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+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+
+.. _devlink_port:
+
+============
+Devlink Port
+============
+
+``devlink-port`` is a port that exists on the device. It has a logically
+separate ingress/egress point of the device. A devlink port can be any one
+of many flavours. A devlink port flavour along with port attributes
+describe what a port represents.
+
+A device driver that intends to publish a devlink port sets the
+devlink port attributes and registers the devlink port.
+
+Devlink port flavours are described below.
+
+.. list-table:: List of devlink port flavours
+ :widths: 33 90
+
+ * - Flavour
+ - Description
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_PHYSICAL``
+ - Any kind of physical port. This can be an eswitch physical port or any
+ other physical port on the device.
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_DSA``
+ - This indicates a DSA interconnect port.
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_CPU``
+ - This indicates a CPU port applicable only to DSA.
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_PCI_PF``
+ - This indicates an eswitch port representing a port of PCI
+ physical function (PF).
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_PCI_VF``
+ - This indicates an eswitch port representing a port of PCI
+ virtual function (VF).
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_PCI_SF``
+ - This indicates an eswitch port representing a port of PCI
+ subfunction (SF).
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_FLAVOUR_VIRTUAL``
+ - This indicates a virtual port for the PCI virtual function.
+
+Devlink port can have a different type based on the link layer described below.
+
+.. list-table:: List of devlink port types
+ :widths: 23 90
+
+ * - Type
+ - Description
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_TYPE_ETH``
+ - Driver should set this port type when a link layer of the port is
+ Ethernet.
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_TYPE_IB``
+ - Driver should set this port type when a link layer of the port is
+ InfiniBand.
+ * - ``DEVLINK_PORT_TYPE_AUTO``
+ - This type is indicated by the user when driver should detect the port
+ type automatically.
+
+PCI controllers
+---------------
+In most cases a PCI device has only one controller. A controller consists of
+potentially multiple physical, virtual functions and subfunctions. A function
+consists of one or more ports. This port is represented by the devlink eswitch
+port.
+
+A PCI device connected to multiple CPUs or multiple PCI root complexes or a
+SmartNIC, however, may have multiple controllers. For a device with multiple
+controllers, each controller is distinguished by a unique controller number.
+An eswitch is on the PCI device which supports ports of multiple controllers.
+
+An example view of a system with two controllers::
+
+ ---------------------------------------------------------
+ | |
+ | --------- --------- ------- ------- |
+ ----------- | | vf(s) | | sf(s) | |vf(s)| |sf(s)| |
+ | server | | ------- ----/---- ---/----- ------- ---/--- ---/--- |
+ | pci rc |=== | pf0 |______/________/ | pf1 |___/_______/ |
+ | connect | | ------- ------- |
+ ----------- | | controller_num=1 (no eswitch) |
+ ------|--------------------------------------------------
+ (internal wire)
+ |
+ ---------------------------------------------------------
+ | devlink eswitch ports and reps |
+ | ----------------------------------------------------- |
+ | |ctrl-0 | ctrl-0 | ctrl-0 | ctrl-0 | ctrl-0 |ctrl-0 | |
+ | |pf0 | pf0vfN | pf0sfN | pf1 | pf1vfN |pf1sfN | |
+ | ----------------------------------------------------- |
+ | |ctrl-1 | ctrl-1 | ctrl-1 | ctrl-1 | ctrl-1 |ctrl-1 | |
+ | |pf0 | pf0vfN | pf0sfN | pf1 | pf1vfN |pf1sfN | |
+ | ----------------------------------------------------- |
+ | |
+ | |
+ ----------- | --------- --------- ------- ------- |
+ | smartNIC| | | vf(s) | | sf(s) | |vf(s)| |sf(s)| |
+ | pci rc |==| ------- ----/---- ---/----- ------- ---/--- ---/--- |
+ | connect | | | pf0 |______/________/ | pf1 |___/_______/ |
+ ----------- | ------- ------- |
+ | |
+ | local controller_num=0 (eswitch) |
+ ---------------------------------------------------------
+
+In the above example, the external controller (identified by controller number = 1)
+doesn't have the eswitch. Local controller (identified by controller number = 0)
+has the eswitch. The Devlink instance on the local controller has eswitch
+devlink ports for both the controllers.
