IPoIB has a link-layer broadcast address that varies according to the
partition key. We currently go through several contortions to pretend
that the link-layer address is a fixed constant; by making the
broadcast address a property of the network device rather than the
link-layer protocol it will be possible to simplify IPoIB's broadcast
handling.
Kill off the static single net device and move to proper dynamic
registration (which we need with the new device model).
Break the (flawed) assumption that all network-layer protocols can use
ARP; such network-layer protocols (i.e. IPv4) must now register as an ARP
protocol using ARP_NET_PROTOCOL() and provide a single method for checking
the existence of a local network-layer address.
implementation allows for only one, and does so without compromising on
the efficiency of static allocation).
Link-layer protocols are cleanly separated from the device drivers.
Network-layer protocols are cleanly separated from individual network
devices.
Link-layer and network-layer protocols are cleanly separated from each
other.
Michael Brown