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I'm setting up a traffic generator using pktgen-DPDK. What am having a hard time understanding is why DPDK plays a part when sending packets. From what I understand, when the receiver gets a packet and have their system configured to handle it using DPDK the NIC will send the packet to the app directly which then uses DPDK to do packet processing there (by passing inefficient Kernel network layers). So why do the transmitter also need to use DPDK for this? And how does it alter the packets that are being sent?

DPDK

Here is an example to explain my thinking:

A transmitter is trying to send an image to receiver. The image is divided into small packets, which uses IP and TCP to get the packet from transmitter to receiver. After the packets have traveled over the internet, they finally get to the receiver. The receiver has configured their system to use DPDK, bypassing some Linux Kernel network layers. Through this the packet processing becomes faster.

Based on this example above, I don't see the point of using DPDK for sending packets or even how it would play a part in that. When we send packets, do we not simply use some protocols like TCP and IP to make sure the packet get where it needs to.

What is wrong with the example I'm giving and how could you rephrase it to be correctly?

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  • See this answer for how the network stack works. Commented Jan 18, 2023 at 13:25
  • This does not answer the question about how DPDK works, which is what this question is about. @RonMaupin Commented Jan 18, 2023 at 13:47
  • That is a comment to the question. It is not an answer. I would have posted an answer if I intended to answer the question. The link points to how the network stack works, and to communicate on a network requires a network stack, DPDK or not. Commented Jan 18, 2023 at 13:53
  • It's unclear what your point of confusion is. When using DPDK, you'd be dealing with 'entire' packets, starting at the data-link layer (Eth), when you are receiving or transmitting. In the Kernel, that outer layer encapsulation is normally done for you, giving you only the de-packetized data at the inner layer. Commented Jan 21, 2023 at 16:24
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