Re: [PATCH net-next V6 09/13] devlink: Add 'keep_link_up' generic devlink device param

[Saeed Mahameed <saeed@kernel.org>]

On 28 Aug 15:38, Jakub Kicinski wrote:
>On Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:09:50 -0700 Saeed Mahameed wrote:
>> >> I don't see anything missing in the definition of this parameter
>> >> 'keep_link_up' it is pretty much self-explanatory, for legacy reasons the
>> >> netdev controls the underlying physical link state. But this is not
>> >> true anymore for complex setups (multi-host, DPU, etc..).
>> >
>> >The policy can be more complex than "keep_link_up"
>> >Look around the tree and search the ML archives please.
>>
>> Sorry for replying late, had to work on other stuff and was waiting
>> internally for a question I had to ask about this, only recently got the
>> answer.
>>
>> I get your point, but I am not trying to implement any link policy
>> or eth link specification tunables. For me and maybe other vendors
>> this knob makes sense, and Important for the usecase I described.
>
>I think I was alluding to making the link stay up dependent on presence
>of BMC / management engine and or some NIC-internal agents. So to give
>a trivial example the policy could be:
> - force down
> - leave up if BMC present
> - force up
>I don't recall prior discussions TBH so doing more research will be
>necessary..

Sounds good will drop this patch and re-post. Will suggest the policy to
our Arch people to see if FW can adapt.

Thanks,
Saeed.