[PATCH net-next] eth: ionic: delete the incorrect link_down_count reporting

[PATCH net-next] eth: ionic: delete the incorrect link_down_count reporting

[Jakub Kicinski]

The definition of the statistic is quite clear,
struct ethtool_link_ext_stats says:

   This statistic counts when PHY _actually_ went down, or lost link.

Reportedly this is not how the device-counted stat on ionic behaves.
The goal is to detect flapping links, due to bad cabling.
ionic reportedly uses this for some firmware stat of how many times
the traffic was stopped. This is _not_ what should be reported here.

Link: https://lore.kernel.org/20260610061830.51037-1-eric.joyner@amd.com
Signed-off-by: Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>
---
CC: brett.creeley@amd.com
CC: eric.joyner@amd.com
CC: leitao@debian.org
---
 drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c | 10 ----------
 1 file changed, 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
index 78a802eb159f..f7dcfe3d032d 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
@@ -111,15 +111,6 @@ static void ionic_get_regs(struct net_device *netdev, struct ethtool_regs *regs,
 	memcpy_fromio(p + offset, idev->dev_cmd_regs->words, size);
 }
 
-static void ionic_get_link_ext_stats(struct net_device *netdev,
-				     struct ethtool_link_ext_stats *stats)
-{
-	struct ionic_lif *lif = netdev_priv(netdev);
-
-	if (lif->ionic->pdev->is_physfn)
-		stats->link_down_events = lif->link_down_count;
-}
-
 static int ionic_get_link_ksettings(struct net_device *netdev,
 				    struct ethtool_link_ksettings *ks)
 {
@@ -1132,7 +1123,6 @@ static const struct ethtool_ops ionic_ethtool_ops = {
 	.get_regs_len		= ionic_get_regs_len,
 	.get_regs		= ionic_get_regs,
 	.get_link		= ethtool_op_get_link,
-	.get_link_ext_stats	= ionic_get_link_ext_stats,
 	.get_link_ksettings	= ionic_get_link_ksettings,
 	.set_link_ksettings	= ionic_set_link_ksettings,
 	.get_coalesce		= ionic_get_coalesce,
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [PATCH net-next] eth: ionic: delete the incorrect link_down_count reporting

[Breno Leitao]

On Mon, Jun 15, 2026 at 10:01:53AM -0700, Jakub Kicinski wrote:
> The definition of the statistic is quite clear,
> struct ethtool_link_ext_stats says:
> 
>    This statistic counts when PHY _actually_ went down, or lost link.
> 
> Reportedly this is not how the device-counted stat on ionic behaves.
> The goal is to detect flapping links, due to bad cabling.
> ionic reportedly uses this for some firmware stat of how many times
> the traffic was stopped. This is _not_ what should be reported here.
> 
> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/20260610061830.51037-1-eric.joyner@amd.com
> Signed-off-by: Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>

Acked-by: Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>

CC: brett.creeley@amd.com
> CC: eric.joyner@amd.com
> CC: leitao@debian.org
> ---
>  drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c | 10 ----------
>  1 file changed, 10 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
> index 78a802eb159f..f7dcfe3d032d 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
> @@ -111,15 +111,6 @@ static void ionic_get_regs(struct net_device *netdev, struct ethtool_regs *regs,
>  	memcpy_fromio(p + offset, idev->dev_cmd_regs->words, size);
>  }
>  
> -static void ionic_get_link_ext_stats(struct net_device *netdev,
> -				     struct ethtool_link_ext_stats *stats)
> -{
> -	struct ionic_lif *lif = netdev_priv(netdev);
> -
> -	if (lif->ionic->pdev->is_physfn)
> -		stats->link_down_events = lif->link_down_count;

It seems this is the only place where link_down_count is read. Maybe you
want to kill it as well?

Re: [PATCH net-next] eth: ionic: delete the incorrect link_down_count reporting

[Creeley, Brett]

On 6/15/2026 10:14 AM, Breno Leitao wrote:
> Caution: This message originated from an External Source. Use proper caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or responding.
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 15, 2026 at 10:01:53AM -0700, Jakub Kicinski wrote:
>> The definition of the statistic is quite clear,
>> struct ethtool_link_ext_stats says:
>>
>>     This statistic counts when PHY _actually_ went down, or lost link.
>>
>> Reportedly this is not how the device-counted stat on ionic behaves.
>> The goal is to detect flapping links, due to bad cabling.
>> ionic reportedly uses this for some firmware stat of how many times
>> the traffic was stopped. This is _not_ what should be reported here.
>>
>> Link: https://lore.kernel.org/20260610061830.51037-1-eric.joyner@amd.com
>> Signed-off-by: Jakub Kicinski <kuba@kernel.org>
> Acked-by: Breno Leitao <leitao@debian.org>
>
> CC: brett.creeley@amd.com
>> CC: eric.joyner@amd.com
>> CC: leitao@debian.org
>> ---
>>   drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c | 10 ----------
>>   1 file changed, 10 deletions(-)
>>
>> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
>> index 78a802eb159f..f7dcfe3d032d 100644
>> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
>> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_ethtool.c
>> @@ -111,15 +111,6 @@ static void ionic_get_regs(struct net_device *netdev, struct ethtool_regs *regs,
>>        memcpy_fromio(p + offset, idev->dev_cmd_regs->words, size);
>>   }
>>
>> -static void ionic_get_link_ext_stats(struct net_device *netdev,
>> -                                  struct ethtool_link_ext_stats *stats)
>> -{
>> -     struct ionic_lif *lif = netdev_priv(netdev);
>> -
>> -     if (lif->ionic->pdev->is_physfn)
>> -             stats->link_down_events = lif->link_down_count;
> It seems this is the only place where link_down_count is read. Maybe you
> want to kill it as well?

It still shows in debugfs, but we'd be fine with it being removed 
completely in favor of the correct implementation from Eric at: 
https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20260614205303.48088-5-eric.joyner@amd.com/.

Thanks,

Brett