Re: [PATCH net-next v3 1/2] net: dsa: realtek: rtl8365mb: add SGMII support for RTL8367S

[Johan Alvarado]

> This comment implies that you could deal with SGMII aneg at some point.
> [...] makes me wonder if this whole SGMII/2500BaseX series should be
> represented as a PCS phylink driver.

Hi Maxime,

You're right, and I'll convert the SerDes path to a phylink_pcs for v4.
It splits the MAC and SerDes layers cleanly, drops the "ext then sds"
branches in mac_link_up/down, and makes future in-band aneg an additive
change instead of a rewrite.

One point I'd like to confirm on scope: I can only test the forced-link
path on my MR80X (fixed-link / conventional PHY), and I have no setup to
exercise SGMII in-band autonegotiation. My plan is to do the PCS refactor
keeping the link forced (outband / no in-band AN), and leave actual
in-band aneg support for a follow-up once I have hardware to validate it.
Does limiting v4 to the forced path sound acceptable, or would you prefer
in-band aneg implemented up front? I'd rather not add a code path I can't
test.

I'll also reword the misleading "disable in-band aneg" comment.

net-next being closed until the 29th gives me time to do this properly,
so v4 will carry the PCS conversion, retested on the MR80X v2.20.

Best regards,
Johan