linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 0/16 v6] PCI: Linux kernel SR-IOV support

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Date:	Thu, 6 Nov 2008 08:41:53 -0800 (PST)
From:	H L <swdevyid@...oo.com>
To:	Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>
Cc:	Yu Zhao <yu.zhao@...el.com>, randy.dunlap@...cle.com,
	grundler@...isc-linux.org, achiang@...com, matthew@....cx,
	linux-pci@...r.kernel.org, rdreier@...co.com,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, jbarnes@...tuousgeek.org,
	virtualization@...ts.linux-foundation.org, kvm@...r.kernel.org,
	mingo@...e.hu
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/16 v6] PCI: Linux kernel SR-IOV support

I have not modified any existing drivers, but instead I threw together a bare-bones module enabling me to make a call to pci_iov_register() and then poke at an SR-IOV adapter's /sys entries for which no driver was loaded.

It appears from my perusal thus far that drivers using these new SR-IOV patches will require modification; i.e. the driver associated with the Physical Function (PF) will be required to make the pci_iov_register() call along with the requisite notify() function.  Essentially this suggests to me a model for the PF driver to perform any "global actions" or setup on behalf of VFs before enabling them after which VF drivers could be associated.

I have so far only seen Yu Zhao's "7-patch" set.  I've not yet looked at his subsequently tendered "15-patch" set so I don't know what has changed.    The hardware/firmware implementation for any given SR-IOV compatible device, will determine the extent of differences required between a PF driver and a VF driver.

--
Lance Hartmann

--- On Thu, 11/6/08, Greg KH <greg@...ah.com> wrote:

> Date: Thursday, November 6, 2008, 9:43 AM
> On Thu, Nov 06, 2008 at 07:40:12AM -0800, H L wrote:
> > 
> > Greetings (from a new lurker to the list),
> 
> Welcome!
> 
> > To your question Greg, "yes" and "sort
> of" ;-).  I have started taking
> > a look at these patches with a strong interest in
> understanding how
> > they work.  I've built a kernel with them and
> tried out a few things
> > with real SR-IOV hardware.
> 
> Did you have to modify individual drivers to take advantage
> of this
> code?  It looks like the core code will run on this type of
> hardware,
> but there seems to be no real advantage until a driver is
> modified to
> use it, right?
> 
> Or am I missing some great advantage to having this code
> without
> modified drivers?
> 
> thanks,
> 
> greg k-h

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