Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1030492Ab2HPVNW (ORCPT ); Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:13:22 -0400 Received: from mms2.broadcom.com ([216.31.210.18]:2391 "EHLO mms2.broadcom.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932670Ab2HPVNT (ORCPT ); Thu, 16 Aug 2012 17:13:19 -0400 X-Server-Uuid: 4500596E-606A-40F9-852D-14843D8201B2 Subject: RE: [PATCH] bnx2: turn off the network statck during initialization From: "Michael Chan" To: "Jiang Wang" cc: "netdev@vger.kernel.org" , "linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org" , "Chaitanya Lala" , "Francis St. Amant" In-Reply-To: References: <1345141295-7589-1-git-send-email-Jiang.Wang@riverbed.com> <1345143431.6916.36.camel@LTIRV-MCHAN1.corp.ad.broadcom.com> <1345145318.6916.42.camel@LTIRV-MCHAN1.corp.ad.broadcom.com> Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:13:13 -0700 Message-ID: <1345151593.6916.62.camel@LTIRV-MCHAN1.corp.ad.broadcom.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 X-WSS-ID: 7C33BD953NK16268438-01-01 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=cp1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 1449 Lines: 39 On Thu, 2012-08-16 at 20:28 +0000, Jiang Wang wrote: > Also, I have another comment related to link state. > > Right now, the bnx2 driver powers up the device in bnx2_init_board(), > regardless the netif_carrier is on or off. We actually don't power up the device. bnx2_init_board() just probes the device. If link is already up, it will stay up. If it is down, it will stay down. > This may introduce following inconsistent behaviors: > 1) suppose the cable is plugged in to the NIC and the other end is > connected to a switch > 2) user powers up the box The link may already be up before or when you power up the box because of management firmware (iLO, etc) or WoL. > 3) the Linux does not bring up the interface; i.e, ifconfig ethx shows > it is down > 4) ethtool ethx will show no link > 5) if the user goes to check the light on the physical NIC, he will > see the green link light is ON. That means the link is up, right? > > I think it is better to power down the device until bnx2_open is > called. In this way, ethtool report and the physical link light will > be consistent. We cannot power it down. If link is up, it is up for a reason (e.g. it is an iLO port, etc). Thanks. -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/