This feature is only enabled with the new per-interface or ipv4 global
sysctls called 'ignore_routes_with_linkdown'.

net.ipv4.conf.all.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv4.conf.default.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
net.ipv4.conf.lo.ignore_routes_with_linkdown = 0
...

When the above sysctls are set, will report to userspace that a route is
dead and will no longer resolve to this nexthop when performing a fib
lookup.  This will signal to userspace that the route will not be
selected.  The signalling of a RTNH_F_DEAD is only passed to userspace
if the sysctl is enabled and link is down.  This was done as without it
the netlink listeners would have no idea whether or not a nexthop would
be selected.   The kernel only sets RTNH_F_DEAD internally if the
interface has IFF_UP cleared.

With the new sysctl set, the following behavior can be observed
(interface p8p1 is link-down):

default via 10.0.5.2 dev p9p1
10.0.5.0/24 dev p9p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 10.0.5.15
70.0.0.0/24 dev p7p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 70.0.0.1
80.0.0.0/24 dev p8p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 80.0.0.1 dead linkdown
90.0.0.0/24 via 80.0.0.2 dev p8p1  metric 1 dead linkdown
90.0.0.0/24 via 70.0.0.2 dev p7p1  metric 2
90.0.0.1 via 70.0.0.2 dev p7p1  src 70.0.0.1
    cache
local 80.0.0.1 dev lo  src 80.0.0.1
    cache <local>
80.0.0.2 via 10.0.5.2 dev p9p1  src 10.0.5.15
    cache

While the route does remain in the table (so it can be modified if
needed rather than being wiped away as it would be if IFF_UP was
cleared), the proper next-hop is chosen automatically when the link is
down.  Now interface p8p1 is linked-up:

default via 10.0.5.2 dev p9p1
10.0.5.0/24 dev p9p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 10.0.5.15
70.0.0.0/24 dev p7p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 70.0.0.1
80.0.0.0/24 dev p8p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 80.0.0.1
90.0.0.0/24 via 80.0.0.2 dev p8p1  metric 1
90.0.0.0/24 via 70.0.0.2 dev p7p1  metric 2
192.168.56.0/24 dev p2p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 192.168.56.2
90.0.0.1 via 80.0.0.2 dev p8p1  src 80.0.0.1
    cache
local 80.0.0.1 dev lo  src 80.0.0.1
    cache <local>
80.0.0.2 dev p8p1  src 80.0.0.1
    cache

and the output changes to what one would expect.

If the sysctl is not set, the following output would be expected when
p8p1 is down:

default via 10.0.5.2 dev p9p1
10.0.5.0/24 dev p9p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 10.0.5.15
70.0.0.0/24 dev p7p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 70.0.0.1
80.0.0.0/24 dev p8p1  proto kernel  scope link  src 80.0.0.1 linkdown
90.0.0.0/24 via 80.0.0.2 dev p8p1  metric 1 linkdown
90.0.0.0/24 via 70.0.0.2 dev p7p1  metric 2

Since the dead flag does not appear, there should be no expectation that
the kernel would skip using this route due to link being down.

v2: Split kernel changes into 2 patches, this actually makes a
behavioral change if the sysctl is set.  Also took suggestion from Alex
to simplify code by only checking sysctl during fib lookup and
suggestion from Scott to add a per-interface sysctl.

v3: Code clean-ups to make it more readable and efficient as well as a
reverse path check fix.

v4: Drop binary sysctl

v5: Whitespace fixups from Dave

v6: Style changes from Dave and checkpatch suggestions

v7: One more checkpatch fixup
Signed-off-by: Andy Gospodarek <gospo@cumulusnetworks.com>
Signed-off-by: Dinesh Dutt <ddutt@cumulusnetworks.com>
Acked-by: Scott Feldman <sfeldma@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: David S. Miller <davem@davemloft.net>