Re: [PATCH net-next v5 6/7] net/sched: act_ct: offload UDP NEW connections

[Pablo Neira Ayuso <pablo@netfilter.org>]

Hi Vlad,

On Fri, Jan 27, 2023 at 07:38:44PM +0100, Vlad Buslov wrote:
> Modify the offload algorithm of UDP connections to the following:
> 
> - Offload NEW connection as unidirectional.
> 
> - When connection state changes to ESTABLISHED also update the hardware
> flow. However, in order to prevent act_ct from spamming offload add wq for
> every packet coming in reply direction in this state verify whether
> connection has already been updated to ESTABLISHED in the drivers. If that
> it the case, then skip flow_table and let conntrack handle such packets
> which will also allow conntrack to potentially promote the connection to
> ASSURED.
> 
> - When connection state changes to ASSURED set the flow_table flow
> NF_FLOW_HW_BIDIRECTIONAL flag which will cause refresh mechanism to offload
> the reply direction.
> 
> All other protocols have their offload algorithm preserved and are always
> offloaded as bidirectional.
> 
> Note that this change tries to minimize the load on flow_table add
> workqueue. First, it tracks the last ctinfo that was offloaded by using new
> flow 'ext_data' field and doesn't schedule the refresh for reply direction
> packets when the offloads have already been updated with current ctinfo.
> Second, when 'add' task executes on workqueue it always update the offload
> with current flow state (by checking 'bidirectional' flow flag and
> obtaining actual ctinfo/cookie through meta action instead of caching any
> of these from the moment of scheduling the 'add' work) preventing the need
> from scheduling more updates if state changed concurrently while the 'add'
> work was pending on workqueue.

Could you use a flag to achieve what you need instead of this ext_data
field? Better this ext_data and the flag, I prefer the flags.

Thanks