2. Features Overview

This section explains the supported features that are listed in the Overview of Networking Drivers.

As a guide to implementers it also shows the structs where the features are defined and the APIs that can be use to get/set the values.

Following tags used for feature details, these are from driver point of view:

[uses] : Driver uses some kind of input from the application.

[implements] : Driver implements a functionality.

[provides] : Driver provides some kind of data to the application. It is possible to provide data by implementing some function, but “provides” is used for cases where provided data can’t be represented simply by a function.

[related] : Related API with that feature.

2.1. Speed capabilities

Supports getting the speed capabilities that the current device is capable of.

  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: speed_capa:ETH_LINK_SPEED_*.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_info_get().

2.4. Removal event

Supports device removal interrupts.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.intr_conf.rmv.
  • [uses] rte_eth_dev_data: dev_flags:RTE_ETH_DEV_INTR_RMV.
  • [uses] rte_eth_event_type: RTE_ETH_EVENT_INTR_RMV.
  • [provides] rte_pci_driver.drv_flags: RTE_PCI_DRV_INTR_RMV.

2.5. Queue status event

Supports queue enable/disable events.

  • [uses] rte_eth_event_type: RTE_ETH_EVENT_QUEUE_STATE.

2.6. Rx interrupt

Supports Rx interrupts.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.intr_conf.rxq.
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: rx_queue_intr_enable, rx_queue_intr_disable.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_rx_intr_enable(), rte_eth_dev_rx_intr_disable().

2.7. Lock-free Tx queue

If a PMD advertises DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MT_LOCKFREE capable, multiple threads can invoke rte_eth_tx_burst() concurrently on the same Tx queue without SW lock.

  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MT_LOCKFREE.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_tx_burst().

2.8. Free Tx mbuf on demand

Supports freeing consumed buffers on a Tx ring.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: tx_done_cleanup.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_tx_done_cleanup().

2.9. Queue start/stop

Supports starting/stopping a specific Rx/Tx queue of a port.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: rx_queue_start, rx_queue_stop, tx_queue_start, tx_queue_stop.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_rx_queue_start(), rte_eth_dev_rx_queue_stop(), rte_eth_dev_tx_queue_start(), rte_eth_dev_tx_queue_stop().

2.10. MTU update

Supports updating port MTU.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: mtu_set.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: mtu.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: max_rx_pktlen.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_set_mtu(), rte_eth_dev_get_mtu().

2.11. Jumbo frame

Supports Rx jumbo frames.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.jumbo_frame, dev_conf.rxmode.max_rx_pkt_len.
  • [related] rte_eth_dev_info: max_rx_pktlen.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_set_mtu().

2.12. Scattered Rx

Supports receiving segmented mbufs.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.enable_scatter.
  • [implements] datapath: Scattered Rx function.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: scattered_rx.
  • [provides] eth_dev_ops: rxq_info_get:scattered_rx.
  • [related] eth_dev_ops: rx_pkt_burst.

2.13. LRO

Supports Large Receive Offload.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.enable_lro.
  • [implements] datapath: LRO functionality.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: lro.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_LRO, mbuf.tso_segsz.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_TCP_LRO.

2.14. TSO

Supports TCP Segmentation Offloading.

  • [uses] rte_eth_desc_lim: nb_seg_max, nb_mtu_seg_max.
  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_TCP_SEG.
  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.tso_segsz, mbuf.l2_len, mbuf.l3_len, mbuf.l4_len.
  • [implements] datapath: TSO functionality.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_TCP_TSO,DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_UDP_TSO.

2.15. Promiscuous mode

Supports enabling/disabling promiscuous mode for a port.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: promiscuous_enable, promiscuous_disable.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: promiscuous.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_promiscuous_enable(), rte_eth_promiscuous_disable(), rte_eth_promiscuous_get().

