Re: [PATCH v2 net-next 1/2] virtio_net: add page_pool support for buffer allocation
From: "Michael S. Tsirkin" <mst@redhat.com>
Date: 2026-01-29 06:30:16
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lkml, virtualization
On Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 01:20:30PM -0800, Vishwanath Seshagiri wrote:
quoted hunk ↗ jump to hunk
Use page_pool for RX buffer allocation in mergeable and small buffer modes to enable page recycling and avoid repeated page allocator calls. skb_mark_for_recycle() enables page reuse in the network stack. Big packets mode is unchanged because it uses page->private for linked list chaining of multiple pages per buffer, which conflicts with page_pool's internal use of page->private. Implement conditional DMA premapping using virtqueue_dma_dev(): - When non-NULL (vhost, virtio-pci): use PP_FLAG_DMA_MAP with page_pool handling DMA mapping, submit via virtqueue_add_inbuf_premapped() - When NULL (VDUSE, direct physical): page_pool handles allocation only, submit via virtqueue_add_inbuf_ctx() This preserves the DMA premapping optimization from commit 31f3cd4e5756b ("virtio-net: rq submits premapped per-buffer") while adding page_pool support as a prerequisite for future zero-copy features (devmem TCP, io_uring ZCRX). Page pools are created in probe and destroyed in remove (not open/close), following existing driver behavior where RX buffers remain in virtqueues across interface state changes. The rx_mode_work_enabled flag prevents virtnet_rx_mode_work() from sending control virtqueue commands while ndo_close is tearing down device state, avoiding virtqueue corruption during concurrent operations. Signed-off-by: Vishwanath Seshagiri <redacted> --- drivers/net/Kconfig | 1 + drivers/net/virtio_net.c | 353 ++++++++++++++++++++++----------------- 2 files changed, 203 insertions(+), 151 deletions(-)diff --git a/drivers/net/Kconfig b/drivers/net/Kconfig index ac12eaf11755..f1e6b6b0a86f 100644 --- a/drivers/net/Kconfig +++ b/drivers/net/Kconfig@@ -450,6 +450,7 @@ config VIRTIO_NET depends on VIRTIO select NET_FAILOVER select DIMLIB + select PAGE_POOL help This is the virtual network driver for virtio. It can be used with QEMU based VMMs (like KVM or Xen). Say Y or M.diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c index db88dcaefb20..df2a5fc5187e 100644 --- a/drivers/net/virtio_net.c +++ b/drivers/net/virtio_net.c@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ #include <net/netdev_rx_queue.h> #include <net/netdev_queues.h> #include <net/xdp_sock_drv.h> +#include <net/page_pool/helpers.h> static int napi_weight = NAPI_POLL_WEIGHT; module_param(napi_weight, int, 0444);@@ -359,6 +360,11 @@ struct receive_queue { /* Page frag for packet buffer allocation. */ struct page_frag alloc_frag; + struct page_pool *page_pool; + + /* True if page_pool handles DMA mapping via PP_FLAG_DMA_MAP */ + bool use_page_pool_dma; + /* RX: fragments + linear part + virtio header */ struct scatterlist sg[MAX_SKB_FRAGS + 2];@@ -521,11 +527,13 @@ static int virtnet_xdp_handler(struct bpf_prog *xdp_prog, struct xdp_buff *xdp, struct virtnet_rq_stats *stats); static void virtnet_receive_done(struct virtnet_info *vi, struct receive_queue *rq, struct sk_buff *skb, u8 flags); -static struct sk_buff *virtnet_skb_append_frag(struct sk_buff *head_skb, +static struct sk_buff *virtnet_skb_append_frag(struct receive_queue *rq, + struct sk_buff *head_skb, struct sk_buff *curr_skb, struct page *page, void *buf, int len, int truesize); static void virtnet_xsk_completed(struct send_queue *sq, int num); +static void free_unused_bufs(struct virtnet_info *vi); enum virtnet_xmit_type { VIRTNET_XMIT_TYPE_SKB,@@ -706,15 +714,21 @@ static struct page *get_a_page(struct receive_queue *rq, gfp_t gfp_mask) return p; } +static void virtnet_put_page(struct receive_queue *rq, struct page *page, + bool allow_direct) +{ + page_pool_put_page(rq->page_pool, page, -1, allow_direct); +} + static void virtnet_rq_free_buf(struct virtnet_info *vi, struct receive_queue *rq, void *buf) { if (vi->mergeable_rx_bufs) - put_page(virt_to_head_page(buf)); + virtnet_put_page(rq, virt_to_head_page(buf), false); else if (vi->big_packets) give_pages(rq, buf); else - put_page(virt_to_head_page(buf)); + virtnet_put_page(rq, virt_to_head_page(buf), false); }
what I dislike here is how big_packets mode still pokes at give_pages but other modes use the page pool. Given all modes operate with struct page it's hard to shake the feeling we could be trying to put a page we did not get from the pool back into the pool, or vice versa.
quoted hunk ↗ jump to hunk
static void enable_rx_mode_work(struct virtnet_info *vi)@@ -877,9 +891,6 @@ static struct sk_buff *page_to_skb(struct virtnet_info *vi, if (unlikely(!skb)) return NULL; - page = (struct page *)page->private; - if (page) - give_pages(rq, page); goto ok; }
For example above you did not touch give_pages, here you are ripping out give_pages. Superficially, weird. I ask myself whether page pool is not better than the homegrown linked list that give_pages uses, anyway. Will need some perf testing though. -- MST