[PATCH net-next v2 3/5] veth: add tx_timeout watchdog as BQL safety net

hawk
2026-04-13T09:45:30Z

From: Jesper Dangaard Brouer <hawk@kernel.org>

With the introduction of BQL (Byte Queue Limits) for veth, there are
now two independent mechanisms that can stop a transmit queue:

- DRV_XOFF: set by netif_tx_stop_queue() when the ptr_ring is full
- STACK_XOFF: set by BQL when the byte-in-flight limit is reached

If either mechanism stalls without a corresponding wake/completion,
the queue stops permanently. Enable the net device watchdog timer and
implement ndo_tx_timeout as a failsafe recovery.

The timeout handler resets BQL state (clearing STACK_XOFF) and wakes
the queue (clearing DRV_XOFF), covering both stop mechanisms. The
watchdog fires after 16 seconds, which accommodates worst-case NAPI
processing (budget=64 packets x 250ms per-packet consumer delay)
without false positives under normal backpressure.

Signed-off-by: Jesper Dangaard Brouer <hawk@kernel.org>
Tested-by: Jonas Köppeler <j.koeppeler@tu-berlin.de>
---
drivers/net/veth.c | 18 ++++++++++++++++++
1 file changed, 18 insertions(+)

diff --git a/drivers/net/veth.c b/drivers/net/veth.c
index 6431dc40f9b4..911e7e36e166 100644
--- a/drivers/net/veth.c
+++ b/drivers/net/veth.c
@@ -1429,6 +1429,22 @@ static int veth_set_channels(struct net_device *dev,
goto out;
}

+static void veth_tx_timeout(struct net_device *dev, unsigned int txqueue)
+{
+ struct netdev_queue *txq = netdev_get_tx_queue(dev, txqueue);
+
+ netdev_err(dev,
+ "veth backpressure(0x%lX) stalled(n:%ld) TXQ(%u) re-enable\n",
+ txq->state, atomic_long_read(&txq->trans_timeout), txqueue);
+
+ /* Cannot call netdev_tx_reset_queue(): dql_reset() races with
+ * peer NAPI calling dql_completed() concurrently.
+ * Just clear the stop bits; the qdisc will re-stop if still stuck.
+ */
+ clear_bit(__QUEUE_STATE_STACK_XOFF, &txq->state);
+ netif_tx_wake_queue(txq);
+}
+
static int veth_open(struct net_device *dev)
{
struct veth_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
@@ -1767,6 +1783,7 @@ static const struct net_device_ops veth_netdev_ops = {
.ndo_bpf = veth_xdp,
.ndo_xdp_xmit = veth_ndo_xdp_xmit,
.ndo_get_peer_dev = veth_peer_dev,
+ .ndo_tx_timeout = veth_tx_timeout,
};

static const struct xdp_metadata_ops veth_xdp_metadata_ops = {
@@ -1806,6 +1823,7 @@ static void veth_setup(struct net_device *dev)
dev->priv_destructor = veth_dev_free;
dev->pcpu_stat_type = NETDEV_PCPU_STAT_TSTATS;
dev->max_mtu = ETH_MAX_MTU;
+ dev->watchdog_timeo = msecs_to_jiffies(16000);

dev->hw_features = VETH_FEATURES;
dev->hw_enc_features = VETH_FEATURES;
--
2.43.0