Hello!
> into which the net card DMA's data. If netif_rx returned the SKB
> instead of freeing it,
But it is always queued by stack. It is rule. Ability to return
is a rare exception and it happens only when and exactly when driver
_must_ shrink its rx ring to stop congestion.
> 2) Tx packet grouping. If the net core has knowledge that more packets
> will be following the current one being sent to dev->hard_start_xmit(),
It does not have such knowledge.
> 3) Slabbier packet allocation.
Probably. Note that driver can do this now and you need not
to wait for 2.5 to evaluate this. In fact, Jes has made this
for hippi ages ago.
To summarize: look better to this maillist for Jamal's patch.
It is really interesting thing.
Alexey
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