NAPI support?

  Hi all,

  We are experiencing some performance problems on a firewall system
using realtek ethernets. The problem is, we cant use a different chipset
as its an embeddded system with the ethernets on board. We use 2.4.30
kernel but are migrating to 2.6

  The problem shows with very high uptime values (above 1) and really
high ksoft_irq usage (more than 50%)

  In other lists suggested our problem was related to lack of NAPI
support for realtek drivers. As I see scyld provides a modified driver,
my first question would be if yours supports NAPI?

  Second, investigating this matter we discovered this thread
http://www.uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/net/0312.0/0002.html We used
their driver thinking it applied NAPI but we have discovered we
encounter the same problems with the same amount of traffic. The problem
is, we dont know if after using this driver we need to compile or load
it with a particular option. Any person with driver coding experience
could give us a hand?

  Third, will this problem disappear if we upgrade to 2.6 kernel? I
guess so, but dont know for sure if the realtek driver for 2.6 supports
NAPI.

  Forth, how can we "see" if NAPI is being used or not? I mean,
what /proc file or command do we need to execute?

  And last, any document regarding performance tuning of this driver?

  We are really desperate. Any help would be really welcomed (we could
even pay a bit if a solution is proposed and verified)

  VERY thankful in advance. Regards

  Some background: Firewall: Via Eden 1Ghz, 256MB RAM, 4x8139 Realteks
onboard. Generated traffic: ~1.500packets/s 5Mbps Linear rules in the
firewall when the system becomes unstable ~700 rules (699 non match,
last matches)

-- 
Jaime Nebrera - [email protected]
Consultor TI - ENEO Tecnologia SL
Telf.- 95 455 40 62 - 619 04 55 18