[dpdk-dev] random pkt generator PMD

[Dumitrescu, Cristian]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Yerden Zhumabekov [mailto:e_zhumabekov at sts.kz]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 12:11 PM
> To: Dumitrescu, Cristian <cristian.dumitrescu at intel.com>; dev at dpdk.org
> Subject: Re: [dpdk-dev] random pkt generator PMD
> 
> 
> 
> On 15.06.2016 16:43, Dumitrescu, Cristian wrote:
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: dev [mailto:dev-bounces at dpdk.org] On Behalf Of Yerden
> >> Zhumabekov
> >> Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 10:44 AM
> >> To: dev at dpdk.org
> >> Subject: [dpdk-dev] random pkt generator PMD
> >>
> >> Hello everybody,
> >>
> >> DPDK already got a number of PMDs for various eth devices, it even has
> >> PMD emulations for backends such as pcap, sw rings etc.
> >>
> >> I've been thinking about the idea of having PMD which would generate
> >> mbufs on the fly in some randomized fashion. This would serve goals
> >> like, for example:
> >>
> >> 1) running tests for applications with network processing capabilities
> >> without additional software packet generators;
> >> 2) making performance measurements with no hw inteference;
> >> 3) ability to run without root privileges, --no-pci, --no-huge, for CI
> >> build, so on.
> >>
> >> Maybe there's no such need, and these goals may be achieved by other
> >> means and this idea is flawed? Any thoughts?
> > How about a Perl/Python script to generate a PCAP file with random
> packets and then feed the PCAP file to the PCAP PMD?
> >
> > Random can mean different requirements for different users/application, I
> think it is difficult to fit this  under a simple generic API. Customizing the script
> for different requirements if a far better option in my opinion.
> 
> AFAIK, the thing about pcap pmd is that one needs to rewind pcap file
> once pcap pmd reaches its end. It requires additional (non-generic)
> handling in app code.

Yes, this is an obvious improvement that needs to happen to PCAP PMD.