HP Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI)

Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI) is an industry standard definition for message communications to STREAMS-based network interface drivers. The HP implementation of the DLPI standard conforms to the DLPI Version 2.0 specification. HP DLPI provides the core link layer infrastructure for networking drivers and provides various extensions that enable feature rich and high performance networking stacks on HP-UX.

Summary of Change

What’s New for Customers Migrating from HP-UX 11i v1 September 2005?

Enables Online Deletion (OLD) of I/O card instances claimed by LAN drivers.

What’s New for Customers Migrating from HP-UX 11i v2 June 2006?

Enables Online Deletion (OLD) of I/O card instances claimed by LAN drivers.

Impact

The new HP DLPI offers the following benefits:

NoSync feature: In early versions of HP DLPI, the STREAMS synchronization used by HP DLPI and other modules in the networking stack on HP-UX restricted the scalability of high bandwidth links such as HP APA aggregates and 10 Gigabit. HP DLPI now uses the new NOSYNC STREAMS synchronization level to provide vastly improved performance and scalability for high speed links such as HP APA aggregates. For more details, see the HP Auto Port Aggregation Performance and Scalability White Paper, posted at http://docs.hp.com/en/7662/new-apa-white-paper.pdf
OLD Capability: Enables the user to delete a LAN I/O card instance online without a system reboot.

Compatibility

Beginning with this release:

DLPI applications not running with effective uid=0, that use the HP DLPI RAW mode service, must now be granted PRIV_NETRAWACCESS privilege.
DLPI applications not running with effective uid=0, that transmit or receive IPv4, IPv6 or ARP packets, must now be granted PRIV_NETADMIN privilege.
DLPI applications running with effective uid=0, that perform administrative tasks such as resetting hardware statistics, must now be granted the PRIV_NETADMIN privilege.

If the fine-grained privileges are not granted, these applications fail with the EPERM error. For information on how these privileges may be granted to the affected applications, see HP-UX 11i Security Containment Administrator's Guide.

Performance

The NoSync feature improves performance and scalability.

Documents

The HP-UX 11i v3 HP DLPI Programmer's Guide is posted at

http://docs.hp.com/en/netcom.html#Internet%20Transport

Obsolescence

Not applicable.