ce(7D) (man pages section 7: Device and Network Interfaces)

man pages section 7: Device and Network Interfaces

ce(7D)

NAME

ce- Cassini Gigabit-Ethernet device driver

SYNOPSIS

/dev/ce

DESCRIPTION

The ce Sun Gigabit-Ethernet driver is a multi-threaded, loadable, clonable, STREAMS hardware driver supporting the connectionless Data Link Provider Interface, dlpi(7P), over all implementations of PCI Cassini Gigabit-Ethernet add-in adapters. Multiple Cassini-based adapters installed within the system are supported by the driver. The ce driver provides basic support for the Cassini-based Ethernet hardware and handles the pci108e,abba (PCI Cassini) devices. Functions include chip initialization, frame transmit and receive, multicast and promiscuous support, and error recovery and reporting. The Cassini device provides 1000BASE-SX networking interfaces using the Cassini ASIC external SERDES and fiber optical transceiver, or 10/100/1000BASE-T using a Cassini ASIC attached to a GMII twisted pair copper transceiver, or 10/100BASE-T using a Cassini ASIC attached to a MII twisted pair copper transceiver.

The 1000Base-SX standard specifies an auto-negotiation protocol to automatically select the mode of operation. In addition to the duplex mode of operation, the Cassini ASIC can auto-negotiate for IEEE 802.3x frame-based flow control capabilities. The Cassini PCS can perform auto-negotiation with the link's remote-end (link partner) and receives the capabilities of the remote end. It selects the highest common denominator mode of operation based on the priorities. It also supports forced-mode of operation where the driver selects the mode of operation.

APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE

The /dev/ce cloning character-special device is used to access all ce controllers installed on the system.

ce and DLPI

The ce driver is a Style 2 data link service provider. All M_PROTO and M_PCPROTO type messages are interpreted as DLPI primitives. Valid DLPI primitives are defined in <sys/dlpi.h>. Refer to dlpi(7P) for more information. An explicit DL_ATTACH_REQ message by the user is required to associate the opened stream with a particular device (ppa). The ppa ID is interpreted as an unsigned long data type and indicates the corresponding device instance (unit) number. An error (DL_ERROR_ACK) is returned by the driver if the ppa field value does not correspond to a valid device instance number for this system. The device is initialized on first attach and de-initialized (stopped) upon last detach.

The values returned by the driver in the DL_INFO_ACK primitive in response to the DL_INFO_REQ are as follows:

Maximum SDU is 1500 (ETHERMTU - defined in <sys/ethernet.h>).
Minimum SDU is 0.
The dlsap address length is 8.
MAC type is DL_ETHER.
The sap length value is –2 meaning the physical address component is followed immediately by a 2 byte sap component within the DLSAP address.
Service mode is DL_CLDLS.
Optional quality of service (QOS) is not supported; the QOS fields are 0.
Provider style is DL_STYLE2.
Version is DL_VERSION_2.
Broadcast address value is Ethernet/IEEE broadcast address (0xFFFFFF.)

Once in the DL_ATTACHED state, you must send a DL_BIND_REQ to associate a particular SAP (Service Access Pointer) with the stream. The ce driver interprets the sap field within the DL_BIND_REQ as an Ethernet “type,” therefore valid values for the sap field are in the range [0-0xFFFF]. Only one Ethernet type can be bound to the stream at any time.

If you select a sap with a value of 0, the receiver will be in 802.3 mode. All frames received from the media having a “type” field in the range [0-1500] are assumed to be 802.3 frames and are routed up all open streams which are bound to sap value 0 . If more than one stream is in 802.3 mode, the frame will be duplicated and routed up multiple streams as DL_UNITDATA_IND messages.

In transmission, the driver checks the sap field of the DL_BIND_REQ to verify that the sap value is 0, and that the destination type field is in the range [0-1500]. If either is true, the driver computes the length of the message, not including initial M_PROTO mblk (message block), of all subsequent DL_UNITDATA_REQ messages and transmits 802.3 frames that have this value in the MAC frame header length field.

