[PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Anisse Astier]

Firmware images necessary for the In-field scan[1] functionality are not
available at the moment[2], and require having access to at least an
Intel customer account[3].

Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
when the images are finally published.

[1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
[2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
[3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180

Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
---
I realize Intel had a few troubled years, and that having this feature
in the kernel must be quite helpful to some users. But right now, it
cannot be used unless one has a commercial relationship with Intel.

I am not advocating for the removal of this driver; this is just an
update of the documentation to show that the publication of the firmware
images necessary to use the driver might have fallen through the cracks,
and might not happen soon.

Kind regards,

Anisse
---
 drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h | 11 +++++++----
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
index 5c3c0dfa1bf8..9a7ad9cc9d08 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
  * IFS Image
  * ---------
  *
- * Intel provides a firmware file containing the scan tests via
- * github [#f1]_.  Similar to microcode there is a separate file for each
- * family-model-stepping. IFS Images are not applicable for some test types.
+ * As of early 2025, Intel provides the firmware files containing the scan tests
+ * to select customers [#f1]_. When this driver was merged in 2022, it was
+ * announced that firmware files would be available via github [#f2]_. Similar
+ * to microcode there is a separate file for each family-model-stepping. IFS
+ * Images are not applicable for some test types.
  * Wherever applicable the sysfs directory would provide a "current_batch" file
  * (see below) for loading the image.
  *
@@ -125,7 +127,8 @@
  * 2) Hardware allows for some number of cores to be tested in parallel.
  * The driver does not make use of this, it only tests one core at a time.
  *
- * .. [#f1] https://github.com/intel/TBD
+ * .. [#f1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
+ * .. [#f2] https://github.com/intel/TBD
  *
  *
  * Structural Based Functional Test at Field (SBAF):
-- 
2.47.1

Re: [PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Joseph, Jithu]

On 1/2/2025 11:43 AM, Anisse Astier wrote:
> Firmware images necessary for the In-field scan[1] functionality are not
> available at the moment[2], and require having access to at least an
> Intel customer account[3].
> 
> Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
> when the images are finally published.
> 
> [1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> [2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
> [3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180
> 
> Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
> ---
> I realize Intel had a few troubled years, and that having this feature
> in the kernel must be quite helpful to some users. But right now, it
> cannot be used unless one has a commercial relationship with Intel.
> 
> I am not advocating for the removal of this driver; this is just an
> update of the documentation to show that the publication of the firmware
> images necessary to use the driver might have fallen through the cracks,
> and might not happen soon.

Thanks for bringing this up ... apologies for the delay in making the images publicly available.
We have reached out to internal teams to speed this up.

I will update the the documentation (or respond here) when I have more info

In the meantime, I am okay with updating the documentation  to reflect the current state of image availability


Thanks
Jithu

Re: [PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Anisse Astier]

Hi Jithu,

On Thu, Jan 02, 2025 at 01:40:23PM -0800, Joseph, Jithu wrote:
> 
> 
> On 1/2/2025 11:43 AM, Anisse Astier wrote:
> > I realize Intel had a few troubled years, and that having this feature
> > in the kernel must be quite helpful to some users. But right now, it
> > cannot be used unless one has a commercial relationship with Intel.
> > 
> > I am not advocating for the removal of this driver; this is just an
> > update of the documentation to show that the publication of the firmware
> > images necessary to use the driver might have fallen through the cracks,
> > and might not happen soon.
> 
> Thanks for bringing this up ... apologies for the delay in making the images publicly available.
> We have reached out to internal teams to speed this up.
> 
> I will update the the documentation (or respond here) when I have more info
> 
> In the meantime, I am okay with updating the documentation  to reflect the current state of image availability
> 
> 
> Thanks
> Jithu

Did you get any update?

Do you think this doc patch could be queued for 6.14 or 6.15 ?

Kind regards,

Anisse

Re: [PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Joseph, Jithu]

On 1/20/2025 12:20 PM, Anisse Astier wrote:
> Hi Jithu,
> 
> On Thu, Jan 02, 2025 at 01:40:23PM -0800, Joseph, Jithu wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 1/2/2025 11:43 AM, Anisse Astier wrote:
>>> I realize Intel had a few troubled years, and that having this feature
>>> in the kernel must be quite helpful to some users. But right now, it
>>> cannot be used unless one has a commercial relationship with Intel.
>>>
>>> I am not advocating for the removal of this driver; this is just an
>>> update of the documentation to show that the publication of the firmware
>>> images necessary to use the driver might have fallen through the cracks,
>>> and might not happen soon.
>>
>> Thanks for bringing this up ... apologies for the delay in making the images publicly available.
>> We have reached out to internal teams to speed this up.
>>
>> I will update the the documentation (or respond here) when I have more info
>>
>> In the meantime, I am okay with updating the documentation  to reflect the current state of image availability
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>> Jithu
> 
> Did you get any update?

