From owner-freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG  Tue Sep 30 15:33:17 2014
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-net@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-net@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [8.8.178.115])
 (using TLSv1.2 with cipher AECDH-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits))
 (No client certificate requested)
 by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 616A9DB3
 for <freebsd-net@freebsd.org>; Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:33:17 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from bigwig.baldwin.cx (bigwig.baldwin.cx [IPv6:2001:470:1f11:75::1])
 (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-CAMELLIA256-SHA (256/256 bits))
 (Client did not present a certificate)
 by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 3B03ED12
 for <freebsd-net@freebsd.org>; Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:33:17 +0000 (UTC)
Received: from jhbbsd.localnet (unknown [209.249.190.124])
 by bigwig.baldwin.cx (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id F1A2CB93B;
 Tue, 30 Sep 2014 11:33:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: John Baldwin <jhb@freebsd.org>
To: freebsd-net@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Choice of private ioctl approach
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 11:31:31 -0400
User-Agent: KMail/1.13.5 (FreeBSD/8.4-CBSD-20140415; KDE/4.5.5; amd64; ; )
References: <54295246.6010502@solarflare.com>
In-Reply-To: <54295246.6010502@solarflare.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: Text/Plain;
  charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-Id: <201409301131.31309.jhb@freebsd.org>
X-Greylist: Sender succeeded SMTP AUTH, not delayed by milter-greylist-4.2.7
 (bigwig.baldwin.cx); Tue, 30 Sep 2014 11:33:16 -0400 (EDT)
Cc: Andrew Rybchenko <arybchenko@solarflare.com>
X-BeenThere: freebsd-net@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18-1
Precedence: list
List-Id: Networking and TCP/IP with FreeBSD <freebsd-net.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/options/freebsd-net>,
 <mailto:freebsd-net-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-net/>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-net@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-net-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-net>,
 <mailto:freebsd-net-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:33:17 -0000

On Monday, September 29, 2014 8:36:22 am Andrew Rybchenko wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> we need to add private ioctl to the driver sfxge(4) to make FW update,
> do internal diagnostics commands etc.
> We see at least two approaches in other drivers:
>   1. SIOCGPRIVATE_0/ SIOCGPRIVATE_1 on net device
>   2. dedicated char device with its own ioctl's
> 
> Is there any recommendations on which way is preferred?

I would be inclined towards 2).  It is more flexible if you need to add more 
custom ioctls in the future.

-- 
John Baldwin