Re: [net-next v1 2/6] net: stmmac: Checking whether priv->phylink if NULL in NCSI case

[Andrew Lunn]

> +static inline bool stmmac_phylink_expects_phy(struct phylink *link)
> +{
> +	if (link)
> +		return phylink_expects_phy(link);
> +
> +	return false;
> +}
> +
> +static inline int stmmac_phylink_pcs_pre_init(struct phylink *link, struct phylink_pcs *pcs)
> +{
> +	if (link)
> +		return phylink_pcs_pre_init(link, pcs);
> +
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static inline void stmmac_phylink_start(struct phylink *link)
> +{
> +	if (link)
> +		phylink_start(link);
> +}
> +
> +static inline void stmmac_phylink_stop(struct phylink *link)
> +{
> +	if (link)
> +		phylink_stop(link);
> +}

Please take a step back and think about the Linux big picture
architecture.

What is stmmac specific here? If you were to add NCSI support to
another driver which uses phylink, would it need to replicate all
this?

When you consider how the MAC is configured, does it need to know it
is connected to an NCSI? Can the MAC tell the difference between NSCI,
fixed-link, a PHY or an SFP? Or does the MAC just need to know RGMII,
the link is up, send frames?

Please look at adding generic support for NSCI in phylink, and see if
the existing phylink mac ops covers everything needed for configuring
the MAC.

	Andrew