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author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@ppc970.osdl.org> | 2005-04-16 18:20:36 -0400 |
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committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@ppc970.osdl.org> | 2005-04-16 18:20:36 -0400 |
commit | 1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 (patch) | |
tree | 0bba044c4ce775e45a88a51686b5d9f90697ea9d /Documentation/MSI-HOWTO.txt |
Linux-2.6.12-rc2v2.6.12-rc2
Initial git repository build. I'm not bothering with the full history,
even though we have it. We can create a separate "historical" git
archive of that later if we want to, and in the meantime it's about
3.2GB when imported into git - space that would just make the early
git days unnecessarily complicated, when we don't have a lot of good
infrastructure for it.
Let it rip!
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1 | The MSI Driver Guide HOWTO | ||
2 | Tom L Nguyen tom.l.nguyen@intel.com | ||
3 | 10/03/2003 | ||
4 | Revised Feb 12, 2004 by Martine Silbermann | ||
5 | email: Martine.Silbermann@hp.com | ||
6 | Revised Jun 25, 2004 by Tom L Nguyen | ||
7 | |||
8 | 1. About this guide | ||
9 | |||
10 | This guide describes the basics of Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI), | ||
11 | the advantages of using MSI over traditional interrupt mechanisms, | ||
12 | and how to enable your driver to use MSI or MSI-X. Also included is | ||
13 | a Frequently Asked Questions. | ||
14 | |||
15 | 2. Copyright 2003 Intel Corporation | ||
16 | |||
17 | 3. What is MSI/MSI-X? | ||
18 | |||
19 | Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI), as described in the PCI Local Bus | ||
20 | Specification Revision 2.3 or latest, is an optional feature, and a | ||
21 | required feature for PCI Express devices. MSI enables a device function | ||
22 | to request service by sending an Inbound Memory Write on its PCI bus to | ||
23 | the FSB as a Message Signal Interrupt transaction. Because MSI is | ||
24 | generated in the form of a Memory Write, all transaction conditions, | ||
25 | such as a Retry, Master-Abort, Target-Abort or normal completion, are | ||
26 | supported. | ||
27 | |||
28 | A PCI device that supports MSI must also support pin IRQ assertion | ||
29 | interrupt mechanism to provide backward compatibility for systems that | ||
30 | do not support MSI. In Systems, which support MSI, the bus driver is | ||
31 | responsible for initializing the message address and message data of | ||
32 | the device function's MSI/MSI-X capability structure during device | ||
33 | initial configuration. | ||
34 | |||
35 | An MSI capable device function indicates MSI support by implementing | ||
36 | the MSI/MSI-X capability structure in its PCI capability list. The | ||
37 | device function may implement both the MSI capability structure and | ||
38 | the MSI-X capability structure; however, the bus driver should not | ||
39 | enable both. | ||
40 | |||
41 | The MSI capability structure contains Message Control register, | ||
42 | Message Address register and Message Data register. These registers | ||
43 | provide the bus driver control over MSI. The Message Control register | ||
44 | indicates the MSI capability supported by the device. The Message | ||
45 | Address register specifies the target address and the Message Data | ||
46 | register specifies the characteristics of the message. To request | ||
47 | service, the device function writes the content of the Message Data | ||
48 | register to the target address. The device and its software driver | ||
49 | are prohibited from writing to these registers. | ||
50 | |||
51 | The MSI-X capability structure is an optional extension to MSI. It | ||
52 | uses an independent and separate capability structure. There are | ||
53 | some key advantages to implementing the MSI-X capability structure | ||
54 | over the MSI capability structure as described below. | ||
55 | |||
56 | - Support a larger maximum number of vectors per function. | ||
57 | |||
58 | - Provide the ability for system software to configure | ||
59 | each vector with an independent message address and message | ||
60 | data, specified by a table that resides in Memory Space. | ||
61 | |||
62 | - MSI and MSI-X both support per-vector masking. Per-vector | ||
63 | masking is an optional extension of MSI but a required | ||
64 | feature for MSI-X. Per-vector masking provides the kernel | ||
