Re: [PATCH net-next V0 19/21] mlx4_core: Modify driver initialization flow to accommodate SRIOV for Ethernet

[Ben Hutchings <bhutchings-s/n/eUQHGBpZroRs9YW3xA@public.gmane.org>]

On Fri, 2011-12-02 at 12:19 +0200, Yevgeny Petrilin wrote:
> From: Jack Morgenstein <jackm-LDSdmyG8hGV8YrgS2mwiifqBs+8SCbDb@public.gmane.org>
> 
> 1. Added module parameters sr_iov and probe_vf for controlling enablement of
>    SRIOV mode.

This sort of option is useful in many drivers, and ideally would be
specified in some generic way rather than a module parameters.  However
I can't see a good way to make it configurable after the net device is
registered.

Currently the in-tree drivers have:

be2net: num_vfs
cxgb4:  num_vfs [array]
igb:    max_vfs
ixgbe:  max_vfs

Consider renaming 'sr_iov' to one of the above rather than adding to the
variation.

The 'probe_vf' parameter is very odd.  Why do you think it is necessary
to make this a module parameter?  It should be possible to bind and
unbind the driver from each VF dynamically via sysfs but this parameter
appears to restrict that.

[...]
> 3. Added port_type_array as a module parameter to allow driver startup with
>    ports configured as desired.
>    In SRIOV mode, only ETH is supported, and this array is ignored; otherwise,
>    for the case where the FW supports both port types (ETH and IB), the
>    port_type_array parameter is used.
>    By default, the port_type_array is set to configure both ports as IB.
[...]

You seem to be saying that this can be reconfigured after startup - in
which case is the module parameter really necessary?  Maybe I
misunderstand.

Ben.

-- 
Ben Hutchings, Staff Engineer, Solarflare
Not speaking for my employer; that's the marketing department's job.
They asked us to note that Solarflare product names are trademarked.

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