ip, tc and more

[raptor <raptor@unacs.bg>]

hi,

I have a couple of questions :
1. I saw that "ip" has a thing called "multipath route" i.e.

ip route ..... nexthop via x.x.x.x  weight X nexthop via y.y.y.y weight Y

- what is the algorithm used to choose the gateway in this case... 
- does he have some sort of fallback i.e when one of the gateways stop
responding what he does, and what when he comes-back.

2. How exactly the classifing of packets goes i.e.  does he goes through all
the filters or through the tree. To be more clean :") if I have this tree :

1:0(root)
   1:1 class
   1:2 class
   1:3 class

and filters  
   A,B,C with parent 1:0 and X with parent 1:1

the kernel will first check filter rules A,B,C and then only the packets
goes to class 1:1 will be checked by filter X for further classifying.
Is THAT true or it checks all filters in "linear" fashon.

3. If I use u8, u16 instead u32 does this have some impact on memory usage or
speed. Will someone of the QoS gurus finally write some simple description of
u32 classifier and/or to tc :") ?!? I've began something but there is many
"white spots" yet to be tested and understanded.

Thanx alot in advance