Subject: Re: PHY firmware update method

From: Jakub Kicinski <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2022 07:12:09 -0700

On Thu, 29 Sep 2022 14:28:13 +0200 Andrew Lunn wrote:
> If we want to make the PHY a component of an existing devlink for a
> MAC, we somehow have to find that devlink instance. A PHY is probably
> a property of a port, so we can call netdev_to_devlink_port(), which
> gives us a way into devlink.
> 
> However, the majority of MAC drivers don't have a devlink
> instance. What do we do then? Have phylib create the devlink instance
> for the MAC driver? That seems very wrong.
> 
> Which is why i was thinking the PHY should have its own devlink
> instance.

Tricky stuff, how would you expose the topology of the system to 
the user? My initial direction would also be component. Although 
it may be weird if MAC has a way to flash "all" components in one go,
and that did not flash the PHY :S

Either way I don't think we can avoid MACs having a devlink instance
because there needs to be some form of topology formed.