The ce driver DLSAP address format consists of the 6 byte physical (Ethernet) address component followed immediately by the 2 byte sap (type) component producing an 8 byte DLSAP address. Applications should not hard code to this particular implementation-specific DLSAP address format, but use information returned in the DL_INFO_ACK primitive to compose and decompose DLSAP addresses. The sap length, full DLSAP length, and sap/physical ordering are included within the DL_INFO_ACK. The physical address length can be computed by subtracting the sap length from the full DLSAP address length or by issuing the DL_PHYS_ADDR_REQ to obtain the current physical address associated with the stream.

Once in the DL_BOUND state, you can transmit frames on the Ethernet by sending DL_UNITDATA_REQ messages to the ce driver. The ce driver will route received Ethernet frames up all open and bound streams having a sap which matches the Ethernet type as DL_UNITDATA_IND messages. Received Ethernet frames are duplicated and routed up multiple open streams, if necessary. The DLSAP address contained within the DL_UNITDATA_REQ and DL_UNITDATA_IND messages consists of both the sap (type) and physical (Ethernet) components.

In addition to the mandatory connectionless DLPI message set, the driver additionally supports the following primitives.

ce Primitives

The DL_ENABMULTI_REQ and DL_DISABMULTI_REQ primitives enable/disable reception of individual multicast group addresses. A set of multicast addresses may be iteratively created and modified on a per-stream basis using these primitives. These primitives are accepted by the driver in any state following DL_ATTACHED.

The DL_PROMISCON_REQ and DL_PROMISCOFF_REQ primitives with the DL_PROMISC_PHYS option set in the dl_level field enables/disables reception of all “promiscuous mode” frames on the media, including frames generated by the local host. When used with the DL_PROMISC_SAP option set, this enables/disables reception of all sap (Ethernet type) values. When used with the DL_PROMISC_MULTI option set this enables/disables reception of all multicast group addresses. The effect of each is always on a per-stream basis and independent of the other sap and physical level configurations on this stream or other streams.

The DL_PHYS_ADDR_REQ primitive returns the 6 octet Ethernet address currently associated (attached) to the stream in the DL_PHYS_ADDR_ACK primitive. This primitive is valid only in states following a successful DL_ATTACH_REQ.

The DL_SET_PHYS_ADDR_REQ primitive changes the 6 octet Ethernet address currently associated (attached) to this stream. The credentials of the process which originally opened this stream must be superuser. Otherwise EPERM is returned in the DL_ERROR_ACK. This primitive is destructive because it affects all other current and future streams attached to this device. An M_ERROR is sent up all other streams attached to this device when this primitive is successful on this stream. Once changed, all streams subsequently opened and attached to this device will obtain this new physical address. Once changed, the physical address will remain until this primitive is used to change the physical address again or the system is rebooted, whichever comes first.

ce DRIVER

By default, the ce driver performs auto-negotiation to select the mode and flow control capabilities of the link.

The link can assume one of the following modes:

1000 Mbps, full-duplex
1000 Mbps, half-duplex
Symmetric pause
Asymmetric pause

Speeds and modes are described in the 1000Base-TX standard.

The auto–negotiation protocol automatically selects:

Operation mode (half-duplex or full-duplex)
Flow control capability (symmetric and/or asymmetric)

The auto–negotiation protocol does the following:

Gets all modes of operation supported by the link partner.
Advertises its capabilities to the link partner.
Selects the highest common denominator mode of operation based on the priorities.

The Cassini hardware can operate in all modes listed above, providing auto-negotiation is used by default to bring up the link and select the common mode of operation with the link partner. The PCS also supports forced-mode of operation in which the driver can select the mode of operation and the flow control capabilities, using the ndd utility.

The Cassini device also supports programmable IPG (Inter-Packet Gap) parameters ipg1 and ipg2. By default, the driver sets ipg1 and ipg2 to 8 and 4 byte-times respectively (which are the standard values). If desired, you can alter these values from the standard 1000 Mpbs IPG set to 0.096 microseconds.

ce Parameter List

The ce driver enables the setting and getting of various parameters for the Cassini device. The parameter list includes current transceiver status, current link status, inter-packet gap, PCS capabilities and link partner capabilities.

The PCS features two set of capabilities. One set reflects the capabilities of the hardware and are read-only. The second set, which reflects the values you choose, are used in speed selection and possess read/write capabilities. At boot time, these two sets of capabilities are the same. The link partner capabilities are also read-only because the current default value of these parameters can be read but not modified.

FILES

/dev/ce: ce special character device.
/kernel/drv/ce.conf: System-wide default device driver properties