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Message-ID: <20090705121637.GA3627@serverengines.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 17:46:38 +0530
From: Sarveshwar Bandi <sarveshwarb@...verengines.com>
To: Ben Hutchings <bhutchings@...arflare.com>
Cc: netdev@...r.kernel.org, davem@...emloft.net
Subject: Re: [PATCH] be2net: Implementation of request_firmware interface.
I understand that most drivers use request_firmware() to load volatile
firmware. I do see that there are other nic drivers that use this inferface to
flash persistent firmware.
We have other tools for offline flashing; but there is requirement
to flash f/w through driver without having to use other proprietary tools.
Since the firmware load happens only when there is a version mismatch with
f/w in /lib/firmware, Users who want to avoid automatic flashing at boot time
can choose not to copy the f/w file under /lib/firmware.
- Sarvesh
On 02/07/09 21:33 +0100, Ben Hutchings wrote:
> On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 16:48 +0530, Sarveshwar Bandi wrote:
> > Please review and apply patch to net-next tree. Patch implements the
> > request_firmware interface.
> [...]
> > + /* fw ver on board matches */
> > + if (!strncmp(fhdr->sign + strlen(FW_FILE_HDR_SIGN), fw_ver,
> > + FW_VER_LEN))
> > + goto fw_exit;
> > +
> > + dev_info(&adapter->pdev->dev,
> > + "Flashing firmware file %s\n", fw_file);
> [...]
>
> request_firmware() is really intended for loading non-persistent
> "firmware" that must be loaded into the device's RAM after power-on
> reset. It is not expected and should not be necessary that drivers
> automatically update firmware in flash memory. I also understand that
> some OEMs specifically forbid their suppliers to do this automatically
> in drivers.
>
> Ben.
>
> --
> Ben Hutchings, Senior Software Engineer, Solarflare Communications
> Not speaking for my employer; that's the marketing department's job.
> They asked us to note that Solarflare product names are trademarked.
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