Subject: Re: Network drivers that don't suspend on interface down

From: Stephen Hemminger <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:51:33 -0800

On Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:37:41 -0800
Rick Jones <[email-masked]> wrote:

> > There are two different problems:
> > 
> > 1) Behavior seems to be different depending on device driver
> >    author. We should document the expected semantics better.
> > 
> >    IMHO:
> > 	When device is down, it should:
> > 	 a) use as few resources as possible:
> > 	       - not grab memory for buffers
> > 	       - not assign IRQ unless it could get one
> > 	       - turn off all power consumption possible
> > 	 b) allow setting parameters like speed/duplex/autonegotiation,
> >             ring buffers, ... with ethtool, and remember the state
> > 	 c) not accept data coming in, and drop packets queued
> 
> What implications does c have for something like tcpdump?
> 
> rick jones

None, you can bring up the device without actually assigning an address to it.

-- 
Stephen Hemminger <[email-masked]>