Re: [PATCH 0/2] Display adjacent switch port's attributes

[Stefan Raspl <raspl@linux.vnet.ibm.com>]

Am 11.12.2013 21:13, schrieb Stephen Hemminger:
> On Wed, 11 Dec 2013 14:28:58 +0100
> Stefan Raspl <raspl@linux.vnet.ibm.com> wrote:
> 
>> This patch series adds a new callback for ethtool to display the adjacent switch
>> port's attributes, as perceived by the NIC, e.g. through respective LLDP message
>> exchanges.
>> A patch for the qeth device driver provides a sample exploiter for the new
>> functionality.
>> A new option for ethtool to display the settings will be posted in a separate
>> patch.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Stefan Raspl
>>
>> Stefan Raspl (2):
>>   ethtool: Add callback to indicate adjacent switch port attributes
>>   qeth: Display adjacent switch port attributes in ethtool
>>
>>  drivers/s390/net/qeth_core.h      |  7 ++++
>>  drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_main.c | 79 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>  drivers/s390/net/qeth_core_mpc.h  | 17 +++++++++
>>  drivers/s390/net/qeth_l2_main.c   |  1 +
>>  drivers/s390/net/qeth_l3_main.c   |  1 +
>>  include/linux/ethtool.h           |  3 ++
>>  include/uapi/linux/ethtool.h      | 35 +++++++++++++++++
>>  net/core/ethtool.c                | 22 +++++++++++
>>  8 files changed, 165 insertions(+)
>>
> 
> Why more ethtool and not netlink? ethtool is a brittle interface, non-extensible
> and does not support notifications of changes.
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I agree, netlink would certainly be nice. But ethtool is the
de-facto standard for now, and there doesn't seem to be a
netlink-based alternative in sight - or is there?
Offering a netlink based tool seems to be a different discussion,
and if that takes shape, existing ethtool functionality (including
this series) can and should be migrated.