Re: [PATCH net-next v7 00/17] ethtool netlink interface, part 1

Johannes Berg
2019-10-11T06:47:15Z

On Thu, 2019-10-10 at 17:48 -0700, Jakub Kicinski wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Oct 2019 22:59:00 +0200 (CEST), Michal Kubecek wrote:
> > This is first part of netlink based alternative userspace interface for
> > ethtool. It aims to address some long known issues with the ioctl
> > interface, mainly lack of extensibility, raciness, limited error reporting
> > and absence of notifications. The goal is to allow userspace ethtool
> > utility to provide all features it currently does but without using the
> > ioctl interface. However, some features provided by ethtool ioctl API will
> > be available through other netlink interfaces (rtnetlink, devlink) if it's
> > more appropriate.
>
> Looks like perhaps with ETHTOOL_A_HEADER_RFLAGS checking taken out of
> the picture we can proceed as is and potentially work on defining some
> best practices around attrs and nesting for the future generations? :)
>
> I was trying to find a way to perhaps start merging something.. Would
> it make sense to spin out patches 1, 2, 3, and 8 as they seem to be
> ready (possibly 11, too if the reorder isn't painful)?

I was surprised 3 didn't go in even last time this was posted, it seems
such an obvious thing and not necessary just for ethtool :)

johannes