ice_rx_flow_steer(9)

💅 ice_rx_flow_steer — the kernel API manual, section 9, bestie

okay so like, welcome to ice_rx_flow_steer(9), straight out of the Kernel API Manual ✨ this is the lil function that steers your Rx flow to wherever your app is actually running, and honestly? it's giving main character energy 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

ice_rx_flow_steer — steer the Rx flow to where application is being run 🦋

literally that's the whole vibe. the packets go where the app lives. slay.

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int ice_rx_flow_steer (struct net_device *netdev , const struct sk_buff
*skb , u16 rxq_idx , u32 flow_id );

no cap, that's the exact signature, don't @ me 💅

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• netdev — ptr to the netdev being adjusted. yes bestie, we're touching the netdev 🙈
• skb — buffer with required header information. it's carrying the receipts we need 📨
• rxq_idx — queue to which the flow needs to move. the new address, the new home, the upgrade 🏠
• flow_id — flow identifier provided by the netdev. its little name tag 🏷️

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

ok so here's the tea ☕ based on the skb, rxq_idx, and flow_id you pass in, we add/update an entry in the aRFS hash table. that's the whole job. iconic.

then we iterate over one of the hlists in the aRFS hash table, and check the vibes 😌:

• if the flow_id already exists in the hash table but the rxq_idx has changed → mark the entry as ICE_ARFS_INACTIVE so it can get updated in HW 🔥 (it's not being deleted, it's just in its quiet era)
• else if the entry is marked as ICE_ARFS_TODEL → delete it from the aRFS hash table 💀 bye bestie
• if neither of the previous conditions are true → add a brand new entry in the aRFS hash table, which gets set to ICE_ARFS_INACTIVE by default so it can be added to HW ⭐ new entry, new me, default-inactive so the hardware can pick it up 🫶

that's it, that's the algorithm, no notes 💜

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the kernel file itself, bestie, go read it:

Kernel file ./drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice/ice_arfs.c

and the whole friend group 🧚:

• ice_is_arfs_active(9)
• ice_is_arfs_using_perfect_flow(9)
• ice_arfs_update_active_fltr_cntrs(9)
• ice_arfs_del_flow_rules(9)
• ice_arfs_add_flow_rules(9)
• ice_arfs_is_flow_expired(9)
• ice_arfs_update_flow_rules(9)
• ice_sync_arfs_fltrs(9)
• ice_arfs_build_entry(9)
• ice_arfs_is_perfect_flow_set(9)
• ice_arfs_cmp(9)
• ice_init_arfs_cntrs(9)
• ice_init_arfs(9)
• ice_clear_arfs(9)
• ice_set_cpu_rx_rmap(9)
• ice_remove_arfs(9)
• ice_rebuild_arfs(9)

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and that's the page!! this little work of art lives in ./drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ice, dated October 2026 — mwah, sending love, go steer some flows bestie 💖🎀🦋✨