Subject: Re: [PATCH ethtool v1] netlink: add master/slave configuration support

From: Stephen Hemminger <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2020 15:30:19 -0700

On Tue, 26 May 2020 11:10:25 +0200
Oleksij Rempel <[email-masked]> wrote:

> This UAPI is needed for BroadR-Reach 100BASE-T1 devices. Due to lack of
> auto-negotiation support, we needed to be able to configure the
> MASTER-SLAVE role of the port manually or from an application in user
> space.
> 
> The same UAPI can be used for 1000BASE-T or MultiGBASE-T devices to
> force MASTER or SLAVE role. See IEEE 802.3-2018:
> 22.2.4.3.7 MASTER-SLAVE control register (Register 9)
> 22.2.4.3.8 MASTER-SLAVE status register (Register 10)
> 40.5.2 MASTER-SLAVE configuration resolution
> 45.2.1.185.1 MASTER-SLAVE config value (1.2100.14)
> 45.2.7.10 MultiGBASE-T AN control 1 register (Register 7.32)
> 
> The MASTER-SLAVE role affects the clock configuration:
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> When the  PHY is configured as MASTER, the PMA Transmit function shall
> source TX_TCLK from a local clock source. When configured as SLAVE, the
> PMA Transmit function shall source TX_TCLK from the clock recovered from
> data stream provided by MASTER.
> 
> iMX6Q                     KSZ9031                XXX
> ------\                /-----------\        /------------\
>       |                |           |        |            |
>  MAC  |<----RGMII----->| PHY Slave |<------>| PHY Master |
>       |<--- 125 MHz ---+-<------/  |        | \          |
> ------/                \-----------/        \------------/
>                                                ^
>                                                 \-TX_TCLK
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Since some clock or link related issues are only reproducible in a
> specific MASTER-SLAVE-role, MAC and PHY configuration, it is beneficial
> to provide generic (not 100BASE-T1 specific) interface to the user space
> for configuration flexibility and trouble shooting.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Oleksij Rempel <[email-masked]>

NAK
Open source projects have been working hard to remove the terms master and slave
in API's and documentation. Apparently, Linux hasn't gotten the message.
It would make sense not to introduce new instances.