Maximum number of IPv6 addresses ?

[r00txs]

I am trying to add 10,000 IPv6 addresses on my FC6 system eth0 , but every time after adding 4096 Addresses it just refuses to add anymore IP addresses and prints out these messages :
RTNETLINK answers : Cannot allocate memory

I am using the ip addr add command ..

Does any one know what is the maximum number of IP addresses that fedora and linux in general supports on a particular NIC/ethX. ?

Any insights into how is the memory being allocated for each IP address and why is it failing to allocate memory here ?

I have tried it on a system with 512MB as well as 2 GB RAM but every time its always around 4k message that it bails out . Leads me to think its a linux /os specific problem ..

Any help would be appreciated ..

[brunson]

If you have a real need to run that many addresses on a single box, you may as well get familiar with reading kernel source and driver code now. 4096 sounds too "round" in binary. I'll bet you hit a coded limit, the max value of a counter or something.

[r00txs]

A Hard coded limit hmm...Thats what I am scratching my head for .. Any pointers on to which files ? area of kernel source to look for ? .. I am wondering what is the motivation behind keeping it at this limit ?

[brunson]

Everything takes resources. At some point you have to make a decision how much resources something can take and put a limit on it.

I'd have to download the source and look through it myself to find it, I'm afraid you'll have to do this homework yourself. :-)