Understanding Performance of eBPF Maps

Long Wang, Byungchul Tak

Abstract:

The Linux community has witnessed the rapid development
of eBPF technology that allows users to load custom pro-
grams into the Linux kernel to extend its capabilities. A key
feature that makes eBPF powerful is eBPF maps, which pro-
vide data storage and communication capabilities for eBPF
programs. However, despite being widely used in eBPF pro-
grams, the performance of eBPF maps has received little
attention. To understand the performance characteristics
of eBPF maps, we conduct a comprehensive benchmark on
them. The benchmark results demonstrate the access over-
head of different types of eBPF maps and reveal the impact
of various factors on the access overhead. By analyzing the
benchmark results, we derive some implications for eBPF
users to use eBPF maps more efficiently.