+
+Function configuration
+======================
+
+A user can configure the function attribute before enumerating the PCI
+function. Usually it means, user should configure function attribute
+before a bus specific device for the function is created. However, when
+SRIOV is enabled, virtual function devices are created on the PCI bus.
+Hence, function attribute should be configured before binding virtual
+function device to the driver. For subfunctions, this means user should
+configure port function attribute before activating the port function.
+
+A user may set the hardware address of the function using
+'devlink port function set hw_addr' command. For Ethernet port function
+this means a MAC address.
+
+Subfunction
+============
+
+Subfunction is a lightweight function that has a parent PCI function on which
+it is deployed. Subfunction is created and deployed in unit of 1. Unlike
+SRIOV VFs, a subfunction doesn't require its own PCI virtual function.
+A subfunction communicates with the hardware through the parent PCI function.
+
+To use a subfunction, 3 steps setup sequence is followed.
+(1) create - create a subfunction;
+(2) configure - configure subfunction attributes;
+(3) deploy - deploy the subfunction;
+
+Subfunction management is done using devlink port user interface.
+User performs setup on the subfunction management device.
+
+(1) Create
+----------
+A subfunction is created using a devlink port interface. A user adds the
+subfunction by adding a devlink port of subfunction flavour. The devlink
+kernel code calls down to subfunction management driver (devlink ops) and asks
+it to create a subfunction devlink port. Driver then instantiates the
+subfunction port and any associated objects such as health reporters and
+representor netdevice.
+
+(2) Configure
+-------------
+A subfunction devlink port is created but it is not active yet. That means the
+entities are created on devlink side, the e-switch port representor is created,
+but the subfunction device itself it not created. A user might use e-switch port
+representor to do settings, putting it into bridge, adding TC rules, etc. A user
+might as well configure the hardware address (such as MAC address) of the
+subfunction while subfunction is inactive.
+
+(3) Deploy
+----------
+Once a subfunction is configured, user must activate it to use it. Upon
+activation, subfunction management driver asks the subfunction management
+device to instantiate the subfunction device on particular PCI function.
+A subfunction device is created on the :ref:`Documentation/driver-api/auxiliary_bus.rst <auxiliary_bus>`.
+At this point a matching subfunction driver binds to the subfunction's auxiliary device.
+
+Terms and Definitions
+=====================
+
+.. list-table:: Terms and Definitions
+ :widths: 22 90
+
+ * - Term
+ - Definitions
+ * - ``PCI device``
+ - A physical PCI device having one or more PCI bus consists of one or
+ more PCI controllers.
+ * - ``PCI controller``
+ - A controller consists of potentially multiple physical functions,
+ virtual functions and subfunctions.
+ * - ``Port function``
+ - An object to manage the function of a port.
+ * - ``Subfunction``
+ - A lightweight function that has parent PCI function on which it is
+ deployed.
+ * - ``Subfunction device``
+ - A bus device of the subfunction, usually on a auxiliary bus.
+ * - ``Subfunction driver``
+ - A device driver for the subfunction auxiliary device.
+ * - ``Subfunction management device``
+ - A PCI physical function that supports subfunction management.
+ * - ``Subfunction management driver``
+ - A device driver for PCI physical function that supports
+ subfunction management using devlink port interface.
+ * - ``Subfunction host driver``
+ - A device driver for PCI physical function that hosts subfunction
+ devices. In most cases it is same as subfunction management driver. When
+ subfunction is used on external controller, subfunction management and
+ host drivers are different.