Re: [PATCH net-next v3 0/5] net: pse-pd: pd692x0: Add permanent configuration management support

[Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>]

On Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:06:25 +0200 Kory Maincent wrote:
> This patch series introduces a new devlink-conf uAPI to manage device
> configuration stored in non-volatile memory. This provides a standardized
> interface for devices that need to persist configuration changes across
> reboots. The uAPI is designed to be generic and can be used by any device
> driver that manages persistent configuration storage.
> 
> The permanent configuration allows settings to persist across device
> resets and power cycles, providing better control over PSE behavior
> in production environments.

I'm still unclear on the technical justification for this.
"There's a tool in another project which does it this way"
is not usually sufficient upstream. For better or worse we
like to re-implement things from first principles.

Could you succinctly explain why "saving config" can't be implemented
by some user space dumping out ethtool configuration, saving it under
/etc, and using that config after reboot. A'la iptables-save /
iptables-restore?

(I'll apply patch 3 now, looks like a nice cleanup)