Things have started moving internally towards this. I do anticipate at-least a few more weeks before having
a sharable link.

> 
> Do you think this doc patch could be queued for 6.14 or 6.15 ?

I don't have any objection in merging this doc patch with minor changes to commit message to indicate that only the 
scan test portion of the IFS test suite is affected by the lack of public image availability  ... 

I will comment on that in a separate reply



Thanks
Jithu

Re: [PATCH] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Joseph, Jithu]

Given that Array BIST portion of IFS test suite (in [1]) can be run without any images, can I suggest the following edits

On 1/2/2025 11:43 AM, Anisse Astier wrote:
> Firmware images necessary for the In-field scan[1] functionality are not

Firmware images necessary for certain tests in In Field Scan[1] test suite are not

> available at the moment[2], and require having access to at least an
> Intel customer account[3].
> 
> Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
> when the images are finally published.
> 
> [1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> [2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
> [3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180
> 
> Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
> ---
> I realize Intel had a few troubled years, and that having this feature
> in the kernel must be quite helpful to some users. But right now, it
> cannot be used unless one has a commercial relationship with Intel.
> 
> I am not advocating for the removal of this driver; this is just an
> update of the documentation to show that the publication of the firmware
> images necessary to use the driver might have fallen through the cracks,
> and might not happen soon.
> 
> Kind regards,
> 
> Anisse
> ---
>  drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h | 11 +++++++----
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> index 5c3c0dfa1bf8..9a7ad9cc9d08 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> +++ b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> @@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
>   * IFS Image
>   * ---------
>   *
> - * Intel provides a firmware file containing the scan tests via
> - * github [#f1]_.  Similar to microcode there is a separate file for each
> - * family-model-stepping. IFS Images are not applicable for some test types.
> + * As of early 2025, Intel provides the firmware files containing the scan tests
> + * to select customers [#f1]_. When this driver was merged in 2022, it was
> + * announced that firmware files would be available via github [#f2]_. Similar
> + * to microcode there is a separate file for each family-model-stepping. IFS
> + * Images are not applicable for some test types.
>   * Wherever applicable the sysfs directory would provide a "current_batch" file
>   * (see below) for loading the image.
>   *
> @@ -125,7 +127,8 @@
>   * 2) Hardware allows for some number of cores to be tested in parallel.
>   * The driver does not make use of this, it only tests one core at a time.
>   *
> - * .. [#f1] https://github.com/intel/TBD
> + * .. [#f1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> + * .. [#f2] https://github.com/intel/TBD
>   *
>   *
>   * Structural Based Functional Test at Field (SBAF):

Thanks
Jithu

[PATCH v2] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Anisse Astier]

Firmware images necessary for certain tests in the In-field scan[1] test
suite are not available at the moment[2], and require having access to
at least an Intel customer account[3].

Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
when the images are finally published.

[1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
[2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
[3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180

Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
---
Changes since v1:
 - update commit message to clarify that only some tests need the firmware
   images, thanks Jithu for the suggestion!

Regards,

Anisse
---
 drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h | 11 +++++++----
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
index 5c3c0dfa1bf8..9a7ad9cc9d08 100644
--- a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
+++ b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
  * IFS Image
  * ---------
  *
- * Intel provides a firmware file containing the scan tests via
- * github [#f1]_.  Similar to microcode there is a separate file for each
- * family-model-stepping. IFS Images are not applicable for some test types.
+ * As of early 2025, Intel provides the firmware files containing the scan tests
+ * to select customers [#f1]_. When this driver was merged in 2022, it was
+ * announced that firmware files would be available via github [#f2]_. Similar
+ * to microcode there is a separate file for each family-model-stepping. IFS
+ * Images are not applicable for some test types.
  * Wherever applicable the sysfs directory would provide a "current_batch" file
  * (see below) for loading the image.
  *
@@ -125,7 +127,8 @@
  * 2) Hardware allows for some number of cores to be tested in parallel.
  * The driver does not make use of this, it only tests one core at a time.
  *
- * .. [#f1] https://github.com/intel/TBD
+ * .. [#f1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
+ * .. [#f2] https://github.com/intel/TBD
  *
  *
  * Structural Based Functional Test at Field (SBAF):
-- 
2.48.1

Re: [PATCH v2] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Joseph, Jithu]

On 1/21/2025 10:39 AM, Anisse Astier wrote:
> Firmware images necessary for certain tests in the In-field scan[1] test
> suite are not available at the moment[2], and require having access to
> at least an Intel customer account[3].
> 
> Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
> when the images are finally published.
> 
> [1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> [2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
> [3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180
> 
> Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
> ---
> Changes since v1:
>  - update commit message to clarify that only some tests need the firmware
>    images, thanks Jithu for the suggestion!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Anisse
> ---
>  drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h | 11 +++++++----
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

Looks good to me.

