214. softnic PMD

214.1. Description

The SoftNIC allows building custom NIC pipelines in SW. The Soft NIC pipeline is configurable through firmware (DPDK Packet Framework script).

214.2. Prerequisites

The DUT must have atleast one 10G Ethernet ports connected to one port on Tester.:

dut_port_0 <---> tester_port_0

Assume DUT 10G Ethernet ports’ pci device id is as the following:

dut_port_0 : "0000:af:00.1"

Bind them to dpdk vfio-pci driver:

./usertools/dpdk-devbind.py -b vfio-pci 0000:af:00.1

214.3. Supporting Files

All the supporting files for this test suite are maintained inside softnic folder, and softnic folder is present in the {DTS_SRC_DIR}/dep directory.

214.4. Directory Structure of Each Test Case

Within {DTS_SRC_DIR}/dep/softnic, all files related to a particular test case are maintained in a separate directory of which the directory structure is shown below:

test_case_name [directory]
    test_case_name.spec
    test_case_name_x.io [x: 1 to n; depending on the test case]
    test_case_name.cli
    table.txt [applicable for test cases requiring it]
    readme.txt
    pcap_files [subdirectory]
        in.txt
        out.txt

For an example, files related to rx_tx test case are maintained as shown below:

rx_tx [directory]
    rx_tx.spec
    rx_tx_1.io
    rx_tx_2.io
    rx_tx.cli
    readme.txt
    pcap_files [subdirectory]
        in.txt
        out.txt

214.5. Template of each Test Case

  1. Edit test_case_name/test_case_name.io: change pci device id of port in and port out to pci device id of dut_port_0

  2. Run softnic driver as the following:

    x86_64-native-linuxapp-gcc/app/dpdk-testpmd -l 0-2 -n 4  --file-prefix=dpdk_2374972_20221107140937   -s 0x4 -a 0000:af:00.1 \
--vdev 'net_softnic0,firmware=/tmp/softnic/rx_tx/firmware.cli,cpu_id=1,conn_port=8086' -- -i --portmask=0x2
testpmd> start

  3. Send packets at tester side using scapy. The packets to be sent are maintained in softnic/test_case_name/pcap_files/in.txt

  4. Verify the packets received using tcpdump. The expected packets are maintained in softnic/test_case_name/pcap_files/out.txt

  5. Test case is considered as successful if the received packets and the expected packets match for all the port combinations used.

214.6. Example Test Case : rx_tx

  1. Edit rx_tx/rx_tx_1.io: change pci device id of port in to pci device id of dut_port_0 Edit rx_tx/rx_tx_2.io: change pci device id of port out to pci device id of dut_port_0

  2. Start softnic:

    x86_64-native-linuxapp-gcc/app/dpdk-testpmd -l 0-2 -n 4  --file-prefix=dpdk_2374972_20221107140937 \
-s 0x4 -a 0000:af:00.1 --vdev 'net_softnic0,firmware=/tmp/softnic/rx_tx/firmware.cli,cpu_id=1, \
conn_port=8086' -- -i --portmask=0x2
testpmd> start

  3. Send packets at tester side using scapy. The packets to be sent are maintained in softnic/rx_tx/pcap_files/in.txt

  4. Verify the packets received using tcpdump. The expected packets are maintained in softnic/rx_tx/pcap_files/out.txt

  5. Test rx_tx is considered as successful if the received packets and the expected packets match for all port combinations used.