[ovs-dev] [patch net-next] net: squash ->rx_handler and ->rx_handler_data into single rcu pointer

[Eric Dumazet]

On Sat, 2013-03-30 at 16:57 +0100, Jiri Pirko wrote:
> No need to have two pointers in struct netdevice for rx_handler func and
> priv data. Just embed rx_handler structure into driver port_priv and
> have ->func pointer there. This introduces no performance penalty,
> reduces struct netdevice by one pointer and reduces number of needed
> rcu_dereference calls from 2 to 1.
> 

Thats not true.

> Note this also fixes the race bug pointed out by Steven Rostedt and
> fixed by patch "[PATCH] net: add a synchronize_net() in
> netdev_rx_handler_unregister()" by Eric Dumazet. This is based on
> current net-next tree where the patch is not applied yet.
> I can rebase it on whatever tree/state, just say so.
> 
> Smoke tested with all drivers who use rx_handler.
> 
> Reported-by: Steven Rostedt <rostedt at goodmis.org>
> Signed-off-by: Jiri Pirko <jiri at resnulli.us>
> ---

I see no value for this patch.

It obfuscates things for no good reason.

Once again rcu_dereference(dev->field) has no cost, its a memory read,
like dev->field.

I fear you don't understand enough RCU to make so invasive changes.

Your patch adds a double dereference on fast path, and its more
expensive than two single deref.

dev->rx_handler actually gets the function pointer, and after your patch
we would have to do dev->rx_handler->func instead, which is bad on many
cpus.

I'll send a patch reordering some fields of net_device, because as time
passed, it seems a lot of junk broke work done in commit
cd13539b8bc9ae884 (net: shrinks struct net_device)

offsetof(struct net_device,dev_addr)=0x258
offsetof(struct net_device,rx_handler)=0x2b8
offsetof(struct net_device,ingress_queue)=0x2c8
offsetof(struct net_device,broadcast)=0x278