2.16. Allmulticast mode

Supports enabling/disabling receiving multicast frames.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: allmulticast_enable, allmulticast_disable.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: all_multicast.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_allmulticast_enable(), rte_eth_allmulticast_disable(), rte_eth_allmulticast_get().

2.17. Unicast MAC filter

Supports adding MAC addresses to enable whitelist filtering to accept packets.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: mac_addr_set, mac_addr_add, mac_addr_remove.
  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: mac_addrs.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_default_mac_addr_set(), rte_eth_dev_mac_addr_add(), rte_eth_dev_mac_addr_remove(), rte_eth_macaddr_get().

2.18. Multicast MAC filter

Supports setting multicast addresses to filter.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: set_mc_addr_list.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_set_mc_addr_list().

2.19. RSS hash

Supports RSS hashing on RX.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_RSS_FLAG.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rx_adv_conf.rss_conf.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: flow_type_rss_offloads.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_RSS_HASH, mbuf.rss.

2.20. RSS key update

Supports configuration of Receive Side Scaling (RSS) hash computation. Updating Receive Side Scaling (RSS) hash key.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: rss_hash_update, rss_hash_conf_get.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: hash_key_size.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_rss_hash_update(), rte_eth_dev_rss_hash_conf_get().

2.21. RSS reta update

Supports updating Redirection Table of the Receive Side Scaling (RSS).

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: reta_update, reta_query.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: reta_size.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_rss_reta_update(), rte_eth_dev_rss_reta_query().

2.22. VMDq

Supports Virtual Machine Device Queues (VMDq).

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_VMDQ_FLAG.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rx_adv_conf.vmdq_dcb_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rx_adv_conf.vmdq_rx_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.tx_adv_conf.vmdq_dcb_tx_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.tx_adv_conf.vmdq_tx_conf.

2.23. SR-IOV

Driver supports creating Virtual Functions.

  • [implements] rte_eth_dev_data: sriov.

2.24. DCB

Supports Data Center Bridging (DCB).

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_DCB_FLAG.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rx_adv_conf.vmdq_dcb_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rx_adv_conf.dcb_rx_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.tx_adv_conf.vmdq_dcb_tx_conf.
  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.tx_adv_conf.vmdq_tx_conf.
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: get_dcb_info.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_get_dcb_info().

2.25. VLAN filter

Supports filtering of a VLAN Tag identifier.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.hw_vlan_filter.
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: vlan_filter_set.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_vlan_filter().

2.26. Ethertype filter

Supports filtering on Ethernet type.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_ETHERTYPE.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.27. N-tuple filter

Supports filtering on N-tuple values.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_NTUPLE.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.28. SYN filter

Supports TCP syn filtering.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_SYN.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.29. Tunnel filter

Supports tunnel filtering.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_TUNNEL.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.30. Flexible filter

Supports a flexible (non-tuple or Ethertype) filter.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_FLEXIBLE.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.31. Hash filter

Supports Hash filtering.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_HASH.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.32. Flow director

Supports Flow Director style filtering to queues.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_FDIR.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags: PKT_RX_FDIR, PKT_RX_FDIR_ID, PKT_RX_FDIR_FLX.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_filter_ctrl(), rte_eth_dev_filter_supported().

2.33. Flow control

Supports configuring link flow control.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: flow_ctrl_get, flow_ctrl_set, priority_flow_ctrl_set.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_flow_ctrl_get(), rte_eth_dev_flow_ctrl_set(), rte_eth_dev_priority_flow_ctrl_set().

2.34. Flow API

Supports the DPDK Flow API for generic filtering.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: filter_ctrl:RTE_ETH_FILTER_GENERIC.
  • [implements] rte_flow_ops: All.

2.35. Rate limitation

Supports Tx rate limitation for a queue.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: set_queue_rate_limit.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_set_queue_rate_limit().

2.36. Traffic mirroring

Supports adding traffic mirroring rules.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: mirror_rule_set, mirror_rule_reset.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_mirror_rule_set(), rte_eth_mirror_rule_reset().

