[RFC v1 0/4] ipmi_bmc: framework for IPMI on BMCs

[Brendan Higgins]

On Mon, Aug 14, 2017 at 7:03 PM, Patrick Williams <patrick at stwcx.xyz> wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 07, 2017 at 08:52:57PM -0700, Brendan Higgins wrote:
>> Currently, OpenBMC handles all IPMI message routing and handling in userland;
>> the existing drivers simply provide a file interface for the hardware on the
>> device. In this patchset, we propose a common file interface to be shared by all
>> IPMI hardware interfaces, but also a framework for implementing handlers at the
>> kernel level, similar to how the existing OpenIPMI framework supports both
>> kernel users, as well as misc device file interface.
>
> Brendan,
>
> Can you expand on why this is a good thing from an OpenBMC perspective?

Sure, so in addition to the individual handlers; this does introduce a
common file
system interface for BMC side IPMI hardware interfaces. I think that is pretty
straightforward.

Corey and I are still exploring the handlers. My original intention
was not to replace
any of the handlers implemented in userspace. My motivating use case is for some
OEM commands that would be easier to implement inside of the kernel.

I was hoping to send out an overview of that, but the internet in my
hotel sucks,
so I will do it the next time I get decent internet access. :-P

In any case, Corey raised some interesting points on the subject; the
most recent
round I have not responded to yet.

> We have a pretty significant set of IPMI providers that run in the
> userspace daemon(s) and I can't picture more than a very small subset
> even being possible to run in kernel space without userspace assistance.

Like I said, I have an example of some OEM commands. Also, as I have said,
my intention is not to replace any of the userland stuff. That being said, I am
not sure the approach we have taken so far is the best when it comes to some
of the new protocols we are looking at like IPMB and MCTP. Having some
consistency of where we draw these interface boundaries would be nice; so
maybe that means rethinking some of that. I don't know, but it sounds like
Corey has already tried some of this stuff out on his own BMC side
implementation.

Regardless, I think there is a lot of interesting conversation to be had.

> We also already have an implementation of a RMCP+ daemon that can, and
> does, share most of its providers with the host-side daemon.

That's great. Like I said, my original intention was not to rewrite any of that.

>
> --
> Patrick Williams

By the way, Corey suggested that we have a BoF session at the Linux Plumbers
Conference, so I set one up:
https://linuxplumbersconf.org/2017/ocw/proposals/4723
I highly encourage anyone who is interested in this discussion to attend.

Thanks!