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Date:      Tue, 5 Aug 2003 17:16:34 -0700 (PDT)
From:      John Polstra <jdp@polstra.com>
To:        net@freebsd.org
Cc:        sam@errno.com
Subject:   Re: bpf, ipfw and before-and-after
Message-ID:  <200308060016.h760GYYC007306@strings.polstra.com>
In-Reply-To: <1566283957.1060103142@melange.errno.com>
References:  <20030805133922.GA7713@k7.mavetju> <1564916751.1060101774@melange.errno.com> <200308052353.h75Nr2qC007206@strings.polstra.com> <1566283957.1060103142@melange.errno.com>

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In article <1566283957.1060103142@melange.errno.com>,
Sam Leffler  <sam@errno.com> wrote:
> > In article <1564916751.1060101774@melange.errno.com>,
> > Sam Leffler  <sam@errno.com> wrote:
> >> > My point is that the extra calls to bpf_mtap would harm performance
> >> > even when bpf wasn't being used.
> >>
> >> In -current I believe all the calls are prefixed with a check for
> >> ifp->if_bpf or similar.  So any slow down should only happen when BPF is
> >> active.
> >
> > That does not follow, because the check of ifp->if_bpf itself takes
> > time.  There is no way to avoid the performance penalty except at
> > compile time.  Yes, branch prediction helps, but it doesn't eliminate
> > the problem.  Even with gigabit ethernet those individual nanoseconds
> > add up quickly to the point where they matter.  With 10 Gb ethernet on
> > the way, it will only get worse.
> 
> You said there were calls to bpf_mtag and they would add noticeable 
> overhead even when BPF was not in use.  I said these are only made when BPF 
> is in use.  What doesn't follow?

What doesn't follow is, "So any slow down should only happen when
BPF is active."

John
-- 
  John Polstra
  John D. Polstra & Co., Inc.                        Seattle, Washington USA
  "Two buttocks cannot avoid friction."                     -- Malawi saying



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