[PATCH net] vsock: document namespace mode sysctls

[PATCH net] vsock: document namespace mode sysctls

[Stefano Garzarella]

From: Stefano Garzarella <sgarzare@redhat.com>

Add documentation for the vsock per-namespace sysctls (`ns_mode` and
`child_ns_mode`) to Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst.
These sysctls were introduced by by commit eafb64f40ca4 ("vsock: add
netns to vsock core").

Document the two namespace modes (`global` and `local`), the
inheritance behavior of `child_ns_mode`, and the restriction preventing
local namespaces from setting `child_ns_mode` to `global`.

Signed-off-by: Stefano Garzarella <sgarzare@redhat.com>
---
Hi,
I guess this is `net` material since we forgot to do this change with
commit eafb64f40ca4 ("vsock: add netns to vsock core") landed in Linus'
tree in the current merge window, but I'm not sure if we need a Fixes
tag.

Let me know if a Fixes tag is needed or if this patch is net-next material.

Thanks,
Stefano
---
 Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 50 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst
index 19408da2390b..c10530624f1e 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ Table : Subdirectories in /proc/sys/net
  bridge    Bridging              rose       X.25 PLP layer
  core      General parameter     tipc       TIPC
  ethernet  Ethernet protocol     unix       Unix domain sockets
- ipv4      IP version 4          x25        X.25 protocol
- ipv6      IP version 6
+ ipv4      IP version 4          vsock      VSOCK sockets
+ ipv6      IP version 6          x25        X.25 protocol
  ========= =================== = ========== ===================
 
 1. /proc/sys/net/core - Network core options
@@ -551,3 +551,51 @@ originally may have been issued in the correct sequential order.
 If named_timeout is nonzero, failed topology updates will be placed on a defer
 queue until another event arrives that clears the error, or until the timeout
 expires. Value is in milliseconds.
+
+6. /proc/sys/net/vsock - VSOCK sockets
+--------------------------------------
+
+VSOCK sockets (AF_VSOCK) provide communication between virtual machines and
+their hosts. The behavior of VSOCK sockets in a network namespace is determined
+by the namespace's mode (``global`` or ``local``), which controls how CIDs
+(Context IDs) are allocated and how sockets interact across namespaces.
+
+ns_mode
+-------
+
+Read-only. Reports the current namespace's mode, set at namespace creation
+and immutable thereafter.
+
+Values:
+
+	- ``global`` - the namespace shares system-wide CID allocation and
+	  its sockets can reach any VM or socket in any global namespace.
+	  Sockets in this namespace cannot reach sockets in local
+	  namespaces.
+	- ``local`` - the namespace has private CID allocation and its
+	  sockets can only connect to VMs or sockets within the same
+	  namespace.
+
+The init_net mode is always ``global``.
+
+child_ns_mode
+-------------
+
+Controls what mode newly created child namespaces will inherit. At namespace
+creation, ``ns_mode`` is inherited from the parent's ``child_ns_mode``. The
+initial value matches the namespace's own ``ns_mode``.
+
+Values:
+
+	- ``global`` - child namespaces will share system-wide CID allocation
+	  and their sockets will be able to reach any VM or socket in any
+	  global namespace.
+	- ``local`` - child namespaces will have private CID allocation and
+	  their sockets will only be able to connect within their own
+	  namespace.
+
+Changing ``child_ns_mode`` only affects namespaces created after the change;
+it does not modify the current namespace or any existing children.
+
+A namespace with ``ns_mode`` set to ``local`` cannot change
+``child_ns_mode`` to ``global`` (returns ``-EPERM``).
-- 
2.53.0

Re: [PATCH net] vsock: document namespace mode sysctls

[Randy Dunlap]

On 2/16/26 8:31 AM, Stefano Garzarella wrote:
> From: Stefano Garzarella <sgarzare@redhat.com>
> 
> Add documentation for the vsock per-namespace sysctls (`ns_mode` and
> `child_ns_mode`) to Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst.
> These sysctls were introduced by by commit eafb64f40ca4 ("vsock: add
> netns to vsock core").
> 
> Document the two namespace modes (`global` and `local`), the
> inheritance behavior of `child_ns_mode`, and the restriction preventing
> local namespaces from setting `child_ns_mode` to `global`.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Stefano Garzarella <sgarzare@redhat.com>
> ---

>  Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++-
>  1 file changed, 50 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

Tested-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>
Acked-by: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@infradead.org>

Thanks.
-- 
~Randy

Re: [PATCH net] vsock: document namespace mode sysctls

[patchwork-bot+netdevbpf]

Hello:

This patch was applied to netdev/net.git (main)
by Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>:

On Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:31:47 +0100 you wrote:
> From: Stefano Garzarella <sgarzare@redhat.com>
> 
> Add documentation for the vsock per-namespace sysctls (`ns_mode` and
> `child_ns_mode`) to Documentation/admin-guide/sysctl/net.rst.
> These sysctls were introduced by by commit eafb64f40ca4 ("vsock: add
> netns to vsock core").
> 
> [...]

Here is the summary with links:
  - [net] vsock: document namespace mode sysctls
    https://git.kernel.org/netdev/net/c/a07c33c6f2fc

You are awesome, thank you!
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