Subject: Re: [net-next-2.6 PATCH 1/2] ethtool: Add PHY type to ethtool get_drvinfo

From: Ben Hutchings <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:23:41 +0000

On Tue, 2009-11-17 at 16:41 -0800, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:56:57 -0800 (Pacific Standard Time)
> "Waskiewicz Jr, Peter P" <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, 17 Nov 2009, Stephen Hemminger wrote:
> > 
> > > On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:13:24 -0800
> > > Jeff Kirsher <[email-masked]> wrote:
> > > 
> > > > From: PJ Waskiewicz <[email-masked]>
> > > > 
> > > > Allow the PHY type to be passed from a driver to ethtool when
> > > > ethtool -i ethX is called.  With newer network cards having SFP
> > > > and SFP+ PHY cages, this information can be useful, especially
> > > > if the NIC supports hot-swapping of the PHY modules.
> > > > 
> > > > Signed-off-by: Peter P Waskiewicz Jr <[email-masked]>
> > > > Signed-off-by: Jeff Kirsher <[email-masked]>
> > > > ---
> > > 
> > > Maybe revive usage of connector port in ethtool rather than adding new API?
> > > It is already there but values are out of date with current hardware.
> > 
> > You're referring to the MODE_GSET port settings?  If so, I like this 
> > approach, and will update my patches accordingly.
> 
> Yes. cmd->port is always PORT_TP or PORT_FIBRE now but could be extended
> Likewise cmd->transceiver could be modified.  I haven't seen an external transceiver
> since the old fat yellow cable with vampire taps (and that was 20 yrs ago).

It seems to me there should be a transceiver type code or codes for
connectors like SFP where the bulk of the transceiver is internal but
the optical part is an external module.  SFP+ is a tricky case because
it also supports passive cables.

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.