2.37. CRC offload

Supports CRC stripping by hardware.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.hw_strip_crc.

2.38. VLAN offload

Supports VLAN offload to hardware.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.hw_vlan_strip, dev_conf.rxmode.hw_vlan_filter, dev_conf.rxmode.hw_vlan_extend.
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: vlan_offload_set.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_VLAN_STRIPPED, mbuf.vlan_tci.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_VLAN_STRIP, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_VLAN_INSERT.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_set_vlan_offload(), rte_eth_dev_get_vlan_offload().

2.39. QinQ offload

Supports QinQ (queue in queue) offload.

  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_QINQ_PKT.

  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_QINQ_STRIPPED, mbuf.vlan_tci,

    mbuf.vlan_tci_outer.

  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_QINQ_STRIP, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_QINQ_INSERT.

2.40. L3 checksum offload

Supports L3 checksum offload.

  • [uses] user config: dev_conf.rxmode.hw_ip_checksum.
  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_IP_CKSUM, mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_IPV4 | PKT_TX_IPV6.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_IP_CKSUM_UNKNOWN | PKT_RX_IP_CKSUM_BAD | PKT_RX_IP_CKSUM_GOOD | PKT_RX_IP_CKSUM_NONE.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_IPV4_CKSUM, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_IPV4_CKSUM.

2.41. L4 checksum offload

Supports L4 checksum offload.

  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_IPV4 | PKT_TX_IPV6, mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_L4_NO_CKSUM | PKT_TX_TCP_CKSUM | PKT_TX_SCTP_CKSUM | PKT_TX_UDP_CKSUM.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_L4_CKSUM_UNKNOWN | PKT_RX_L4_CKSUM_BAD | PKT_RX_L4_CKSUM_GOOD | PKT_RX_L4_CKSUM_NONE.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_UDP_CKSUM,DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_TCP_CKSUM, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_UDP_CKSUM,DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_TCP_CKSUM,DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_SCTP_CKSUM.

2.42. MACsec offload

Supports MACsec.

  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_MACSEC.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_MACSEC_STRIP, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_MACSEC_INSERT.

2.43. Inner L3 checksum

Supports inner packet L3 checksum.

  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_IP_CKSUM, mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_IPV4 | PKT_TX_IPV6, mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_OUTER_IP_CKSUM, mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_TX_OUTER_IPV4 | PKT_TX_OUTER_IPV6.
  • [uses] mbuf: mbuf.outer_l2_len, mbuf.outer_l3_len.
  • [provides] mbuf: mbuf.ol_flags:PKT_RX_EIP_CKSUM_BAD.
  • [provides] rte_eth_dev_info: rx_offload_capa:DEV_RX_OFFLOAD_OUTER_IPV4_CKSUM, tx_offload_capa:DEV_TX_OFFLOAD_OUTER_IPV4_CKSUM.

2.44. Inner L4 checksum

Supports inner packet L4 checksum.

2.45. Packet type parsing

Supports packet type parsing and returns a list of supported types.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: dev_supported_ptypes_get.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_get_supported_ptypes().

2.46. Timesync

Supports IEEE1588/802.1AS timestamping.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: timesync_enable, timesync_disable timesync_read_rx_timestamp, timesync_read_tx_timestamp, timesync_adjust_time, timesync_read_time, timesync_write_time.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_timesync_enable(), rte_eth_timesync_disable(), rte_eth_timesync_read_rx_timestamp(), rte_eth_timesync_read_tx_timestamp, rte_eth_timesync_adjust_time(), rte_eth_timesync_read_time(), rte_eth_timesync_write_time().

2.47. Rx descriptor status

Supports check the status of a Rx descriptor. When rx_descriptor_status is used, status can be “Available”, “Done” or “Unavailable”. When rx_descriptor_done is used, status can be “DD bit is set” or “DD bit is not set”.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: rx_descriptor_status.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_rx_descriptor_status().
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: rx_descriptor_done.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_rx_descriptor_done().

