[PATCH 1/2] net: usb: cdc_ether: add NCSI passthrough support

[Potin Lai]

From: Adrian Ambrozewicz <aambrozewicz@xxxxxxxxxx>

Add NCSI (Network Controller Sideband Interface) passthrough support for
USB CDC Ethernet devices. This enables BMC-to-host sideband management
over USB, typically used in DPU platforms where the BMC communicates
with the DPU via a dedicated USB connection.

Key implementation details:

- Register with NCSI subsystem in ndo_open, unregister in ndo_stop
- Override netdev_ops to hook open/stop for NCSI lifecycle management
- Keep carrier always on while interface is up, as NCSI control traffic
  shares the USB data path (unlike PHY-based drivers)
- Ignore CDC status notifications since NCSI manages link state
- Forward VLAN operations to NCSI subsystem

The symmetric open/stop lifecycle is critical for USB drivers:

    open()  -> ncsi_register_dev() + ncsi_start_dev()
    stop()  -> ncsi_stop_dev() + ncsi_unregister_dev()

This ensures NCSI packet handlers are removed BEFORE unregister_netdev()
checks for them during USB disconnect, avoiding kernel crashes. Unlike
platform drivers where unbind() runs before unregister_netdev(), USB
drivers have the opposite order:

    usbnet_disconnect() -> unregister_netdev() -> unbind()

Placing NCSI cleanup in unbind() would be too late.

Supported hardware: NVIDIA DPU USB CDC Ethernet (VID:PID 0955:cf11)

Signed-off-by: Adrian Ambrozewicz <aambrozewicz@xxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Potin Lai <potin.lai.pt@xxxxxxxxx>
---
 drivers/net/usb/Kconfig     |  20 +++++
 drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c | 190 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 209 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/Kconfig b/drivers/net/usb/Kconfig
index 52a5c0922c79..00757392128f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/Kconfig
@@ -241,6 +241,26 @@ config USB_NET_CDCETHER
 	  IEEE 802 "local assignment" bit is set in the address, a "usbX"
 	  name is used instead.
 
+config USB_NET_CDCETHER_NCSI
+	bool "NCSI passthrough support for CDC Ethernet"
+	depends on USB_NET_CDCETHER
+	depends on NET_NCSI
+	help
+	  This option enables NCSI (Network Controller Sideband Interface)
+	  passthrough support for specific USB CDC Ethernet devices.
+
+	  NCSI allows a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) to share a
+	  network interface with the host system for out-of-band management.
+	  This is typically used in DPU (Data Processing Unit) platforms
+	  where the BMC communicates with the DPU via a dedicated USB
+	  connection.
+
+	  Currently supported devices:
+	    * NVIDIA BlueField DPU (VID:PID 0955:cf11)
+
+	  Say Y here if you have a system with USB-based NCSI connectivity
+	  between BMC and host. If unsure, say N.
+
 config USB_NET_CDC_EEM
 	tristate "CDC EEM support"
 	depends on USB_USBNET
diff --git a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
index a0a5740590b9..e5d3924e6a2e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/net/usb/cdc_ether.c
@@ -538,6 +538,168 @@ static const struct driver_info	cdc_info = {
 	.manage_power =	usbnet_manage_power,
 };
 
