Re: [patch net-next v6_repost 2/3] net: core: add SW stats to if_stats_msg

From: Jiri Pirko <jiri@resnulli.us>
Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2016 08:53:18 +0200

Anyway I think that next level of nesting is not necessary. On
contrary, it is wrong. The current level is extensible, mixed and
flagged already. I don't see any reason why not to add whatever kind of
stats here. What makes IFLA_STATS_LINK_SW_64 or for example
IFLA_STATS_LINK_HW_ACL so special it has to be nested in some other
attr? I would understand it it would be values of one family, but that
is not the case.

First, I agree with Roopa.  If we want to put this stuff out
there is should be bucketed together in a nested attribute with
other similar stats specifications.

Second, the more I think about this what you're providing isn't
actually a new statistic type.

It's a filter.

So why don't we just provide a filter specification that gets passed
down into the driver.  And the user can ask for "SW stats" or whatever
using that.