Re: [PATCH][RFC 23/23]: Support for zero-copy TCP transmit of user space data

[Evgeniy Polyakov <zbr@ioremap.net>]

On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 10:16:25PM +0300, Vladislav Bolkhovitin (vst@vlnb.net) wrote:
> Actually, there's another way, which seems to be a lot simpler. Alexey 
> Kuznetsov privately suggested it to me.
> 
> In skb_shared_info new pointer transaction_token would be added, which 
> would point on:
> 
> struct sk_transaction_token
> {
> 	atomic_t			io_count;
> 	struct sk_transaction_token	*next;
> 	unsigned long			token;
> 	unsigned long			private;
> 	void				(*finish_callback)(struct 
> 	sk_transaction_token *);
> };
> 
> When skb is translated, transaction_token inherited. If 2 skb are merged 
> (the same places where I put net_get_page's in my patch), the *older* 
> token is inherited. This is the main point of this idea.
> 
> Before starting new asynchronous send a client would open a new token. 
> Everything sent then would receive that token. Finish_callback() would 
> be called and the corresponding token freed, when io_count == 0 *AND* 
> all previous tokens closed.
> 
> This idea seems to be simpler, than even what Rusty implemented. Correct 
> me, if I wrong. But, unfortunately, in the near future I will have no 
> time to develop it.. :-(

Yes, it is simpler and cleaner, but it requires additional allocation.
This is additional (and quite noticeble) overhead.

-- 
	Evgeniy Polyakov