vma_extra.h

[bo.z...@serenitycapllc.com]

Hi all,

I had been testing the vma library with good results. However, I had the following questions when I attempted to test the features in vma_extra.h:

1. I see the following options on https://code.google.com/p/libvma/wiki/VMA_Parameters, none of which appears to exist in the version of libvma (6.4.11) that I am testing. Are these new options added in one of the 6.5.* versions. If so, would you recommend one of the 6.5.* versions for production usage right now. 

• Use VMA extra API - add_conf_rule() - for adding libvma.conf rules at run-time.
• Use VMA extra API - thread_offload() - to specify for each thread if sockets should be created as offloaded sockets or not.
• Use the environment variable VMA_OFFLOADED_SOCKETS to specify if sockets should be created as offloaded/not-offloaded by default. It is recommended to use this with thread_offload() extra API.

2. The version of sockperf I downloaded was not compiled with vma_extra.h. I compiled a version from source (http://sockperf.googlecode.com/svn/branches/sockperf_v2) with USING_VMA_EXTRA_API turned and attempted to run sockperf with --vmazcopyread. However, with the option turned on in either the server or the client leads to a tcp disconnect before the test can run. Testing without --vmazcopyread was fine with the compiled version. Could you guys provide a version with vma_extra compiled in that I can test with? The source would also be helpful.

Thanks!

Bo

[orkme...@gmail.com]

Hi Bo,

 

We are glad you are seeing good results with libvma.

 

To answer your questions:

 

1. Yes, these 3 features you listed above were added in VMA 6.5.*.

We believe VMA 6.5.3 (latest available on site) is stable enough for production, but this is not a GA level version.

VMA 6.5 GA is planned to be released around the end of November, and will be based on the next MLNX OFED 2.1 release which is planned to be released in the end of December.

If this is not urgent for you, we recommend you will wait for VMA GA release.

 

2. You are correct.

We will check if we can provide a version of sockperf compiled with vma_extra.h.

Regarding --vmazcopyread, the zero copy functionality of VMA can be applied only to UDP sockets.

It will not work for TCP sockets.

This explain the disconnection you experienced.

 

[bo.z...@serenitycapllc.com]

Thanks for the fast response!

1. Yes, we will wait for the GA release

2. That makes sense. I will tested with UDP.