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Packet Through The Linux Network Stack

The document describes the journey of a packet through the Linux network stack from receiving by the network interface card to transmission. It discusses how the network driver processes incoming packets and passes them to the network layer (IP), which performs routing and forwarding. If the packet is for the local system, it is passed to the transport layer (TCP/UDP); otherwise it is forwarded. The document also provides hints for a lab experiment on modifying the Linux kernel to prioritize TCP packets over UDP for quality of service.

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145 views

Packet Through The Linux Network Stack

The document describes the journey of a packet through the Linux network stack from receiving by the network interface card to transmission. It discusses how the network driver processes incoming packets and passes them to the network layer (IP), which performs routing and forwarding. If the packet is for the local system, it is passed to the transport layer (TCP/UDP); otherwise it is forwarded. The document also provides hints for a lab experiment on modifying the Linux kernel to prioritize TCP packets over UDP for quality of service.

Uploaded by

RAMU
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Journey of a Packet Through

the Linux Network Stack

… plus hints on Lab 9


Some Words

 Assume IP version 4
 Codes are from Kernel 2.6.9.EL
(use in Lab 9)
 Ideas are similar
Linux High-Level Network Stack

 Interface to users

 TCP/UDP/IP etc…

 Queue for device

Image from http://affix.sourceforge.net/affix-doc/c190.html


Receiving a Packet (Device)

 Network card
 receives a frame

issues an  Driver
interrupt  handles the interrupt
•Frame  RAM
•Allocates sk_buff
(called skb)
•Frame  skb
Aside: sk_buff (skbuff.h)

 Generic buffer for all packets


 Pointers to skb are passed up/down
 Can be linked together
sk_buff (cont.)

struct sk_buff *next


struct sk_buff *prev
struct sk_buff_head *list
struct sock *sk
…
union {tcphdr; udphdr; …} h; Transport Header
union {iph; ipv6h;arph;…} nh; Network Header
union {raw} mac; MAC Header
…. DATA
sk_buff (cont.)

Image from “Understanding Linux Network Internals”, Christian Benvenuti


Receiving a Packet (Device)
 Driver (cont.)
 calls device independent
core/dev.c:netif_rx(skb)
•puts skb into CPU queue
•issues a “soft” interrupt

 CPU
 calls core/dev.c:net_rx_action()

•removes skb from CPU queue


•passes to network layer e.g. ip/arp
•In this case: IPv4 ipv4/ip_input.c:ip_rcv()
Receiving a Packet (IP)
 ip_input.c:ip_rcv()
checks
•Length >= IP Header (20 bytes)
•Version == 4
•Checksum
•Check length again

calls calls
ip_rcv_finish() route.c:ip_route_input()
Aside: Finish/Slow suffix

 Division into two stages is common


 Usually called “slow”
The first stage cache
The second stage table
Receiving a Packet (routing)
 ipv4/route.c:ip_route_input()

Destination == me?
YES ip_input.c:ip_local_deliver()
NO Calls ip_route_input_slow()

 ipv4/route.c:ip_route_input_slow()
Can forward?
•Forwarding enabled?
•Know route?
NO Sends ICMP
Forwarding a Packet

 Forwarding is per-device basis


 Receiving device!
 Enable/Disable forwarding in Linux:
 Kernel
 /proc file system ↔ Kernel

 read/write normally (in most cases)

•/proc/sys/net/ipv4/conf/<device>/forwarding
•/proc/sys/net/ipv4/conf/default/forwarding
•/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forwarding
Forwarding a Packet (cont.)
 ipv4/ip_forward.c:ip_forward()

IP TTL > 1
YES Decreases TTL
NO Sends ICMP

 core/dev.c:dev_queue_xmit()
 Default queue: priority FIFO
sched/sch_generic.c:pfifo_fast_enqueue()
 Others: FIFO, Stochastic Fair Queuing, etc.
Priority Based Output Scheduling
 pfifo_fast_enqueue()
 Again, per-device basis
 Queue Discipline (Qdisc: pkt_sched.c)
 Not exactly a priority queue
 Uses three queues (bands)
 0 “interactive”

