Re: [PATCH v8 net-next 10/12] net: dsa: mv88e6xxx: mac-auth/MAB implementation

From: netdev
Date: Fri Oct 21 2022 - 02:47:53 EST


On 2022-10-21 00:57, Vladimir Oltean wrote:
On Thu, Oct 20, 2022 at 10:20:50PM +0200, netdev@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
In general locked ports block traffic from a host based on if there is a
FDB entry or not. In the non-offloaded case, there is only CPU assisted
learning, so the normal learning mechanism has to be disabled as any
learned entry will open the port for the learned MAC,vlan.

Does it have to be that way? Why can't BR_LEARNING on a BR_PORT_LOCKED
cause the learned FDB entries to have BR_FDB_LOCKED, and everything
would be ok in that case (the port will not be opened for the learned
MAC/VLAN)?


I suppose you are right that basing it solely on BR_FDB_LOCKED is possible.

The question is then maybe if the common case where you don't need learned
entries for the scheme to work, e.g. with EAPOL link local packets, requires
less CPU load to work and is cleaner than if using BR_FDB_LOCKED entries?

Thus learning is off for locked ports, which of course includes MAB.

So the 'learning' is based on authorizing MAC,vlan addresses, which
is done by userspace daemons, e.g. hostapd or what could be called
mabd.