ceph/doc/dev/msgr2.rst

.. _msgr2:

msgr2 protocol
==============

This is a revision of the legacy Ceph on-wire protocol that was
implemented by the SimpleMessenger.  It addresses performance and
security issues.

Goals
-----

This protocol revision has several goals relative to the original protocol:

* *Flexible handshaking*.  The original protocol did not have a
  sufficiently flexible protocol negotiation that allows for features
  that were not required.
* *Encryption*.  We will incorporate encryption over the wire.
* *Performance*.  We would like to provide for protocol features
  (e.g., padding) that keep computation and memory copies out of the
  fast path where possible.
* *Signing*.  We will allow for traffic to be signed (but not
  necessarily encrypted).  This may not be implemented in the initial version.

Definitions
-----------

* *client* (C): the party initiating a (TCP) connection
* *server* (S): the party accepting a (TCP) connection
* *connection*: an instance of a (TCP) connection between two processes.
* *entity*: a ceph entity instantiation, e.g. 'osd.0'.  each entity
  has one or more unique entity_addr_t's by virtue of the 'nonce'
  field, which is typically a pid or random value.
* *session*: a stateful session between two entities in which message
  exchange is ordered and lossless.  A session might span multiple
  connections if there is an interruption (TCP connection disconnect).
* *frame*: a discrete message sent between the peers.  Each frame
  consists of a tag (type code), payload, and (if signing
  or encryption is enabled) some other fields.  See below for the
  structure.
* *tag*: a type code associated with a frame.  The tag
  determines the structure of the payload.

Phases
------

A connection has four distinct phases:

#. banner
#. authentication frame exchange
#. message flow handshake frame exchange
#. message frame exchange

Banner
------

Both the client and server, upon connecting, send a banner::

  "ceph %x %x\n", protocol_features_suppored, protocol_features_required

The protocol features are a new, distinct namespace.  Initially no
features are defined or required, so this will be "ceph 0 0\n".

If the remote party advertises required features we don't support, we
can disconnect.


.. ditaa:: +---------+        +--------+
           | Client  |        | Server |
           +---------+        +--------+
                | send banner     |
                |----+       +----|
                |    |       |    |
                |    +-------+--->|
                | send banner|    |
                |<-----------+    |
                |                 |

Frame format
------------

All further data sent or received is contained by a frame.  Each frame has
the form::

  frame_len (le32)
  tag (TAG_* le32)
  frame_header_checksum (le32)
  payload
  [payload padding -- only present after stream auth phase]
  [signature -- only present after stream auth phase]


* The frame_header_checksum is over just the frame_len and tag values (8 bytes).

* frame_len includes everything after the frame_len le32 up to the end of the
  frame (all payloads, signatures, and padding).

* The payload format and length is determined by the tag.

* The signature portion is only present if the authentication phase
  has completed (TAG_AUTH_DONE has been sent) and signatures are
  enabled.


Authentication
--------------

* TAG_AUTH_REQUEST: client->server::

    __le32 method;  // CEPH_AUTH_{NONE, CEPHX, ...}
    __le32 len;
    method specific payload

* TAG_AUTH_BAD_METHOD (server only): reject client-selected auth method::

    __le32 method
    __le32 num_methods
    __le32 allowed_methods[num_methods] // CEPH_AUTH_{NONE, CEPHX, ...}

  - Returns the unsupported/forbidden method along with the list of allowed
    authentication methods.

* TAG_AUTH_BAD_AUTH: server->client::

    __le32 error code (e.g., EPERM, EACCESS)
    __le32 len;
    error string;

  - Sent when the authentication fails

* TAG_AUTH_MORE: server->client or client->server::

    __le32 len;
    method specific payload

* TAG_AUTH_DONE: (server->client)::

    confounder (block_size bytes of random garbage)
    __le64 flags
      FLAG_ENCRYPTED  1
      FLAG_SIGNED     2
    signature

  - The server is the one to decide authentication has completed.


Example of authentication phase interaction when the client uses an
allowed authentication method:

.. ditaa:: +---------+        +--------+
           | Client  |        | Server |
           +---------+        +--------+
                | auth request    |
                |---------------->|
                |<----------------|
                |        auth more|
                |                 |
                |auth more        |
                |---------------->|
                |<----------------|
                |        auth done|


Example of authentication phase interaction when the client uses a forbidden
authentication method as the first attempt:

.. ditaa:: +---------+        +--------+
           | Client  |        | Server |
           +---------+        +--------+
                | auth request    |
                |---------------->|
                |<----------------|
                |   bad method    |
                |                 |
                | auth request    |
                |---------------->|
                |<----------------|
                |        auth more|
                |                 |
                | auth more       |
                |---------------->|
                |<----------------|
                |        auth done|


Post-auth frame format
----------------------

The frame format is fixed (see above), but can take three different
forms, depending on the AUTH_DONE flags:

* If neither FLAG_SIGNED or FLAG_ENCRYPTED is specified, things are simple::

    frame_len
    tag
    payload
    payload_padding (out to auth block_size)

  - The padding is some number of bytes < the auth block_size that
    brings the total length of the payload + payload_padding to a
    multiple of block_size.  It does not include the frame_len or tag.  Padding
    content can be zeros or (better) random bytes.

