Re: [PATCH] net: tcp_drop adds `reason` parameter for tracing v2

From: Steven Rostedt
Date: Wed Aug 25 2021 - 23:19:50 EST


On Wed, 25 Aug 2021 08:47:46 -0700
Eric Dumazet <edumazet@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> > @@ -5703,15 +5700,15 @@ static bool tcp_validate_incoming(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb,
> > TCP_INC_STATS(sock_net(sk), TCP_MIB_INERRS);
> > NET_INC_STATS(sock_net(sk), LINUX_MIB_TCPSYNCHALLENGE);
> > tcp_send_challenge_ack(sk, skb);
> > - goto discard;
> > + tcp_drop(sk, skb, TCP_DROP_MASK(__LINE__, TCP_VALIDATE_INCOMING));
>
> I'd rather use a string. So that we can more easily identify _why_ the
> packet was drop, without looking at the source code
> of the exact kernel version to locate line number 1057
>
> You can be sure that we will get reports in the future from users of
> heavily modified kernels.
> Having to download a git tree, or apply semi-private patches is a no go.
>
> If you really want to include __FILE__ and __LINE__, these both can be
> stringified and included in the report, with the help of macros.

I agree the __LINE__ is pointless, but if this has a tracepoint
involved, then you can simply enable the stacktrace trigger to it and
it will save a stack trace in the ring buffer for you.

echo stacktrace > /sys/kernel/tracing/events/tcp/tcp_drop/trigger

And when the event triggers it will record a stack trace. You can also
even add a filter to do it only for specific reasons.

echo 'stacktrace if reason == 1' > /sys/kernel/tracing/events/tcp/tcp_drop/trigger

And it even works for flags:

echo 'stacktrace if reason & 0xa' > /sys/kernel/tracing/events/tcp/tcp_drop/trigger

Which gives another reason to use an enum over a string.

-- Steve