Vaibhav Jain <vaib...@linux.ibm.com> writes: > Hi Ira, Mpe and Aneesh, > > Vaibhav Jain <vaib...@linux.ibm.com> writes: > >> Michael Ellerman <m...@ellerman.id.au> writes: >> >>> Ira Weiny <ira.we...@intel.com> writes: >>>> On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 12:30:57AM +0530, Vaibhav Jain wrote: >>>>> Introduce support for Papr nvDimm Specific Methods (PDSM) in papr_scm >>>>> modules and add the command family to the white list of NVDIMM command >>>>> sets. Also advertise support for ND_CMD_CALL for the dimm >>>>> command mask and implement necessary scaffolding in the module to >>>>> handle ND_CMD_CALL ioctl and PDSM requests that we receive. >>> ... >>>>> + * >>>>> + * Payload Version: >>>>> + * >>>>> + * A 'payload_version' field is present in PDSM header that indicates a >>>>> specific >>>>> + * version of the structure present in PDSM Payload for a given PDSM >>>>> command. >>>>> + * This provides backward compatibility in case the PDSM Payload >>>>> structure >>>>> + * evolves and different structures are supported by 'papr_scm' and >>>>> 'libndctl'. >>>>> + * >>>>> + * When sending a PDSM Payload to 'papr_scm', 'libndctl' should send the >>>>> version >>>>> + * of the payload struct it supports via 'payload_version' field. The >>>>> 'papr_scm' >>>>> + * module when servicing the PDSM envelope checks the 'payload_version' >>>>> and then >>>>> + * uses 'payload struct version' == MIN('payload_version field', >>>>> + * 'max payload-struct-version supported by papr_scm') to service the >>>>> PDSM. >>>>> + * After servicing the PDSM, 'papr_scm' put the negotiated version of >>>>> payload >>>>> + * struct in returned 'payload_version' field. >>>> >>>> FWIW many people believe using a size rather than version is more >>>> sustainable. >>>> It is expected that new payload structures are larger (more features) than >>>> the >>>> previous payload structure. >>>> >>>> I can't find references at the moment through. >>> >>> I think clone_args is a good modern example: >>> >>> >>> https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/include/uapi/linux/sched.h#n88 >> >> Thank Ira and Mpe for pointing this out. I looked into how clone3 sycall >> handles clone_args and few differences came out: >> >> * Unlike clone_args that are always transferred in one direction from >> user-space to kernel, payload contents of pdsms are transferred in both >> directions. Having a single version number makes it easier for >> user-space and kernel to determine what data will be exchanged. >> >> * For PDSMs, the version number is negotiated between libndctl and >> kernel. For example in case kernel only supports an older version of >> a structure, its free to send a lower version number back to >> libndctl. Such negotiations doesnt happen with clone3 syscall. > > If you are ok with the explaination above please let me know. I will > quickly spin off a v8 addressing your review comments.
I don't have strong opinions about the user API, it's really up to the nvdimm folks. cheers