 1 “best effort”

 2 “bulk”

 Priority is based on IP Type of Service (ToS)


 Normal IP packet  1 “best effort”
Queue Discipline: Qdisc

Image from http://linux-ip.net/articles/Traffic-Control-HOWTO/classless-qdisc.html


Mapping IP ToS to Queue

 IP ToS: PPPDTRCX
 PPP  Precedence
 Linux = ignore!
 Cisco = Policy-Based Routing (PBR)

 D  Minimizes Delay
 T  Maximizes Throughput
 R  Maximizes Reliability
 C  Minimizes Cost
 X  Reserved
Mapping IP ToS to Queue (cont.)
IP ToS Band
0x0 1
 pfifo_fast_enqueue()
0x2 2 maps IP ToS to one of
0x4
0x6
2
2
three queues
0x8 1  IP ToS: PPPDTRCX
0xA 2
0xC 0  Mapping array: prior2band
0xE 0
0x10 1
0x12 1
0x14 1
0x16 1
0x18 1
0x1A 1
0x1C 1
0x1E 1
Queue Selection

sch_generic.c Mapping array

Band “0” (first in Qdisc)

Change band
Queue Selection (cont.)

 Kernel 2.6.9.EL

Qdisc

sk_buff_head band 0 list = ((struct sk_buff_head*)qdiscdata


sk_buff_head band 1 +prior2band[skb->priority&TC_PRIOR_MAX]
sk_buff_head band 2

…
Sending Out a Packet

 pfifo_fast_dequeue()
 Removes the oldest packet from the
highest priority band
 The packet that was just enqueued!
 Passes it to the device driver
Lab 9

Scenarios, hints, etc.


Lab 9 Part 1&2

 Scenario
Destination

Bottleneck link: 10Mbps

Linux Router
(Your HDD)

Virtual 1 Virtual 2
Lab 9 Part 2

 Default: no IP forwarding
 Enable it! /proc/…
 Only one router
 Default route on “destination”
Lab 9 Part 2
Route???
ping reply
Destination

Bottleneck link: 10Mbps

Linux Router
(Your Linux)

ping echo

Virtual 1 Virtual 2
Lab 9 Part 3

 Scenario
Destination

TCP 10Mbps UDP

Linux Router
(Your Linux)

Virtual 1 Virtual 2
Lab 9 Part 3 (cont.)

 Problem with TCP v.s. UDP?


 TCP is too “nice”
 Proposed solution:
Modify kernel TCP  higher priority
Lab 9 Part 4

 Goal: compile the modified kernel


 Print out TCP/UDP when sending or
forwarding a packet
 /proc/sys/kernel/printk
 Start up with the new kernel!
 Press any key on boot  OS list
 Select 2.6.9
Lab 9 Part 5

 Goal: change the kernel scheduling


 Idea: place TCP in the higher
priority band
 pfifo_fast_enqueue()
 Default  IP ToS
 Change it to TCP v.s. UDP (+others)
 Options: UDP++ or TCP--
 Do NOT change IP ToS!
Lab 9 Part 5 (cont.)

TCP

UDP
Lab 9 Part 5 (cont.)
Lab 9 Part 5 (cont.)

 Remember: take printk() out!


boot into 2.6.9
enable forwarding
 What should happen?
 Different from Part 2?
Interesting Links
Linux Networking
 http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/kernelflow
 http://ftp.gnumonks.org/pub/doc/packet-journey-2.4.html
 Understanding Linux Network Internals, Christian Benvenuti
 http://lartc.org/lartc.html

Queue Discipline
 http://linux-ip.net/articles/Traffic-Control-HOWTO/classless-qdiscs.html

/proc file system


 http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/security/security-handbook.xml?part=1&chap=9
 http://oatv.com/pub/a/linux/2000/11/16/LinuxAdmin.html

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