Re: [PATCH bpf-next v7 00/13] New nf_conntrack kfuncs for insertion, changing timeout, status

[Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi <memxor@gmail.com>]

On Thu, 21 Jul 2022 at 19:29, Zvi Effron <zeffron@riotgames.com> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Jul 21, 2022 at 6:43 AM Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi
> <memxor@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Introduce the following new kfuncs:
> > - bpf_{xdp,skb}_ct_alloc
> > - bpf_ct_insert_entry
> > - bpf_ct_{set,change}_timeout
> > - bpf_ct_{set,change}_status
> >
> > The setting of timeout and status on allocated or inserted/looked up CT
> > is same as the ctnetlink interface, hence code is refactored and shared
> > with the kfuncs. It is ensured allocated CT cannot be passed to kfuncs
> > that expected inserted CT, and vice versa. Please see individual patches
> > for details.
> >
>
> Is it expected that using these helpers and the kernel's conntrack to manage
> connection state from XDP will outperform using maps and eBPF timers (for XDP
> use cases that don't have a userspace component that also needs the information
> in conntrack)? Have you done any benchmarking on the performance of using
> conntrack from XDP?
>

No, I haven't done any benchmarking against a BPF based conntrack.
The goal here is to give XDP and TC programs access to kernel's
existing conntrack, so that in cases where implementing one in BPF is
not desired/needed, the user can leverage the existing implementation
in the kernel.

> Thanks!
> --Zvi
>
> > Changelog:
> > ----------
> > v6 -> v7:
> > v6: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20220719132430.19993-1-memxor@gmail.com
> >
> > * Use .long to encode flags (Alexei)
> > * Fix description of KF_RET_NULL in documentation (Toke)
> >
> > v5 -> v6:
> > v5: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/20220623192637.3866852-1-memxor@gmail.com
> >
> > * Introduce kfunc flags, rework verifier to work with them
> > * Add documentation for kfuncs
> > * Add comment explaining TRUSTED_ARGS kfunc flag (Alexei)
> > * Fix missing offset check for trusted arguments (Alexei)
> > * Change nf_conntrack test minimum delta value to 8
> >
> > v4 -> v5:
> > v4: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/cover.1653600577.git.lorenzo@kernel.org
> >
> > * Drop read-only PTR_TO_BTF_ID approach, use struct nf_conn___init (Alexei)
> > * Drop acquire release pair code that is no longer required (Alexei)
> > * Disable writes into nf_conn, use dedicated helpers (Florian, Alexei)
> > * Refactor and share ctnetlink code for setting timeout and status
> > * Do strict type matching on finding __ref suffix on argument to
> > prevent passing nf_conn___init as nf_conn (offset = 0, match on walk)
> > * Remove bpf_ct_opts parameter from bpf_ct_insert_entry
> > * Update selftests for new additions, add more negative tests
> >
> > v3 -> v4:
> > v3: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/cover.1652870182.git.lorenzo@kernel.org
> >
> > * split bpf_xdp_ct_add in bpf_xdp_ct_alloc/bpf_skb_ct_alloc and
> > bpf_ct_insert_entry
> > * add verifier code to properly populate/configure ct entry
> > * improve selftests
> >
> > v2 -> v3:
> > v2: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/cover.1652372970.git.lorenzo@kernel.org
> >
> > * add bpf_xdp_ct_add and bpf_ct_refresh_timeout kfunc helpers
> > * remove conntrack dependency from selftests
> > * add support for forcing kfunc args to be referenced and related selftests
> >
> > v1 -> v2:
> > v1: https://lore.kernel.org/bpf/1327f8f5696ff2bc60400e8f3b79047914ccc837.1651595019.git.lorenzo@kernel.org
> >
> > * add bpf_ct_refresh_timeout kfunc selftest
> >
> > Kumar Kartikeya Dwivedi (10):
> > bpf: Introduce 8-byte BTF set
> > tools/resolve_btfids: Add support for 8-byte BTF sets
> > bpf: Switch to new kfunc flags infrastructure
> > bpf: Add support for forcing kfunc args to be trusted
> > bpf: Add documentation for kfuncs
> > net: netfilter: Deduplicate code in bpf_{xdp,skb}_ct_lookup
> > net: netfilter: Add kfuncs to set and change CT timeout
> > selftests/bpf: Add verifier tests for trusted kfunc args
> > selftests/bpf: Add negative tests for new nf_conntrack kfuncs
> > selftests/bpf: Fix test_verifier failed test in unprivileged mode
> >
> > Lorenzo Bianconi (3):
> > net: netfilter: Add kfuncs to allocate and insert CT
> > net: netfilter: Add kfuncs to set and change CT status
> > selftests/bpf: Add tests for new nf_conntrack kfuncs
> >
> > Documentation/bpf/index.rst | 1 +
> > Documentation/bpf/kfuncs.rst | 170 ++++++++
> > include/linux/bpf.h | 3 +-
> > include/linux/btf.h | 65 ++--
> > include/linux/btf_ids.h | 68 +++-
> > include/net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.h | 19 +
> > kernel/bpf/btf.c | 123 +++---
> > kernel/bpf/verifier.c | 14 +-
> > net/bpf/test_run.c | 75 ++--
> > net/ipv4/bpf_tcp_ca.c | 18 +-
> > net/ipv4/tcp_bbr.c | 24 +-
> > net/ipv4/tcp_cubic.c | 20 +-
> > net/ipv4/tcp_dctcp.c | 20 +-
> > net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_bpf.c | 365 +++++++++++++-----
> > net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_core.c | 62 +++
> > net/netfilter/nf_conntrack_netlink.c | 54 +--
> > tools/bpf/resolve_btfids/main.c | 40 +-
> > .../selftests/bpf/bpf_testmod/bpf_testmod.c | 10 +-
> > .../testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/bpf_nf.c | 64 ++-
> > .../testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_bpf_nf.c | 85 +++-
> > .../selftests/bpf/progs/test_bpf_nf_fail.c | 134 +++++++
> > .../selftests/bpf/verifier/bpf_loop_inline.c | 1 +
> > tools/testing/selftests/bpf/verifier/calls.c | 53 +++
> > 23 files changed, 1139 insertions(+), 349 deletions(-)
> > create mode 100644 Documentation/bpf/kfuncs.rst
> > create mode 100644 tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_bpf_nf_fail.c
> >
> > --
> > 2.34.1
> >