the DPDK repository. > > I may me miss something obvious, > but I don't understand why trying to add a user app inside DPDK repo.
There are likely a few points-of-view on this particular topic; and I'm glad you mention it so we can discuss it clearly here. There are two main parts to this patchset, the first is a packet generation library, with an easy to use string-based syntax. The *library* is designed to be extended in future to a range of "useful stuff" to do while generating packets. The packet generation *application* should have minimal features, and focus on ease-of-use (as suggested below). In order to test the DPDK code, we need a variety of unit tests, and a sample-application to show users how to use the library (as well as docs etc). For me, the interesting part is that it is a small step from a simple sample-app just for testing to a minimal tool for high-rate packet generation. I think many users of DPDK first install DPDK, then wish for a tool to generate high traffic rates to test DPDK, and end up with a usability problem; DPDK does not include a usable packet generator. To highlight this point; our own DPDK Docs simply ignore the requirement of packet-generation to actually have packets processed by skeleton: http://doc.dpdk.org/guides/sample_app_ug/skeleton.html Our "quick start" on the website uses PCAP vdevs (avoiding the problem) https://core.dpdk.org/doc/quick-start/ Even searching the entire docs for "generate packet" doesn't give any relevant/useful results: http://doc.dpdk.org/guides/search.html?q=generate+packet&check_keywords=yes&area=default# Users could internet-search & find pktgen, moongen, trex, or similar tools. These tools are fantastic for experienced developers such as devs on this mailing list - we should *NOT* replicate these complex tools in DPDK itself. However, building any tool outside of DPDK repo requires more effort; another git-clone, another set of dependencies to install, perhaps another build-system to get used to. Particularly for people starting out with DPDK (who are likely finding it difficult to learn the various hugepage/PCI-binding etc), this is yet another problem to solve, or to give up. So my proposal is as follows; let us add a simple DPDK traffic generator to DPDK. We can define its scope and its intended use, limiting the scope and capabilities. As before, I do NOT think it a good idea to build a complex and feature-rich packet generator. I do feel it useful to have an easy-to-use application in DPDK that is particularly designed for generating specific packets, at specific line-rates, and reports mpps returned. Thoughts on adding an small scope-limited application to DPDK enabling ease-of-packet-generation for new users? Regards, -Harry
