netdev - Re: [PATCH iproute2] ip link: add sub-command to view and change DSA master

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Date:   Thu, 8 Sep 2022 07:25:19 -0700
From:   Stephen Hemminger <stephen@...workplumber.org>
To:     David Ahern <dsahern@...nel.org>
Cc:     Vladimir Oltean <vladimir.oltean@....com>,
        Florian Fainelli <f.fainelli@...il.com>,
        Andrew Lunn <andrew@...n.ch>,
        "netdev@...r.kernel.org" <netdev@...r.kernel.org>,
        Vivien Didelot <vivien.didelot@...il.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH iproute2] ip link: add sub-command to view and change
 DSA master

On Thu, 8 Sep 2022 08:08:23 -0600
David Ahern <dsahern@...nel.org> wrote:

> > 
> > Proposing any alternative naming raises the question how far you want to
> > go with the alternative name. No user of DSA knows the "conduit interface"
> > or "management port" or whatnot by any other name except "DSA master".
> > What do we do about the user-visible Documentation/networking/dsa/configuration.rst,
> > which clearly and consistently uses the 'master' name everywhere?
> > Do we replace 'master' with something else and act as if it was never
> > named 'master' in the first place? Do we introduce IFLA_DSA_MGMT_PORT as
> > UAPI and explain in the documentation "oh yeah, that's how you change
> > the DSA master"? "Ahh ok, why didn't you just call it IFLA_DSA_MASTER
> > then?" "Well...."
> > 
> > Also, what about the code in net/dsa/*.c and drivers/net/dsa/, do we
> > also change that to reflect the new terminology, or do we just have
> > documentation stating one thing and the code another?
> > 
> > At this stage, I'm much more likely to circumvent all of this, and avoid
> > triggering anyone by making a writable IFLA_LINK be the mechanism through
> > which we change the DSA master.  
> 
> IMHO, 'master' should be an allowed option giving the precedence of
> existing code and existing terminology. An alternative keyword can be
> used for those that want to avoid use of 'master' in scripts. vrf is an
> example of this -- you can specify 'vrf <device>' as a keyword instead
> of 'master <vrf>'

Agreed, just wanted to start discussion of alternative wording.