65 | the ability to mask/unmask MSI when servicing its software | ||
66 | interrupt service routing handler. If per-vector masking is | ||
67 | not supported, then the device driver should provide the | ||
68 | hardware/software synchronization to ensure that the device | ||
69 | generates MSI when the driver wants it to do so. | ||
70 | |||
71 | 4. Why use MSI? | ||
72 | |||
73 | As a benefit the simplification of board design, MSI allows board | ||
74 | designers to remove out of band interrupt routing. MSI is another | ||
75 | step towards a legacy-free environment. | ||
76 | |||
77 | Due to increasing pressure on chipset and processor packages to | ||
78 | reduce pin count, the need for interrupt pins is expected to | ||
79 | diminish over time. Devices, due to pin constraints, may implement | ||
80 | messages to increase performance. | ||
81 | |||
82 | PCI Express endpoints uses INTx emulation (in-band messages) instead | ||
83 | of IRQ pin assertion. Using INTx emulation requires interrupt | ||
84 | sharing among devices connected to the same node (PCI bridge) while | ||
85 | MSI is unique (non-shared) and does not require BIOS configuration | ||
86 | support. As a result, the PCI Express technology requires MSI | ||
87 | support for better interrupt performance. | ||
88 | |||
89 | Using MSI enables the device functions to support two or more | ||
90 | vectors, which can be configured to target different CPU's to | ||
91 | increase scalability. | ||
92 | |||
93 | 5. Configuring a driver to use MSI/MSI-X | ||
94 | |||
95 | By default, the kernel will not enable MSI/MSI-X on all devices that | ||
96 | support this capability. The CONFIG_PCI_MSI kernel option | ||
97 | must be selected to enable MSI/MSI-X support. | ||
98 | |||
99 | 5.1 Including MSI/MSI-X support into the kernel | ||
100 | |||
101 | To allow MSI/MSI-X capable device drivers to selectively enable | ||
102 | MSI/MSI-X (using pci_enable_msi()/pci_enable_msix() as described | ||
103 | below), the VECTOR based scheme needs to be enabled by setting | ||
104 | CONFIG_PCI_MSI during kernel config. | ||
105 | |||
106 | Since the target of the inbound message is the local APIC, providing | ||
107 | CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC must be enabled as well as CONFIG_PCI_MSI. | ||
108 | |||
109 | 5.2 Configuring for MSI support | ||
110 | |||
111 | Due to the non-contiguous fashion in vector assignment of the | ||
112 | existing Linux kernel, this version does not support multiple | ||
113 | messages regardless of a device function is capable of supporting | ||
114 | more than one vector. To enable MSI on a device function's MSI | ||
115 | capability structure requires a device driver to call the function | ||
116 | pci_enable_msi() explicitly. | ||
117 | |||
118 | 5.2.1 API pci_enable_msi | ||
119 | |||
120 | int pci_enable_msi(struct pci_dev *dev) | ||
121 | |||
122 | With this new API, any existing device driver, which like to have | ||
123 | MSI enabled on its device function, must call this API to enable MSI | ||
124 | A successful call will initialize the MSI capability structure | ||
125 | with ONE vector, regardless of whether a device function is | ||
126 | capable of supporting multiple messages. This vector replaces the | ||
127 | pre-assigned dev->irq with a new MSI vector. To avoid the conflict | ||
128 | of new assigned vector with existing pre-assigned vector requires | ||
129 | a device driver to call this API before calling request_irq(). | ||
130 | |||
131 | 5.2.2 API pci_disable_msi | ||
132 | |||
133 | void pci_disable_msi(struct pci_dev *dev) | ||
134 | |||
135 | This API should always be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msi() | ||
136 | when a device driver is unloading. This API restores dev->irq with | ||
137 | the pre-assigned IOAPIC vector and switches a device's interrupt | ||
138 | mode to PCI pin-irq assertion/INTx emulation mode. | ||
139 | |||
140 | Note that a device driver should always call free_irq() on MSI vector | ||
141 | it has done request_irq() on before calling this API. Failure to do | ||
142 | so results a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI enabled and | ||
143 | leaks its vector. | ||
144 | |||
145 | 5.2.3 MSI mode vs. legacy mode diagram | ||
146 | |||
147 | The below diagram shows the events, which switches the interrupt | ||
148 | mode on the MSI-capable device function between MSI mode and | ||
149 | PIN-IRQ assertion mode. | ||
150 | |||
151 | ------------ pci_enable_msi ------------------------ | ||
