From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Thomas Graf <tgraf@suug.ch>
Subject: Re: [patch net-next 00/10] introduce rocker switch driver with
 hardware accelerated datapath api - phase 1: bridge fdb offload
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2014 14:11:30 +0000
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To: Jiri Pirko <jiri@resnulli.us>
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On 11/06/14 at 10:20am, Jiri Pirko wrote:
> As to the discussion if there is need to have specific class of device
> representing the switch itself, so far we found no need to introduce that.
> But we are generally ok with the idea and when the time comes and it will
> be needed, it can be easily introduced without any disturbance.

I remember that concerns were raised in Duesseldorf and before that
reusing net_device would imply the expectation of packet rx/tx on that
net_device which might not necessarily be possible.

Whereas the model of representing the hardware switch with a
combination of Linux bridge + switchdev class would ease fullfiling
existing expecations towards net_device.

That said, I don't see why this shouldn't happen as an evolutionary
step on top of these patches.