[Feature Request] Use eBPF/XDP in the back-end of RouterOS

RouterOS General
1

RouterOS can keep the current iptables-like syntax on the front-end, but the back-end should be using eBPF/XDP to do the actual work, something like this: https://polycube.readthedocs.io/en/latest/components/iptables/pcn-iptables.html

I reckon all MikroTik devices would get doubled if not tripled or quadrupled performance should the back-end get rid of iptables/nftables and move to eBPF/XDP.

XDP would have to somehow place nice with FastTrack or possibly replace it entirely.

Cloudflare showed us that both iptables and nftables are hot garbage when compared to eBPF/XDP
https://blog.cloudflare.com/how-to-drop-10-million-packets/

More sources:
https://cilium.io/blog/2018/04/17/why-is-the-kernel-community-replacing-iptables

2

Anybody from MikroTik staff saw this yet?

3

Hi!
eBPF/XDP - is not a direct replacement of the iptables.

Did you even read your linked-websites ?

https://polycube.readthedocs.io/en/latest/components/iptables/pcn-iptables.html
Limitations
No support for multiple chains
No support for SNAT, DNAT, MASQUESRADE

4

eBPF/XDP very much is. Even then we still have nftables which is the successor to iptables as per Linux Foundation. What world of networking are you in to think iptables is still relevant in 2022?

Yes, I linked to an iptables to eBPF converter that DOES NOT support all features as AN EXAMPLE, genius. That is MikroTik’s job to write a native eBPF converter that supports the required features.
Read: https://cilium.io/blog/2018/04/17/why-is-the-kernel-community-replacing-iptables