152 | | | <=============== | | | ||
153 | | MSI MODE | | PIN-IRQ ASSERTION MODE | | ||
154 | | | ===============> | | | ||
155 | ------------ pci_disable_msi ------------------------ | ||
156 | |||
157 | |||
158 | Figure 1.0 MSI Mode vs. Legacy Mode | ||
159 | |||
160 | In Figure 1.0, a device operates by default in legacy mode. Legacy | ||
161 | in this context means PCI pin-irq assertion or PCI-Express INTx | ||
162 | emulation. A successful MSI request (using pci_enable_msi()) switches | ||
163 | a device's interrupt mode to MSI mode. A pre-assigned IOAPIC vector | ||
164 | stored in dev->irq will be saved by the PCI subsystem and a new | ||
165 | assigned MSI vector will replace dev->irq. | ||
166 | |||
167 | To return back to its default mode, a device driver should always call | ||
168 | pci_disable_msi() to undo the effect of pci_enable_msi(). Note that a | ||
169 | device driver should always call free_irq() on MSI vector it has done | ||
170 | request_irq() on before calling pci_disable_msi(). Failure to do so | ||
171 | results a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI enabled and | ||
172 | leaks its vector. Otherwise, the PCI subsystem restores a device's | ||
173 | dev->irq with a pre-assigned IOAPIC vector and marks released | ||
174 | MSI vector as unused. | ||
175 | |||
176 | Once being marked as unused, there is no guarantee that the PCI | ||
177 | subsystem will reserve this MSI vector for a device. Depending on | ||
178 | the availability of current PCI vector resources and the number of | ||
179 | MSI/MSI-X requests from other drivers, this MSI may be re-assigned. | ||
180 | |||
181 | For the case where the PCI subsystem re-assigned this MSI vector | ||
182 | another driver, a request to switching back to MSI mode may result | ||
183 | in being assigned a different MSI vector or a failure if no more | ||
184 | vectors are available. | ||
185 | |||
186 | 5.3 Configuring for MSI-X support | ||
187 | |||
188 | Due to the ability of the system software to configure each vector of | ||
189 | the MSI-X capability structure with an independent message address | ||
190 | and message data, the non-contiguous fashion in vector assignment of | ||
191 | the existing Linux kernel has no impact on supporting multiple | ||
192 | messages on an MSI-X capable device functions. To enable MSI-X on | ||
193 | a device function's MSI-X capability structure requires its device | ||
194 | driver to call the function pci_enable_msix() explicitly. | ||
195 | |||
196 | The function pci_enable_msix(), once invoked, enables either | ||
197 | all or nothing, depending on the current availability of PCI vector | ||
198 | resources. If the PCI vector resources are available for the number | ||
199 | of vectors requested by a device driver, this function will configure | ||
200 | the MSI-X table of the MSI-X capability structure of a device with | ||
201 | requested messages. To emphasize this reason, for example, a device | ||
202 | may be capable for supporting the maximum of 32 vectors while its | ||
203 | software driver usually may request 4 vectors. It is recommended | ||
204 | that the device driver should call this function once during the | ||
205 | initialization phase of the device driver. | ||
206 | |||
207 | Unlike the function pci_enable_msi(), the function pci_enable_msix() | ||
208 | does not replace the pre-assigned IOAPIC dev->irq with a new MSI | ||
209 | vector because the PCI subsystem writes the 1:1 vector-to-entry mapping | ||
210 | into the field vector of each element contained in a second argument. | ||
211 | Note that the pre-assigned IO-APIC dev->irq is valid only if the device | ||
212 | operates in PIN-IRQ assertion mode. In MSI-X mode, any attempt of | ||
213 | using dev->irq by the device driver to request for interrupt service | ||
214 | may result unpredictabe behavior. | ||
215 | |||
216 | For each MSI-X vector granted, a device driver is responsible to call | ||
217 | other functions like request_irq(), enable_irq(), etc. to enable | ||
218 | this vector with its corresponding interrupt service handler. It is | ||
219 | a device driver's choice to assign all vectors with the same | ||
220 | interrupt service handler or each vector with a unique interrupt | ||
221 | service handler. | ||
222 | |||
223 | 5.3.1 Handling MMIO address space of MSI-X Table | ||
224 | |||
225 | The PCI 3.0 specification has implementation notes that MMIO address | ||
