[PATCH] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[PATCH] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[Ciara Loftus]

The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
devarg.

Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
---
 doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst | 9 +++++++++
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)

diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
index f5c12cc747..b88774a3ae 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
@@ -159,3 +159,12 @@ Deprecation Notices
 * net/iavf: The dynamic mbuf field used to detect LLDP packets on the
   transmit path in the iavf PMD will be removed in a future release.
   After removal, only packet type-based detection will be supported.
+
+* net/iavf: The ``auto_reconfig`` devarg is deprecated and will be removed
+  in a future release. It allows disabling the automatic restoration of
+  device settings after a VF reset, but this is of questionable value
+  since most applications expect their settings to be preserved
+  transparently across a reset. The only use case for this devarg is
+  arguably a VF initiated reset; however this functionality could be
+  supported by extending the ``rte_pmd_iavf_reinit`` API instead of
+  relying on a devarg.
-- 
2.43.0

Re: [PATCH] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[Bruce Richardson]

On Wed, Jul 15, 2026 at 10:59:59AM +0000, Ciara Loftus wrote:
> The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
> case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
> requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
> promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
> might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
> the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
> scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
> rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
> devarg.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
> ---
>  doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst | 9 +++++++++
>  1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> index f5c12cc747..b88774a3ae 100644
> --- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> +++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> @@ -159,3 +159,12 @@ Deprecation Notices
>  * net/iavf: The dynamic mbuf field used to detect LLDP packets on the
>    transmit path in the iavf PMD will be removed in a future release.
>    After removal, only packet type-based detection will be supported.
> +
> +* net/iavf: The ``auto_reconfig`` devarg is deprecated and will be removed
> +  in a future release. It allows disabling the automatic restoration of
> +  device settings after a VF reset, but this is of questionable value
> +  since most applications expect their settings to be preserved
> +  transparently across a reset. The only use case for this devarg is
> +  arguably a VF initiated reset; however this functionality could be
> +  supported by extending the ``rte_pmd_iavf_reinit`` API instead of
> +  relying on a devarg.
> -- 

Acked-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>

I think the text might be slightly too long for a deprecation notice, so
I'd tend toward removing the description of the possible API change, since
you only talk about how it "could" be done, rather than how it "will" be
done. The first two sentences should be enough on their own.

[PATCH v2] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[Ciara Loftus]

The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
devarg.

Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
Acked-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>
---
v2:
* Shortened deprecation note
---
 doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)

diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
index f5c12cc747..910feb7cf2 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
@@ -159,3 +159,9 @@ Deprecation Notices
 * net/iavf: The dynamic mbuf field used to detect LLDP packets on the
   transmit path in the iavf PMD will be removed in a future release.
   After removal, only packet type-based detection will be supported.
+
+* net/iavf: The ``auto_reconfig`` devarg is deprecated and will be removed
+  in a future release. It allows disabling the automatic restoration of
+  device settings after a VF reset, but this is of questionable value
+  since most applications expect their settings to be preserved
+  transparently across a reset.
-- 
2.43.0

Re: [PATCH v2] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[Medvedkin, Vladimir]

Acked-by: Vladimir Medvedkin <vladimir.medvedkin@intel.com>

On 7/15/2026 1:20 PM, Ciara Loftus wrote:
> The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
> case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
> requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
> promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
> might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
> the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
> scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
> rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
> devarg.
>
> Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
> Acked-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>
> ---
> v2:
> * Shortened deprecation note
> ---
>   doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst | 6 ++++++
>   1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> index f5c12cc747..910feb7cf2 100644
> --- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> +++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/deprecation.rst
> @@ -159,3 +159,9 @@ Deprecation Notices
>   * net/iavf: The dynamic mbuf field used to detect LLDP packets on the
>     transmit path in the iavf PMD will be removed in a future release.
>     After removal, only packet type-based detection will be supported.
> +
> +* net/iavf: The ``auto_reconfig`` devarg is deprecated and will be removed
> +  in a future release. It allows disabling the automatic restoration of
> +  device settings after a VF reset, but this is of questionable value
> +  since most applications expect their settings to be preserved
> +  transparently across a reset.

-- 
Regards,
Vladimir

Re: [PATCH v2] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[Thomas Monjalon]

> > The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
> > case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
> > requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
> > promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
> > might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
> > the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
> > scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
> > rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
> > devarg.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
> > Acked-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>
> Acked-by: Vladimir Medvedkin <vladimir.medvedkin@intel.com>
Acked-by: David Marchand <david.marchand@redhat.com>

Applied, thanks.

Re: [PATCH v2] doc: add deprecation notice for iavf devarg auto reconfig

[David Marchand]

On Wed, 15 Jul 2026 at 14:21, Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com> wrote:
>
> The `auto_reconfig` devarg in the iavf driver is enabled by default and the
> case for ever disabling it is weak. When disabled, it means the user is
> requesting the driver not to restore settings (unicast/multicast
> promiscuous modes) when recovering from a reset. The use case where this
> might be desired is during a VF initiated reset where the user initiates
> the reset and wants the VF brought back up in an untouched state. That
> scenario can be facilitated by extending the `rte_pmd_iavf_reinit` API
> rather than relying on this devarg, so it should be safe to remove the
> devarg.
>
> Signed-off-by: Ciara Loftus <ciara.loftus@intel.com>
> Acked-by: Bruce Richardson <bruce.richardson@intel.com>

Acked-by: David Marchand <david.marchand@redhat.com>


-- 
David Marchand