Subject: Re: [PATCH net-next V7 02/14] devlink: introduce shared devlink instance for PFs on same chip

From: Jakub Kicinski <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 18:42:00 -0800

On Tue, 3 Feb 2026 10:44:16 +0100 Jiri Pirko wrote:
> >> +/* This structure represents a shared devlink instance,
> >> + * there is one created per identifier (e.g., serial number).
> >> + */
> >> +struct devlink_shd {
> >> +	struct list_head list; /* Node in shd list */
> >> +	const char *id; /* Identifier string (e.g., serial number) */  
> >
> >Why does this have to be a string? The identifier should be irrelevant,
> >and if something like serial number exists it can be reported in dev
> >info for the shared instance?  
> 
> String gives drivers flexibility to use anything. Perhaps I'm missing
> your point. Are you againts free-form or just string and buf+buf_len
> would be fine?

I was thinking binary buf+len is fine, and we shouldn't really expose
this to user space in any shape or form (hence no concern about free
form).