226 | space for a device's MSI-X structure should be isolated so that the | ||
227 | software system can set different page for controlling accesses to | ||
228 | the MSI-X structure. The implementation of MSI patch requires the PCI | ||
229 | subsystem, not a device driver, to maintain full control of the MSI-X | ||
230 | table/MSI-X PBA and MMIO address space of the MSI-X table/MSI-X PBA. | ||
231 | A device driver is prohibited from requesting the MMIO address space | ||
232 | of the MSI-X table/MSI-X PBA. Otherwise, the PCI subsystem will fail | ||
233 | enabling MSI-X on its hardware device when it calls the function | ||
234 | pci_enable_msix(). | ||
235 | |||
236 | 5.3.2 Handling MSI-X allocation | ||
237 | |||
238 | Determining the number of MSI-X vectors allocated to a function is | ||
239 | dependent on the number of MSI capable devices and MSI-X capable | ||
240 | devices populated in the system. The policy of allocating MSI-X | ||
241 | vectors to a function is defined as the following: | ||
242 | |||
243 | #of MSI-X vectors allocated to a function = (x - y)/z where | ||
244 | |||
245 | x = The number of available PCI vector resources by the time | ||
246 | the device driver calls pci_enable_msix(). The PCI vector | ||
247 | resources is the sum of the number of unassigned vectors | ||
248 | (new) and the number of released vectors when any MSI/MSI-X | ||
249 | device driver switches its hardware device back to a legacy | ||
250 | mode or is hot-removed. The number of unassigned vectors | ||
251 | may exclude some vectors reserved, as defined in parameter | ||
252 | NR_HP_RESERVED_VECTORS, for the case where the system is | ||
253 | capable of supporting hot-add/hot-remove operations. Users | ||
254 | may change the value defined in NR_HR_RESERVED_VECTORS to | ||
255 | meet their specific needs. | ||
256 | |||
257 | y = The number of MSI capable devices populated in the system. | ||
258 | This policy ensures that each MSI capable device has its | ||
259 | vector reserved to avoid the case where some MSI-X capable | ||
260 | drivers may attempt to claim all available vector resources. | ||
261 | |||
262 | z = The number of MSI-X capable devices pupulated in the system. | ||
263 | This policy ensures that maximum (x - y) is distributed | ||
264 | evenly among MSI-X capable devices. | ||
265 | |||
266 | Note that the PCI subsystem scans y and z during a bus enumeration. | ||
267 | When the PCI subsystem completes configuring MSI/MSI-X capability | ||
268 | structure of a device as requested by its device driver, y/z is | ||
269 | decremented accordingly. | ||
270 | |||
271 | 5.3.3 Handling MSI-X shortages | ||
272 | |||
273 | For the case where fewer MSI-X vectors are allocated to a function | ||
274 | than requested, the function pci_enable_msix() will return the | ||
275 | maximum number of MSI-X vectors available to the caller. A device | ||
276 | driver may re-send its request with fewer or equal vectors indicated | ||
277 | in a return. For example, if a device driver requests 5 vectors, but | ||
278 | the number of available vectors is 3 vectors, a value of 3 will be a | ||
279 | return as a result of pci_enable_msix() call. A function could be | ||
280 | designed for its driver to use only 3 MSI-X table entries as | ||
281 | different combinations as ABC--, A-B-C, A--CB, etc. Note that this | ||
282 | patch does not support multiple entries with the same vector. Such | ||
283 | attempt by a device driver to use 5 MSI-X table entries with 3 vectors | ||
284 | as ABBCC, AABCC, BCCBA, etc will result as a failure by the function | ||
285 | pci_enable_msix(). Below are the reasons why supporting multiple | ||
286 | entries with the same vector is an undesirable solution. | ||
287 | |||
288 | - The PCI subsystem can not determine which entry, which | ||
289 | generated the message, to mask/unmask MSI while handling | ||
290 | software driver ISR. Attempting to walk through all MSI-X | ||
291 | table entries (2048 max) to mask/unmask any match vector | ||
292 | is an undesirable solution. | ||
293 | |||
294 | - Walk through all MSI-X table entries (2048 max) to handle | ||
295 | SMP affinity of any match vector is an undesirable solution. | ||
296 | |||
297 | 5.3.4 API pci_enable_msix | ||
298 | |||
299 | int pci_enable_msix(struct pci_dev *dev, u32 *entries, int nvec) | ||
300 | |||
301 | This API enables a device driver to request the PCI subsystem | ||
302 | for enabling MSI-X messages on its hardware device. Depending on | ||
