VALE BPF Extension Module

VALE-BPF module is an extension of VALE software switch.

This module makes VALE possible to program with eBPF.

Supported Platforms

FreeBSD

FreeBSD has native support for netmap/VALE, so we can run vale-bpf only with generic-ebpf install.

For programming, please see examples in apps/vale-bpf/ebpf-examples.

Linux

Since netmap/VALE and generic-ebpf works for Linux, we can run vale-bpf on Linux.

Please see examples in apps/vale-bpf.

Linux native

We have experimental support for Linux's native eBPF(vale-bpf-native). Unlike our generic-ebpf, it can be integrated with other Linux's eBPF functionality like map, tail-call or object pinning and even with bcc toolchains. It's eBPF context struct (struct vale_bpf_md) is binary compatible with XDP's one. So, we can reuse verifier and (almost all) helper functions for XDP. Program you need to write is defferent from XDP's one. Please see examples in apps/vale-bpf-native.

Requirements

Common

• netmap (https://github.com/luigirizzo/netmap.git)
• clang-3.7 or later (for compilation of C -> eBPF program)

Linux and FreeBSD

• generic-ebpf (https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/generic-ebpf.git)

Linux native

• bcc (https://github.com/iovisor/bcc)

Installation

Common

Install netmap

$ git clone https://github.com/luigirizzo/netmap.git
$ cd netmap
$ ./configure
$ make
# make install

Create switch named vale0 and attach two interfaces

# vale-ctl -n vi0 //interface 0
# vale-ctl -n vi1 //interface 1
# vale-ctl -a vale0:vi0 //attach interface 0 to vale0
# vale-ctl -a vale0:vi1 //attach interface 1 to vale0

FreeBSD and Linux

Install generic-ebpf

FreeBSD

$ git clone https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/generic-ebpf.git
$ cd generic-ebpf/FreeBSD/kernel
$ make
# kldload ./ebpf.ko

Linux

$ git clone https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/generic-ebpf.git
$ cd generic-ebpf/LINUX/kernel
$ make
# insmod ebpf.ko

Install vale-bpf

FreeBSD

$ export NSRC=<path to your netmap source>
$ export EBPFSRC=<path to your generic-ebpf source>
$ export VALE_NAME=vale0
$ git clone https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/vale-bpf.git
$ cd vale-bpf/sys/modules
$ make
# kldload ./vale-bpf-vale0.ko

Linux

$ export NSRC=<path to your netmap source>
$ export EBPFSRC=<path to your generic-ebpf source>
$ export VALE_NAME=vale0
$ git clone https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/vale-bpf.git
$ cd vale-bpf/LINUX
$ make
# insmod ./vale-bpf-vale0.ko

Loading eBPF program

Now module is loaded to vale0. However, eBPF program is not yet loaded. You need to load eBPF program. For that, you can use apps/prog-loader/prog-loader.c

$ cd apps/prog-loader
$ make
$ ./prog-loader -s vale0: -p <path to your own eBPF program> -j(enable this flag if you want to use jit)

Linux Native

Note that your kernel need to configured for enabling eBPF and XDP. We strongly reccommend you to use jit for better performance.

$ export NSRC=<path to your netmap source>
$ export VALE_NAME=vale0
$ git clone https://github.com/YutaroHayakawa/vale-bpf.git
$ cd vale-bpf/LINUX-NATIVE
$ make
# insmod vale-bpf-native-vale0.ko

Loading eBPF program

$ cd apps/linux-native-apps
# python prog-loader.py -a -s vale0: -p <your eBPF program source> -f <your eBPF function name> -t(enable this flag if you use tracing)