1 files changed, 9 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
index d813bfb1a847..238434dcfe02 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sun/sunvnet.c
@@ -691,7 +691,15 @@ static int vnet_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
                 memset(tx_buf+VNET_PACKET_SKIP+skb->len, 0, len - skb->len);
         }
 
-        d->hdr.ack = VIO_ACK_ENABLE;
+        /* We don't rely on the ACKs to free the skb in vnet_start_xmit(),
+         * thus it is safe to not set VIO_ACK_ENABLE for each transmission:
+         * the protocol itself does not require it as long as the peer
+         * sends a VIO_SUBTYPE_ACK for VIO_DRING_STOPPED.
+         *
+         * An ACK for every packet in the ring is expensive as the
+         * sending of LDC messages is slow and affects performance.
+         */
+        d->hdr.ack = VIO_ACK_DISABLE;
         d->size = len;
         d->ncookies = port->tx_bufs[dr->prod].ncookies;
         for (i = 0; i < d->ncookies; i++)