303 | the availability of PCI vectors resources, the PCI subsystem enables | ||
304 | either all or nothing. | ||
305 | |||
306 | Argument dev points to the device (pci_dev) structure. | ||
307 | |||
308 | Argument entries is a pointer of unsigned integer type. The number of | ||
309 | elements is indicated in argument nvec. The content of each element | ||
310 | will be mapped to the following struct defined in /driver/pci/msi.h. | ||
311 | |||
312 | struct msix_entry { | ||
313 | u16 vector; /* kernel uses to write alloc vector */ | ||
314 | u16 entry; /* driver uses to specify entry */ | ||
315 | }; | ||
316 | |||
317 | A device driver is responsible for initializing the field entry of | ||
318 | each element with unique entry supported by MSI-X table. Otherwise, | ||
319 | -EINVAL will be returned as a result. A successful return of zero | ||
320 | indicates the PCI subsystem completes initializing each of requested | ||
321 | entries of the MSI-X table with message address and message data. | ||
322 | Last but not least, the PCI subsystem will write the 1:1 | ||
323 | vector-to-entry mapping into the field vector of each element. A | ||
324 | device driver is responsible of keeping track of allocated MSI-X | ||
325 | vectors in its internal data structure. | ||
326 | |||
327 | Argument nvec is an integer indicating the number of messages | ||
328 | requested. | ||
329 | |||
330 | A return of zero indicates that the number of MSI-X vectors is | ||
331 | successfully allocated. A return of greater than zero indicates | ||
332 | MSI-X vector shortage. Or a return of less than zero indicates | ||
333 | a failure. This failure may be a result of duplicate entries | ||
334 | specified in second argument, or a result of no available vector, | ||
335 | or a result of failing to initialize MSI-X table entries. | ||
336 | |||
337 | 5.3.5 API pci_disable_msix | ||
338 | |||
339 | void pci_disable_msix(struct pci_dev *dev) | ||
340 | |||
341 | This API should always be used to undo the effect of pci_enable_msix() | ||
342 | when a device driver is unloading. Note that a device driver should | ||
343 | always call free_irq() on all MSI-X vectors it has done request_irq() | ||
344 | on before calling this API. Failure to do so results a BUG_ON() and | ||
345 | a device will be left with MSI-X enabled and leaks its vectors. | ||
346 | |||
347 | 5.3.6 MSI-X mode vs. legacy mode diagram | ||
348 | |||
349 | The below diagram shows the events, which switches the interrupt | ||
350 | mode on the MSI-X capable device function between MSI-X mode and | ||
351 | PIN-IRQ assertion mode (legacy). | ||
352 | |||
353 | ------------ pci_enable_msix(,,n) ------------------------ | ||
354 | | | <=============== | | | ||
355 | | MSI-X MODE | | PIN-IRQ ASSERTION MODE | | ||
356 | | | ===============> | | | ||
357 | ------------ pci_disable_msix ------------------------ | ||
358 | |||
359 | Figure 2.0 MSI-X Mode vs. Legacy Mode | ||
360 | |||
361 | In Figure 2.0, a device operates by default in legacy mode. A | ||
362 | successful MSI-X request (using pci_enable_msix()) switches a | ||
363 | device's interrupt mode to MSI-X mode. A pre-assigned IOAPIC vector | ||
364 | stored in dev->irq will be saved by the PCI subsystem; however, | ||
365 | unlike MSI mode, the PCI subsystem will not replace dev->irq with | ||
366 | assigned MSI-X vector because the PCI subsystem already writes the 1:1 | ||
367 | vector-to-entry mapping into the field vector of each element | ||
368 | specified in second argument. | ||
369 | |||
370 | To return back to its default mode, a device driver should always call | ||
371 | pci_disable_msix() to undo the effect of pci_enable_msix(). Note that | ||
372 | a device driver should always call free_irq() on all MSI-X vectors it | ||
373 | has done request_irq() on before calling pci_disable_msix(). Failure | ||
374 | to do so results a BUG_ON() and a device will be left with MSI-X | ||
375 | enabled and leaks its vectors. Otherwise, the PCI subsystem switches a | ||
376 | device function's interrupt mode from MSI-X mode to legacy mode and | ||
377 | marks all allocated MSI-X vectors as unused. | ||
378 | |||
379 | Once being marked as unused, there is no guarantee that the PCI | ||
380 | subsystem will reserve these MSI-X vectors for a device. Depending on | ||
381 | the availability of current PCI vector resources and the number of | ||
382 | MSI/MSI-X requests from other drivers, these MSI-X vectors may be | ||
