[ovs-dev] OVS DPDK Latest & HWOL Branches

[Ophir Munk]

Hi,
Please find comments inline.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ovs-dev-bounces at openvswitch.org [mailto:ovs-dev-
> bounces at openvswitch.org] On Behalf Of Stokes, Ian
> Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2018 7:42 PM
> To: Ben Pfaff (blp at ovn.org) <blp at ovn.org>
> Cc: dev at openvswitch.org
> Subject: [ovs-dev] OVS DPDK Latest & HWOL Branches
> 
> Hi Ben,
> 
> Recently at the OVS DPDK community meeting the case for 2 new branches
> was raised.
> 
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> These branches would be:
> 
> (i) OVS DPDK Latest: This branch would essentially be OVS master using the
> latest DPDK release (Including non LTS releases).
> 
> The purpose of this branch would be to allow OVS DPDK developers to assess
> the latest DPDK releases with OVS and provide feedback to the DPDK
> community if changes are required. Currently OVS transitions between
> supported DPDK releases using DPDK LTS releases only. DPDK LTS releases
> happen annually. The next DPDK LTS release would be 18.11. However the
> other non-lts DPDK releases (x.02, x.05, x.08) can introduce/change APIs that
> impact OVS DPDK (Such as the HWOL). This feedback would be in place for
> the next LTS release before OVS transitions to the next x.11 LTS.
> 
> (ii) OVS DPDK HWOL: This branch would be forked from OVS DPDK Latest but
> would encompass the HWOL development work that is ongoing.
> 
> The feeling as regards the need for a OVS DPDK HWOL branch is that it
> requires new features only available in the latest DPDK releases and that
> there will be a lot of code rework required as its validated with various HW
> devices over time before an acceptable solution will be in place.
> 
> There was a question as regards the logistics of where the branches should
> reside. It was suggested that they could be part of the OVS Repo to
> centralize the development work but that is obviously something that would
> have to be raised with yourself and the other project maintainers.
> 

If using OVS Repo for the 2 branches will also enable having frequent builds and
running automated CI tests - that would greatly help to make sure the branches
are backward compatible with master OVS.

> An alternative would be that it would be hosted on a developers GitHub repo
> similar to how the dpdk_merge branches currently work.
> 

Where ever the branches are - I suggest using the patchwork mailing list 
for sending patches to these branches.
We will need to decide on a header prefix to designate a specific patch to
its relevant branch (e.g. "HWOL PATCH v1" or "DPDKLATEST PATCH v1").

> Neither of the branches would be subject to releases as the end goal of the
> development work carried out on them would make its way into OVS Master
> eventually.
> 
> Curious as to what your thoughts on this would be?
> 
> Thanks
> Ian
> 
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