Re: [Bridge] [RFC PATCH v2 net-next 0/3] Allow bridge to function in non-promisc mode

[Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org>]

On Thu,  7 Mar 2013 16:28:45 -0500
Vlad Yasevich <vyasevic@redhat.com> wrote:

> The series adds an ability to configure the bridge into a non-primiscuous
> mode.   Instead, it provides the ability to identitfy some set of bridge
> ports as uplinks and allows for MAC addresses to be programmed onto
> those ports.  In case the port hardware does not support mac filter,
> that port will be placed in promiscuous mode.
> 
> Default bridge operation continues to remain as "promiscuous".  The new
> functionality has to be enabled via sysfs (similar to other bridge extensions).
> 
> The uplink mode is implemented as a flag on a bridge port.  The api to
> change that flag follows the existing api to enable/disable other existing
> flags.
> 
> All comments are welcome.
> 

Can we make this a one step process and less visible to the user.
If user defines an uplink device, and the uplink device is capable of filtering
(and what ever other pre-conditions people can think of), then the bridge will
transparently switch to uplink/non-promisc mode.  This can also be used to trigger
edge only mode in RSTP in the future.

Less knobs.