Re: why network devices don't do reference counting? (Re: [PATCH] Module use count must be updated as bridges are created/destroyed)

[Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@aitel.hist.no>]

Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:18:55 +0200 (CEST)
> Jan Engelhardt <jengelh@computergmbh.de> wrote:
>
>   
>> On Sep 26 2007 14:06, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
>>     
>>>>> No, network devices don't do reference counting.
>>>>>           
>>>> Could you explain why, please?
>>>>
>>>> After `udevd` on boot loads lots of unused crap, i surrendered, and use
>>>> $(rmmod `lsmod | just first column`). Networing bravely wipes away. OK,
>>>> there are lots of configs: udev, hotplug, modprobe, that somebody might
>>>> like to fix. But it came to the end with me. I just don't care. So,
>>>> please answer :)
>>>>         
>>> For hotplug and other reasons, the network developers decided that being
>>> able to remove a network module at any time was a good thing. It works.
>>>       
>> Except that for ipv6.ko, it's all opposite. After modprobe,
>> it already got a refcount like 8 and you're wondering how
>> to get rid of that.
>>     
>
> ipv6 is not a network driver, it is a protocol. You might be able to remove it if you zap
> all the routes and applications, ...
>   
Wouldn't it be enough to down all the interfaces and close all the sockets?
No need to bring down every app.

Helge Hafting