+/*
+ * NCSI passthrough support for USB CDC Ethernet devices.
+ *
+ * Enables BMC-to-host sideband management over USB, typically used in
+ * DPU (Data Processing Unit) platforms where the BMC communicates with
+ * the DPU via a dedicated USB connection.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER_NCSI
+#include <net/ncsi.h>
+
+/* NCSI operates at 100 Mbps */
+#define NCSI_SPEED_BPS		(100 * 1000000)
+
+struct cdc_ncsi_priv {
+	struct ncsi_dev *ndev;
+	struct net_device_ops netdev_ops;
+	const struct net_device_ops *orig_netdev_ops;
+};
+
+static int cdc_ncsi_open(struct net_device *net);
+static int cdc_ncsi_stop(struct net_device *net);
+
+static void cdc_ncsi_handler(struct ncsi_dev *nd)
+{
+	if (unlikely(nd->state != ncsi_dev_state_functional))
+		return;
+
+	netdev_dbg(nd->dev, "NCSI interface %s\n",
+		   nd->link_up ? "up" : "down");
+
+	/* Don't toggle carrier here - it must stay on for NCSI to
+	 * communicate over USB. Carrier was enabled in cdc_ncsi_open().
+	 */
+}
+
+static int cdc_ncsi_bind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
+{
+	struct cdc_ncsi_priv *priv;
+	struct cdc_state *info;
+	int status;
+
+	status = usbnet_ether_cdc_bind(dev, intf);
+	if (status < 0)
+		return status;
+
+	info = (void *)&dev->data;
+	status = usbnet_get_ethernet_addr(dev, info->ether->iMACAddress);
+	if (status < 0)
+		goto err_unbind;
+
+	priv = kzalloc(sizeof(*priv), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!priv) {
+		status = -ENOMEM;
+		goto err_unbind;
+	}
+
+	dev->driver_priv = priv;
+
+	/* Override netdev_ops for NCSI lifecycle management */
+	priv->orig_netdev_ops = dev->net->netdev_ops;
+	priv->netdev_ops = *dev->net->netdev_ops;
+	priv->netdev_ops.ndo_open = cdc_ncsi_open;
+	priv->netdev_ops.ndo_stop = cdc_ncsi_stop;
+	priv->netdev_ops.ndo_vlan_rx_add_vid = ncsi_vlan_rx_add_vid;
+	priv->netdev_ops.ndo_vlan_rx_kill_vid = ncsi_vlan_rx_kill_vid;
+	dev->net->netdev_ops = &priv->netdev_ops;
+
+	dev->net->hw_features |= NETIF_F_HW_VLAN_CTAG_FILTER;
+	dev->net->features |= NETIF_F_HW_VLAN_CTAG_FILTER;
+
+	dev->rx_speed = NCSI_SPEED_BPS;
+	dev->tx_speed = NCSI_SPEED_BPS;
+
+	netdev_info(dev->net, "NCSI passthrough enabled\n");
+	return 0;
+
+err_unbind:
+	usb_set_intfdata(info->data, NULL);
+	usb_driver_release_interface(driver_of(intf), info->data);
+	return status;
+}
+
+static void cdc_ncsi_unbind(struct usbnet *dev, struct usb_interface *intf)
+{
+	struct cdc_ncsi_priv *priv = dev->driver_priv;
+
+	if (priv) {
+		/* Restore original netdev_ops before freeing priv */
+		dev->net->netdev_ops = priv->orig_netdev_ops;
+		kfree(priv);
+		dev->driver_priv = NULL;
+	}
+
+	usbnet_cdc_unbind(dev, intf);
+}
+
+static int cdc_ncsi_open(struct net_device *net)
+{
+	struct usbnet *dev = netdev_priv(net);
+	struct cdc_ncsi_priv *priv = dev->driver_priv;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = usbnet_open(net);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	priv->ndev = ncsi_register_dev(net, cdc_ncsi_handler);
+	if (!priv->ndev) {
+		netdev_err(net, "failed to register NCSI device\n");
+		usbnet_stop(net);
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
+
+	/* Carrier must stay on for NCSI to transmit/receive its control
+	 * packets over USB. Unlike PHY-based drivers, we cannot toggle
+	 * carrier based on NCSI link state without breaking USB I/O.
+	 */
+	netif_carrier_on(net);
+	ret = ncsi_start_dev(priv->ndev);
+	if (ret) {
+		netdev_err(net, "failed to start NCSI: %d\n", ret);
+		ncsi_unregister_dev(priv->ndev);
+		priv->ndev = NULL;
+		netif_carrier_off(net);
+		usbnet_stop(net);
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int cdc_ncsi_stop(struct net_device *net)
+{
+	struct usbnet *dev = netdev_priv(net);
+	struct cdc_ncsi_priv *priv = dev->driver_priv;
+
+	if (priv->ndev) {
+		ncsi_stop_dev(priv->ndev);
+		ncsi_unregister_dev(priv->ndev);
+		priv->ndev = NULL;
+	}
+
+	netif_carrier_off(net);
+	return usbnet_stop(net);
+}
+
+static void cdc_ncsi_status(struct usbnet *dev, struct urb *urb)
+{
+	/* NCSI manages link state, ignore CDC status notifications */
+}
+
+static const struct driver_info cdc_ncsi_info = {
+	.description =	"CDC Ethernet Device (NCSI)",
+	.flags =	FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_POINTTOPOINT,
+	.bind =		cdc_ncsi_bind,
+	.unbind =	cdc_ncsi_unbind,
+	.status =	cdc_ncsi_status,
+	.set_rx_mode =	usbnet_cdc_update_filter,
+	.manage_power =	usbnet_manage_power,
+};
+#endif /* CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER_NCSI */
+
 static const struct driver_info	zte_cdc_info = {
 	.description =	"ZTE CDC Ethernet Device",
 	.flags =	FLAG_ETHER | FLAG_POINTTOPOINT,
@@ -946,7 +1108,33 @@ static const struct usb_device_id	products[] = {
 				      USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_ETHERNET,
 				      USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE),
 	.driver_info = (unsigned long)&wwan_info,
-}, {
+},
+/*
+ * NCSI passthrough support.
+ *
+ * This implementation enables NCSI unconditionally for matching VID/PID.
+ * Per-driver integration is required because the NCSI subsystem mandates
+ * explicit lifecycle calls (ncsi_register/start/stop/unregister_dev).
+ *
+ * OPEN QUESTION: An alternative approach using DTS "use-ncsi" property
+ * for conditional enablement was considered. This is viable only when
+ * USB topology is fixed and known at build time. Whether DPU deployments
+ * have fixed topologies remains to be determined. Note that DTS-based
+ * control would still require per-driver integration.
+ *
+ * A future generic solution could eliminate per-driver modifications by
+ * extending the NCSI subsystem to hook netdev lifecycle events directly,
+ * with interface selection configured via DTS or sysfs.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER_NCSI
+{
+	USB_DEVICE_AND_INTERFACE_INFO(NVIDIA_VENDOR_ID, 0xcf11,
+				      USB_CLASS_COMM, USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_ETHERNET,
+				      USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE),
+	.driver_info = (unsigned long)&cdc_ncsi_info,
+},
+#endif /* CONFIG_USB_NET_CDCETHER_NCSI */
+{
 	USB_INTERFACE_INFO(USB_CLASS_COMM, USB_CDC_SUBCLASS_ETHERNET,
 			USB_CDC_PROTO_NONE),
 	.driver_info = (unsigned long) &cdc_info,

-- 
2.52.0