[Bridge] [RFC net-next v3 06/10] net: bridge: mrp: switchdev: Extend switchdev API to offload MRP

[Jürgen Lambrecht]

On 1/27/20 12:04 PM, Allan W. Nielsen wrote:
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> On 26.01.2020 16:59, Andrew Lunn wrote:
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>> On Sun, Jan 26, 2020 at 02:22:13PM +0100, Horatiu Vultur wrote:
>>> The 01/25/2020 17:35, Andrew Lunn wrote:
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>>> >
>>> > > SWITCHDEV_OBJ_ID_RING_TEST_MRP: This is used when to start/stop sending
>>> > >   MRP_Test frames on the mrp ring ports. This is called only on nodes that have
>>> > >   the role Media Redundancy Manager.
>>> >
>>> > How do you handle the 'headless chicken' scenario? User space tells
>>> > the port to start sending MRP_Test frames. It then dies. The hardware
>>> > continues sending these messages, and the neighbours thinks everything
>>> > is O.K, but in reality the state machine is dead, and when the ring
>>> > breaks, the daemon is not there to fix it?
> I agree, we need to find a solution to this issue.
>
>>> > And it is not just the daemon that could die. The kernel could opps or
>>> > deadlock, etc.
>>> >
>>> > For a robust design, it seems like SWITCHDEV_OBJ_ID_RING_TEST_MRP
>>> > should mean: start sending MRP_Test frames for the next X seconds, and
>>> > then stop. And the request is repeated every X-1 seconds.
> Sounds like a good idea to me.

Indeed, and it should then do the same as mentioned below and "... come a 'dumb switch' ", except that I propose to make it configurable how to fallback: with auto-recovery ('dumb switch') or safe mode that keeps the ports blocked, and then some higher layer protocol should fix it.

>
>>> I totally missed this case, I will update this as you suggest.
>>
>> What does your hardware actually provide?
>>
>> Given the design of the protocol, if the hardware decides the OS etc
>> is dead, it should stop sending MRP_TEST frames and unblock the ports.
>> If then becomes a 'dumb switch', and for a short time there will be a
>> broadcast storm. Hopefully one of the other nodes will then take over
>> the role and block a port.
> As far as I know, the only feature HW has to prevent this is a
> watch-dog timer. Which will reset the entire system (not a bad idea if
> the kernel has dead-locked).
Indeed. Our designs always have a watchdog.

And then I again propose to have 2 bootup options.

I refer here also to my answer on Allan's answer on my email of 12:29PM.

Kind regards,

Jürgen

>
> /Allan
>