Re: [RFC] TCP and UDP implementations

[Matti Aarnio <matti.aarnio@zmailer.org>]

On Sat, Jul 26, 2003 at 03:15:53AM -0400, Jeff Sipek wrote:
> Hello all,
> I noticed that there are two implementations of TCP and UDP in the kernel - 
> one for IPv4 and the other for IPv6. Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't 
> it be better to just have one implementation for both versions of IP? I know 
> this for sure:

The way how things are in 2.4 (I haven't looked too deeply into 2.5/2.6),
IPv6 TCP and UDP do NEED IPv4 TCP code to make most of TCP logic.
With UDP the amount of logic in kernel side is a lot simpler, and
I do think the code was in essense duplicated.

> 1) it would decrease the size of the kernel (this wouldn't be too dramatic, 
> but still)
> 
> 2) it would make maintaining of the code half the work

Because of the degree of present sharing: no.

> AFAIK there are small differences in TCP and UDP between IPv4 and IPv6,
> but they could be resolved using simple "work arounds."

IPv6's TCP is (was) just that kind of "work around" to handle differences
in IP addresses.

> Thanks,
> Jeff.

/Matti Aarnio