Re: [PATCH] net/ncsi: Add Intel OS2BMC OEM command

[Sam Mendoza-Jonas]

On September 13, 2022 3:12:06 AM GMT+01:00, Jiaqing Zhao <jiaqing.zhao@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>On 2022-09-09 15:43, Paul Fertser wrote:
>> Hello,
>> 
>> On Fri, Sep 09, 2022 at 03:34:53PM +0800, Jiaqing Zhao wrote:
>>>> Can you please outline some particular use cases for this feature?
>>>>
>>> It enables access between host and BMC when BMC shares the network connection
>>> with host using NCSI, like accessing BMC via HTTP or SSH from host. 
>> 
>> Why having a compile time kernel option here more appropriate than
>> just running something like "/usr/bin/ncsi-netlink --package 0
>> --channel 0 --index 3 --oem-payload 00000157200001" (this example uses
>> another OEM command) on BMC userspace startup?
>> 
>
>Using ncsi-netlink is one way, but the package and channel id is undetermined
>as it is selected at runtime. Calling the netlink command on a nonexistent
>package/channel may lead to kernel panic.

If so, that would be a bug :)

>
>Why I prefer the kernel option is that it applies the config to all ncsi
>devices by default when setting up them. This reduces the effort and keeps
>compatibility. Lots of things in current ncsi kernel driver can be done via
>commands from userspace, but I think it is not a good idea to have a driver
>resides on both kernel and userspace.

BMCs are of course in their own world and there's already some examples of the config option, but how would a system owner be able to disable this without reflashing the BMC?