Re: [PATCH net-next V7 02/14] devlink: introduce shared devlink instance for PFs on same chip

[Jiri Pirko]

Wed, Feb 04, 2026 at 03:42:00AM +0100, kuba@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>On Tue, 3 Feb 2026 10:44:16 +0100 Jiri Pirko wrote:
>> >> +/* This structure represents a shared devlink instance,
>> >> + * there is one created per identifier (e.g., serial number).
>> >> + */
>> >> +struct devlink_shd {
>> >> +	struct list_head list; /* Node in shd list */
>> >> +	const char *id; /* Identifier string (e.g., serial number) */  
>> >
>> >Why does this have to be a string? The identifier should be irrelevant,
>> >and if something like serial number exists it can be reported in dev
>> >info for the shared instance?  
>> 
>> String gives drivers flexibility to use anything. Perhaps I'm missing
>> your point. Are you againts free-form or just string and buf+buf_len
>> would be fine?
>
>I was thinking binary buf+len is fine, and we shouldn't really expose
>this to user space in any shape or form (hence no concern about free
>form).

How you imagine to name faux device then? I'm sensing that you want to
get rid of busname/devname handle for things like this and rely on some
randomly generated index. But the whole ecosystem is bases on
busname/devname handle. Any idea how to overcome that?