Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 18:45:03 +0200
Message-Id: <200702241645.l1OGj3GV023299@moth.iki.fi>
From: Markku Savela <msa@moth.iki.fi>
To: olaf@bigred.inka.de
CC: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
In-reply-to: <E1HKzK9-0001aX-TT@bigred.inka.de> (message from Olaf Titz on
	Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:00:37 +0100)
Subject: Re: ipv4 and ipv6 stacks for new link layers?
References: <200702231149.l1NBnlZD029626@moth.iki.fi> <E1HKzK9-0001aX-TT@bigred.inka.de>
Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org
Content-Length: 1176
Lines: 29

> 
> > This is a pity, because it would be so easy to make the both stacks
> > totally independent of the actual link layers. It only needs one (or
> > two) new function pointer in net_device. This function should do the
> > conversion from IPv4/IPv6 address into corresponding hardware
> > multicast/broadcast address.
> 
> You mean, the link layer drivers should know of IP addressing modes?
> Sounds like a layering violation to me. The mapping from IP to MAC
> address is (for a good reason) part of the IP specs, not of the
> Ethernet, Token Ring etc. specs, so the right place to implement it is
> not the network drivers.

I disagree.

In current architecture, you have to patch kernel IPv6 and IPv4
protocols when you add new link layer that they don't recognize.

I think that is worse than allow a new driver to provide a simple
service function which maps IPv4/6 multicast address into link layer
address, when asked.


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