[dpdk-dev] [PATCH v5 8/9] ethdev: add capability of sub-function representor

[Andrew Rybchenko]

On 1/19/21 2:19 PM, Xueming(Steven) Li wrote:
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Andrew Rybchenko <andrew.rybchenko at oktetlabs.ru>
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2021 4:06 PM
>> To: Xueming(Steven) Li <xuemingl at nvidia.com>
>> Cc: dev at dpdk.org; Slava Ovsiienko <viacheslavo at nvidia.com>; Asaf Penso
>> <asafp at nvidia.com>; NBU-Contact-Thomas Monjalon
>> <thomas at monjalon.net>; Ferruh Yigit <ferruh.yigit at intel.com>
>> Subject: Re: [PATCH v5 8/9] ethdev: add capability of sub-function representor
>>
>> On 1/19/21 10:15 AM, Xueming Li wrote:
>>> Old DPDK version or some drivers didn't support SubFunction representor.
>>> For application to adapt different DPDK version automatically, or to
>>> be used for different NICs, this patch introduces new eth device
>>> capability of supporting SubFunction representor device.
>>
>> Sorry, it does not sound sufficient motivation to introduce the capability. I
>> simply need real life example why application need to know it.
> 
> I had same internal discussion on this as well :)
> A simple example, for customer running DPDK based app with NICs from different vendors,
> app need a flag to know whether the device support SF representor, hotplug SF if the
> capability shows "support". This also happens with different model/fw even from same vendor.
> PMD report device+driver capability that whether SF supported.

Single feature bit is insufficient. Application needs to know
how many SF may be used on which PF.

>>> Signed-off-by: Xueming Li <xuemingl at nvidia.com>
>>> Acked-by: Viacheslav Ovsiienko <viacheslavo at nvidia.com>
>>> Acked-by: Thomas Monjalon <thomas at monjalon.net>

[snip]