Re: [PATCH RFC 0/6] libata/scsi/libsas: Allocate SCSI device earlier for ata port probe

[John Garry]

On 21/09/2022 05:04, Damien Le Moal wrote:
> On 9/20/22 19:27, John Garry wrote:
> > Currently for libata the SCSI device (sdev) associated with an ata_device
> > is allocated when the port probe has completed.
> >
> > It's useful to have the SCSI device and its associated request queue
> > available earlier for the port probe. Specifically if we have the
> > request queue available, then we can:
> > - Easily put ATA qc in SCSI cmnd priv data
> > - Send ATA internal commands on SCSI device request queue for [0]. The
> >    current solution there is to use the shost sdev request queue, which
> >    isn't great.
> > This series changes the ata port probe to alloc the sdev in the
> > ata_device revalidation, and then just do a SCSI starget scan afterwards.
> >
> > Why an RFC?
> > 1. IPR  driver needs to be fixed up - it does not use ATA EH port probe
> >     Mail [1] needs following up
>
> Yes. If IPR could be converted to ata error_handler, a lot of code can 
> be simplified in libata too.

Hmmm... yeah, it would be good to see progress there.

> > 2. SATA PMP support needs verification, but I don't have a setup
>
> Port multiplier behind a sas HBA will be challenging to setup :)
> I can try, but I will need to open up one of my servers and hook a small 
> PMP box to one of the pm8001 plugs. I may have the cables for that... 
> Let me check.

I was more thinking of just AHCI with a port multiplier.

As for SAS controllers, I don't think it's something to be concerned 
about. For a start, I know for sure that hisi_sas HW does not support 
port multipliers, and I don't think that pm8001 does either. In 
addition, libsas does not even support it - I did see a series in the 
scsi list from years ago (to support it), but it did not progress.

Thanks,
John