Reviewed-by: Jithu Joseph <jithu.joseph@intel.com>

> 
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> index 5c3c0dfa1bf8..9a7ad9cc9d08 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> +++ b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> @@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
>   * IFS Image
>   * ---------
>   *
> - * Intel provides a firmware file containing the scan tests via
> - * github [#f1]_.  Similar to microcode there is a separate file for each
> - * family-model-stepping. IFS Images are not applicable for some test types.
> + * As of early 2025, Intel provides the firmware files containing the scan tests
> + * to select customers [#f1]_. When this driver was merged in 2022, it was
> + * announced that firmware files would be available via github [#f2]_. Similar
> + * to microcode there is a separate file for each family-model-stepping. IFS
> + * Images are not applicable for some test types.
>   * Wherever applicable the sysfs directory would provide a "current_batch" file
>   * (see below) for loading the image.
>   *
> @@ -125,7 +127,8 @@
>   * 2) Hardware allows for some number of cores to be tested in parallel.
>   * The driver does not make use of this, it only tests one core at a time.
>   *
> - * .. [#f1] https://github.com/intel/TBD
> + * .. [#f1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> + * .. [#f2] https://github.com/intel/TBD
>   *
>   *
>   * Structural Based Functional Test at Field (SBAF):

Thanks
Jithu

Re: [PATCH v2] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Ilpo Järvinen]

On Tue, 21 Jan 2025, Anisse Astier wrote:

> Firmware images necessary for certain tests in the In-field scan[1] test
> suite are not available at the moment[2], and require having access to
> at least an Intel customer account[3].
> 
> Update documentation to match current state, it can be updated again
> when the images are finally published.
> 
> [1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> [2] https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/826383?explicitVersion=true
> [3] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/secure/design/confidential/software-kits/kit-details.html?kitId=815180
> 
> Signed-off-by: Anisse Astier <anisse@astier.eu>
> ---
> Changes since v1:
>  - update commit message to clarify that only some tests need the firmware
>    images, thanks Jithu for the suggestion!
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Anisse
> ---
>  drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h | 11 +++++++----
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> index 5c3c0dfa1bf8..9a7ad9cc9d08 100644
> --- a/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> +++ b/drivers/platform/x86/intel/ifs/ifs.h
> @@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
>   * IFS Image
>   * ---------
>   *
> - * Intel provides a firmware file containing the scan tests via
> - * github [#f1]_.  Similar to microcode there is a separate file for each
> - * family-model-stepping. IFS Images are not applicable for some test types.
> + * As of early 2025, Intel provides the firmware files containing the scan tests
> + * to select customers [#f1]_. When this driver was merged in 2022, it was
> + * announced that firmware files would be available via github [#f2]_. Similar
> + * to microcode there is a separate file for each family-model-stepping. IFS
> + * Images are not applicable for some test types.
>   * Wherever applicable the sysfs directory would provide a "current_batch" file
>   * (see below) for loading the image.
>   *
> @@ -125,7 +127,8 @@
>   * 2) Hardware allows for some number of cores to be tested in parallel.
>   * The driver does not make use of this, it only tests one core at a time.
>   *
> - * .. [#f1] https://github.com/intel/TBD
> + * .. [#f1] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000099537/processors/intel-xeon-processors.html
> + * .. [#f2] https://github.com/intel/TBD
>   *
>   *
>   * Structural Based Functional Test at Field (SBAF):
> 

Thanks for the update. My intention is to apply this patch though the 
fixes branch towards the end of the -rc cycle if those images are not 
available by then.

-- 
 i.

Re: [PATCH v2] platform/x86/intel/ifs: Update documentation to match current availability of firmware images

[Joseph, Jithu]

On 1/22/2025 5:42 AM, Ilpo Järvinen wrote:

> 
> Thanks for the update. My intention is to apply this patch though the 
> fixes branch towards the end of the -rc cycle if those images are not 
> available by then.

Ilpo, Anisse  I sent a patch with link to IFS images here [1]


[1] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20250131205315.1585663-1-jithu.joseph@intel.com/

Thanks
Jithu