[PATCH] PCI/sysfs: document the link speed and width attributes

[Ferran Duarri]

max_link_speed, max_link_width, current_link_speed and current_link_width
have been exported under /sys/bus/pci/devices/.../ since 2018, by
commit 56c1af4606f0 ("PCI: Add sysfs max_link_speed/width, current_link_speed/width, etc"),
and none of the four appear anywhere in Documentation/ABI.

The gap matters most for current_link_speed. current_link_speed_show()
performs a fresh PCI_EXP_LNKSTA read on every open, so the value reflects
the link state at that instant. Modern GPUs retrain their link continuously
as part of idle power management, which means a single read can legitimately
return any speed the link supports, not the speed the link will use under
load.

Observed on an RTX 5070 in a PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, same boot, no configuration
change between the two reads: 5.0 GT/s while idle, 16.0 GT/s under load.
Comparing current_link_speed against max_link_speed at idle is therefore not
a valid test for a degraded link, though it reads like one.

Document all four attributes, note that the max_* pair is the ceiling
negotiated between device and platform capability (so an endpoint's own
capability may be higher than what max_link_speed reports), and state
explicitly that current_link_speed is instantaneous, that comparing it
against max_link_speed at idle is not a valid degradation test, and that
callers wanting a stable figure should sample under load or use the max_*
attributes.

No functional change.

Forward-Port-Notes: Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci
Signed-off-by: Ferran Duarri <ferran.duarri@xxxxxx>
---
 Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci | 65 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 65 insertions(+)

diff --git a/Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci b/Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci
index b767db2..ad18bd6 100644
--- a/Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci
+++ b/Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-bus-pci
@@ -174,6 +174,71 @@ Description:
 		similiar to writing 1 to their individual "reset" file, so use
 		with caution.
 
+What:		/sys/bus/pci/devices/.../max_link_speed
+Date:		September 2018
+Contact:	linux-pci@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Description:
+		The maximum link speed this device's link can operate at, as a
+		human-readable string such as "16.0 GT/s PCIe". Read from the
+		Max Link Speed field of the device's Link Capabilities register.
+
+		This is the ceiling the link may negotiate, which is the lower
+		of what the two ends of the link support. An endpoint capable of
+		a higher speed than the port above it will report that higher
+		speed here while the port above it reports the lower one, and
+		the link will train at the lower of the two. To reason about a
+		link, read this attribute on both ends.
+
+		Present only for PCI Express devices.
+
+What:		/sys/bus/pci/devices/.../max_link_width
+Date:		September 2018
+Contact:	linux-pci@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Description:
+		The maximum link width this device's link can operate at, in
+		lanes, e.g. "16". Read from the Maximum Link Width field of the
+		device's Link Capabilities register.
+
+		Present only for PCI Express devices.
+
+What:		/sys/bus/pci/devices/.../current_link_speed
+Date:		September 2018
+Contact:	linux-pci@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Description:
+		The speed the link is operating at right now, as a
+		human-readable string such as "16.0 GT/s PCIe". Read fresh from
+		the device's Link Status register on every read of this file;
+		nothing is cached.
+
+		This value is instantaneous and may change at any time. A link
+		is permitted to retrain to a lower speed and back, and devices
+		with aggressive link power management (GPUs in particular) do so
+		routinely while idle. Two reads seconds apart, with no
+		configuration change in between, can legitimately differ by
+		several generations.
+
+		Consequently, comparing this attribute against max_link_speed is
+		not by itself a test for a degraded link: an idle device will
+		frequently report a lower speed and is working correctly.
+		Callers that need a figure representing what the link will
+		actually deliver should sample while the device is under load,
+		or use max_link_speed if what they want is the ceiling.
+
+		Present only for PCI Express devices.
+
+What:		/sys/bus/pci/devices/.../current_link_width
+Date:		September 2018
+Contact:	linux-pci@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
+Description:
+		The width the link is operating at right now, in lanes, e.g.
+		"16". Read fresh from the device's Link Status register on every
+		read of this file.
+
+		As with current_link_speed, this is instantaneous. Links may
+		also narrow and re-widen under link power management.
+
+		Present only for PCI Express devices.
+
 What:		/sys/bus/pci/devices/.../vpd
 Date:		February 2008
 Contact:	Ben Hutchings <bwh@xxxxxxxxxx>