2.48. Tx descriptor status

Supports checking the status of a Tx descriptor. Status can be “Full”, “Done” or “Unavailable.”

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: tx_descriptor_status.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_tx_descriptor_status().

2.49. Basic stats

Support basic statistics such as: ipackets, opackets, ibytes, obytes, imissed, ierrors, oerrors, rx_nombuf.

And per queue stats: q_ipackets, q_opackets, q_ibytes, q_obytes, q_errors.

These apply to all drivers.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: stats_get, stats_reset.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_stats_get, rte_eth_stats_reset().

2.50. Extended stats

Supports Extended Statistics, changes from driver to driver.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: xstats_get, xstats_reset, xstats_get_names.
  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: xstats_get_by_id, xstats_get_names_by_id.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_xstats_get(), rte_eth_xstats_reset(), rte_eth_xstats_get_names, rte_eth_xstats_get_by_id(), rte_eth_xstats_get_names_by_id(), rte_eth_xstats_get_id_by_name().

2.51. Stats per queue

Supports configuring per-queue stat counter mapping.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: queue_stats_mapping_set.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_set_rx_queue_stats_mapping(), rte_eth_dev_set_tx_queue_stats_mapping().

2.52. FW version

Supports getting device hardware firmware information.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: fw_version_get.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_fw_version_get().

2.53. EEPROM dump

Supports getting/setting device eeprom data.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: get_eeprom_length, get_eeprom, set_eeprom.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_get_eeprom_length(), rte_eth_dev_get_eeprom(), rte_eth_dev_set_eeprom().

2.54. Registers dump

Supports retrieving device registers and registering attributes (number of registers and register size).

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: get_reg.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_dev_get_reg_info().

2.55. LED

Supports turning on/off a software controllable LED on a device.

  • [implements] eth_dev_ops: dev_led_on, dev_led_off.
  • [related] API: rte_eth_led_on(), rte_eth_led_off().

2.56. Multiprocess aware

Driver can be used for primary-secondary process model.

2.57. BSD nic_uio

BSD nic_uio module supported.

2.58. Linux UIO

Works with igb_uio kernel module.

  • [provides] RTE_PMD_REGISTER_KMOD_DEP: igb_uio.

2.59. Linux VFIO

Works with vfio-pci kernel module.

  • [provides] RTE_PMD_REGISTER_KMOD_DEP: vfio-pci.

2.60. Other kdrv

Kernel module other than above ones supported.

2.61. ARMv7

Support armv7 architecture.

Use defconfig_arm-armv7a-*-*.

2.62. ARMv8

Support armv8a (64bit) architecture.

Use defconfig_arm64-armv8a-*-*

2.63. Power8

Support PowerPC architecture.

Use defconfig_ppc_64-power8-*-*

2.64. x86-32

Support 32bits x86 architecture.

Use defconfig_x86_x32-native-*-* and defconfig_i686-native-*-*.

2.65. x86-64

Support 64bits x86 architecture.

Use defconfig_x86_64-native-*-*.

2.66. Usage doc

Documentation describes usage.

See doc/guides/nics/*.rst

2.67. Design doc

Documentation describes design.

See doc/guides/nics/*.rst.

2.68. Perf doc

Documentation describes performance values.

See dpdk.org/doc/perf/*.

2.69. Other dev ops not represented by a Feature

  • rxq_info_get
  • txq_info_get
  • vlan_tpid_set
  • vlan_strip_queue_set
  • vlan_pvid_set
  • rx_queue_count
  • l2_tunnel_offload_set
  • uc_hash_table_set
  • uc_all_hash_table_set
  • udp_tunnel_port_add
  • udp_tunnel_port_del
  • l2_tunnel_eth_type_conf
  • l2_tunnel_offload_set
  • tx_pkt_prepare