linux-kernel - Re: Add a helper function in PCI IOV to get VF device

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Message-ID: <20100608221244.GL8301@sequoia.sous-sol.org>
Date:	Tue, 8 Jun 2010 15:12:44 -0700
From:	Chris Wright <chrisw@...s-sol.org>
To:	Frank Pan <frankpzh@...il.com>
Cc:	Chris Wright <chrisw@...s-sol.org>,
	"Williams, Mitch A" <mitch.a.williams@...el.com>,
	Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Jesse Barnes <jbarnes@...tuousgeek.org>,
	Kenji Kaneshige <kaneshige.kenji@...fujitsu.com>,
	"Rafael J. Wysocki" <rjw@...k.pl>,
	"David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>,
	Matt Carlson <mcarlson@...adcom.com>,
	"linux-pci@...r.kernel.org" <linux-pci@...r.kernel.org>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Add a helper function in PCI IOV to get VF device

* Frank Pan (frankpzh@...il.com) wrote:
> > VF is often loaded on the physical machine.  There's also a networking
> > specific mechanism for querying and configuring a VF via the PF.
> ? I don't really understand. What do you mean load? I don't think
> physical machine is able to use it as a hardware device.

Yes, it is possible.  Your example of igb...igbvf driver can be loaded
on physical machine and drive a VF instance.  In fact, this is a pretty
normal mode for KVM.

> > While your patch is simple, it's unclear to me what your end goal is.
> > The patch itself only adds a function. if you showed how you are
> > planning to use it, that would really help.
> Currently my hack is applied on 2.6.18 because of xen's limitation. As
> Mitch says, igb driver is significantly different with recent ones. On
> the other hand, my hack just exposes several PCI configuration and
> MMIO registers to the sysfs, you will only understand the use case
> when you also see the userspace hacks.

OK, but this sounds like the wrong approach.  We already have a
mechanism for using the PF to program a VF.  Have a look at the netlink
interface.  Specifically, do_setvfinfo().

thanks,
-chris
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