* If FLAG_SIGNED has been specified::

    frame_len
    tag
    payload
    payload_padding (out to auth block_size)
    signature (sig_size bytes)

  Here the padding just makes life easier for the signature.  It can be
  random data to add additional confounder.  Note also that the
  signature input must include some state from the session key and the
  previous message.

* If FLAG_ENCRYPTED has been specified::

    frame_len
    tag
    {
      payload
      payload_padding (out to auth block_size)
    } ^ stream cipher

  Note that the padding ensures that the total frame is a multiple of
  the auth method's block_size so that the message can be sent out over
  the wire without waiting for the next frame in the stream.


Message flow handshake
----------------------

In this phase the peers identify each other and (if desired) reconnect to
an established session.

* TAG_IDENT: identify ourselves::

    entity_addrvec_t addr(s)
    __u8   my type (CEPH_ENTITY_TYPE_*)
    __le64 gid (numeric part of osd.0, client.123456, ...)
    __le64 features supported (CEPH_FEATURE_* bitmask)
    __le64 features required (CEPH_FEATURE_* bitmask)
    __le64 flags (CEPH_MSG_CONNECT_* bitmask)
    __le64 cookie (a client identifier, assigned by the sender. unique on the sender.)

  - client will send first, server will reply with same.  if this is a
    new session, the client and server can proceed to the message exchange.
  - type.gid (entity_name_t) is set here.  this means we don't need it
    in the header of every message.  it also means that we can't send
    messages "from" other entity_name_t's.  the current
    implementations set this at the top of _send_message etc so this
    shouldn't break any existing functionality.  implementation will
    likely want to mask this against what the authenticated credential
    allows.
  - we've dropped the 'protocol_version' field from msgr1
  - for lossy sessions, cookie is meaningless.  for lossless sessions,
    we assign a local value that identifies the local Connection
    state.  when we receive this from a peer, we make a note of their
    cookie, so that on reconnect we can reattach (see below).

* TAG_IDENT_MISSING_FEATURES (server only): complain about a TAG_IDENT
  with too few features::

    __le64 features we require that the peer didn't advertise

* TAG_RECONNECT (client only): reconnect to an established session::

    __le64 cookie
    __le64 global_seq
    __le64 connect_seq
    __le64 msg_seq (the last msg seq received)

* TAG_RECONNECT_OK (server only): acknowledge a reconnect attempt::

    __le64 msg_seq (last msg seq received)

  - once the client receives this, the client can proceed to message exchange.
  - once the server sends this, the server can proceed to message exchange.

* TAG_RECONNECT_RETRY_SESSION (server only): fail reconnect due to stale connect_seq

* TAG_RECONNECT_RETRY_GLOBAL (server only): fail reconnect due to stale global_seq

* TAG_RECONNECT_WAIT (server only): fail reconnect due to connect race.

  - Indicates that the server is already connecting to the client, and
    that direction should win the race.  The client should wait for that
    connection to complete.

Message exchange
----------------

Once a session is established, we can exchange messages.

* TAG_MSG: a message::

    ceph_msg_header2
    front
    middle
    data_pre_padding
    data

  - The ceph_msg_header2 is modified from ceph_msg_header:
      * include an ack_seq.  This avoids the need for a TAG_ACK
        message most of the time.
      * remove the src field, which we now get from the message flow
        handshake (TAG_IDENT).
      * specifies the data_pre_padding length, which can be used to
        adjust the alignment of the data payload.  (NOTE: is this is
        useful?)

* TAG_ACK: acknowledge receipt of message(s)::

    __le64 seq

  - This is only used for stateful sessions.

* TAG_KEEPALIVE2: check for connection liveness::

    ceph_timespec stamp

  - Time stamp is local to sender.

* TAG_KEEPALIVE2_ACK: reply to a keepalive2::

    ceph_timestamp stamp

  - Time stamp is from the TAG_KEEPALIVE2 we are responding to.

* TAG_CLOSE: terminate a connection

  Indicates that a connection should be terminated. This is equivalent
  to a hangup or reset (i.e., should trigger ms_handle_reset).  It
  isn't strictly necessary or useful as we could just disconnect the
  TCP connection.


Example of protocol interaction (WIP)
_____________________________________


.. ditaa:: +---------+        +--------+
           | Client  |        | Server |
           +---------+        +--------+
                | send banner       |
                |----+       +------|
                |    |       |      |
                |    +-------+----->|
                | send banner|      |
                |<-----------+      |
                |                   |
                |  send new stream  |
                |------------------>|
                | auth request      |
                |------------------>|
                |<------------------|
                |   bad method      |
                |                   |
                | auth request      |
                |------------------>|
                |<------------------|
                |         auth more |
                |                   |
                | auth more         |
                |------------------>|
                |<------------------|
                |         auth done |
                |                   |