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Draft: ip-config: Support configuring device sysctl forwarding option

Wen Liang requested to merge wl/per_iface_ip_forward into main

Summary

ip-config: Support configuring device sysctl forwarding option

Purpose

Add support for configuring per-interface sysctl forwarding setting in
NetworkManager. The feature allows users to configure the
net.ipv[46].conf.<interface>.forward setting directly through
NetworkManager, enabling targeted forwarding configurations for
interfaces. This is particularly useful for cases such as enabling
forwarding for MetalLB load balancing without requiring a global
ip_forward=1 setting.

While forwarding setting can be managed via /etc/sysctl.conf,
configuring sysctl options for dynamically created or
software-configured interfaces (e.g., bridges) poses challenges. With
this feature, NetworkManager can configure these settings when
interfaces are created or updated, users no longer need to rely on
nm-dispatcher scripts for per-interface sysctl configuration, which can
be error-prone and complex. This feature ensures a more seamless and
integrated way to manage per-interface forwarding configurations,
reducing user overhead and improving usability in complex network
setups.

Resolves: https://issues.redhat.com/browse/RHEL-60237

NetworkManager-ci!1833

Checklist

Please read https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/NetworkManager/NetworkManager/-/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md before opening the merge request. In particular, check that:

  • the subject for all commits is concise and explicative
  • the message for all commits explains the reason for the change
  • the source is properly formatted
  • any relevant documentation is up to date
  • you have added unit tests if applicable
  • the NEWS file is updated when the change deserves to be mentioned, for example for new features, behavior changes, API deprecations, etc.
Edited by Wen Liang

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