Re: [PATCH net-next v6 06/14] net: phy: Introduce generic SFP handling for PHY drivers

[Romain Gantois <romain.gantois@bootlin.com>]

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On Friday, 30 May 2025 09:46:19 CEST Russell King (Oracle) wrote:
> On Fri, May 30, 2025 at 09:28:11AM +0200, Romain Gantois wrote:
> > On Thursday, 29 May 2025 15:23:22 CEST Russell King (Oracle) wrote:
> > > On Wed, May 28, 2025 at 09:35:35AM +0200, Romain Gantois wrote:
> > > > > In that regard, you can consider 1000BaseX as a MII mode (we do have
> > > > > PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_1000BASEX).
> > > > 
> > > > Ugh, the "1000BaseX" terminology never ceases to confuse me, but yes
> > > > you're
> > > > right.
> > > 
> > > 1000BASE-X is exactly what is described in IEEE 802.3. It's a PHY
> > > interface mode because PHYs that use SerDes can connect to the host
> > > using SGMII or 1000BASE-X over the serial link.
> > > 
> > > 1000BASE-X's purpose in IEEE 802.3 is as a protocol for use over
> > > fibre links, as the basis for 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX, 1000BASE-EX
> > > etc where the S, L, E etc are all to do with the properties of the
> > > medium that the electrical 1000BASE-X is sent over. It even includes
> > > 1000BASE-CX which is over copper cable.
> > 
> > Ah makes sense, thanks for the explanation. I guess my mistake was
> > assuming
> > that MAC/PHY interface modes were necessarily strictly at the
> > reconciliation sublayer level, and didn't include PCS/PMA functions.
> 
> When a serdes protocol such as SGMII, 1000BASE-X, or 10GBASE-R is being
> used with a PHY, the IEEE 802.3 setup isn't followed exactly - in
> effect there are more layers.
> 
> On the SoC:
> 
> 	MAC
> 	Reconciliation (RS)
> 	PCS
> 	SerDes (part of the PMA layer)
> 
> On the PHY side of the SerDes host-to-phy link:
> 
> 	SerDes
> 	PCS (which may or may not be exposed in the PHY register set,
> 	     and is normally managed by the PHY itself)
> 	(maybe other layers, could include MACs	back-to-back)
> 	PCS
> 	PMA
> 	PMD
> 
> Hope that helps explain what's going on a little more.

Definitely helps a lot, thanks.

-- 
Romain Gantois, Bootlin
Embedded Linux and Kernel engineering
https://bootlin.com

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