Re: [net v1] fib_rules: interface group matching

[Vincent Bernat <vincent@bernat.im>]

 ❦ 14 septembre 2016 16:39 CEST, David Ahern <dsa@cumulusnetworks.com> :

>>>> When a user wants to assign a routing table to a group of incoming
>>>> interfaces, the current solutions are:
>>>>
>>>>  - one IP rule for each interface (scalability problems)
>>>>  - use of fwmark and devgroup matcher (don't work with internal route
>>>>    lookups, used for example by RPF)
>>>>  - use of VRF devices (more complex)
>>>
>>> Why do you believe that? A VRF is a formalized grouping of interfaces
>>> that includes an API for locally generated traffic to specify which
>>> VRF/group to use. And, with the l3mdev rule you only need 1 rule for
>>> all VRFs regardless of the number which is the best solution to the
>>> scalability problem of adding rules per device/group/VRF.
>>>
>>> What use case are trying to solve?
>> 
>> Local processes have to be made aware of the VRF by binding to the
>> pseudo-device. Some processes may be tricked by LD_PRELOAD but some
>> won't (like stuff written in Go). Maybe I should just find a better way
>> to bind a process to a VRF without its cooperation.
>
> What API are you using for interface groups? How does an app tell the
> kernel to use interface group 1 versus group 2?

In my testbed, I have only one local application which is dnsmasq as a
DHCP server. It sends back the answer to the physical interface (with
sendmsg() and auxillary data). So it makes my argument a bit moot as the
situation is in fact worse without VRF. :-/

My testbed is here (with use of VRF, more recent commits just use plain
ip rules):

 https://github.com/vincentbernat/network-lab/blob/d86e9ed658863ef0f51d7b853d0dc9f8b7427b21/lab-l3-hyperv/setup

I could just give more time to VRF. I also had some concerns over
performance with the way Netfilter integration is done, but I understand
that I could just stay away from POSTROUTING rules which is the only
hook executed twice?
-- 
All things that are, are with more spirit chased than enjoyed.
		-- Shakespeare, "Merchant of Venice"