383 | re-assigned. | ||
384 | |||
385 | For the case where the PCI subsystem re-assigned these MSI-X vectors | ||
386 | to other driver, a request to switching back to MSI-X mode may result | ||
387 | being assigned with another set of MSI-X vectors or a failure if no | ||
388 | more vectors are available. | ||
389 | |||
390 | 5.4 Handling function implementng both MSI and MSI-X capabilities | ||
391 | |||
392 | For the case where a function implements both MSI and MSI-X | ||
393 | capabilities, the PCI subsystem enables a device to run either in MSI | ||
394 | mode or MSI-X mode but not both. A device driver determines whether it | ||
395 | wants MSI or MSI-X enabled on its hardware device. Once a device | ||
396 | driver requests for MSI, for example, it is prohibited to request for | ||
397 | MSI-X; in other words, a device driver is not permitted to ping-pong | ||
398 | between MSI mod MSI-X mode during a run-time. | ||
399 | |||
400 | 5.5 Hardware requirements for MSI/MSI-X support | ||
401 | MSI/MSI-X support requires support from both system hardware and | ||
402 | individual hardware device functions. | ||
403 | |||
404 | 5.5.1 System hardware support | ||
405 | Since the target of MSI address is the local APIC CPU, enabling | ||
406 | MSI/MSI-X support in Linux kernel is dependent on whether existing | ||
407 | system hardware supports local APIC. Users should verify their | ||
408 | system whether it runs when CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC=y. | ||
409 | |||
410 | In SMP environment, CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC is automatically set; | ||
411 | however, in UP environment, users must manually set | ||
412 | CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC. Once CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC=y, setting | ||
413 | CONFIG_PCI_MSI enables the VECTOR based scheme and | ||
414 | the option for MSI-capable device drivers to selectively enable | ||
415 | MSI/MSI-X. | ||
416 | |||
417 | Note that CONFIG_X86_IO_APIC setting is irrelevant because MSI/MSI-X | ||
418 | vector is allocated new during runtime and MSI/MSI-X support does not | ||
419 | depend on BIOS support. This key independency enables MSI/MSI-X | ||
420 | support on future IOxAPIC free platform. | ||
421 | |||
422 | 5.5.2 Device hardware support | ||
423 | The hardware device function supports MSI by indicating the | ||
424 | MSI/MSI-X capability structure on its PCI capability list. By | ||
425 | default, this capability structure will not be initialized by | ||
426 | the kernel to enable MSI during the system boot. In other words, | ||
427 | the device function is running on its default pin assertion mode. | ||
428 | Note that in many cases the hardware supporting MSI have bugs, | ||
429 | which may result in system hang. The software driver of specific | ||
430 | MSI-capable hardware is responsible for whether calling | ||
431 | pci_enable_msi or not. A return of zero indicates the kernel | ||
432 | successfully initializes the MSI/MSI-X capability structure of the | ||
433 | device funtion. The device function is now running on MSI/MSI-X mode. | ||
434 | |||
435 | 5.6 How to tell whether MSI/MSI-X is enabled on device function | ||
436 | |||
437 | At the driver level, a return of zero from the function call of | ||
438 | pci_enable_msi()/pci_enable_msix() indicates to a device driver that | ||
439 | its device function is initialized successfully and ready to run in | ||
440 | MSI/MSI-X mode. | ||
441 | |||
442 | At the user level, users can use command 'cat /proc/interrupts' | ||
443 | to display the vector allocated for a device and its interrupt | ||
444 | MSI/MSI-X mode ("PCI MSI"/"PCI MSIX"). Below shows below MSI mode is | ||
445 | enabled on a SCSI Adaptec 39320D Ultra320. | ||
446 | |||
447 | CPU0 CPU1 | ||
448 | 0: 324639 0 IO-APIC-edge timer | ||
449 | 1: 1186 0 IO-APIC-edge i8042 | ||
450 | 2: 0 0 XT-PIC cascade | ||
451 | 12: 2797 0 IO-APIC-edge i8042 | ||
452 | 14: 6543 0 IO-APIC-edge ide0 | ||
453 | 15: 1 0 IO-APIC-edge ide1 | ||
454 | 169: 0 0 IO-APIC-level uhci-hcd | ||
455 | 185: 0 0 IO-APIC-level uhci-hcd | ||
456 | 193: 138 10 PCI MSI aic79xx | ||
457 | 201: 30 0 PCI MSI aic79xx | ||
458 | 225: 30 0 IO-APIC-level aic7xxx | ||
459 | 233: 30 0 IO-APIC-level aic7xxx | ||
460 | NMI: 0 0 | ||
461 | LOC: 324553 325068 | ||
462 | ERR: 0 | ||
463 | MIS: 0 | ||
464 | |||
465 | 6. FAQ | ||
466 | |||
467 | Q1. Are there any limitations on using the MSI? | ||
468 | |||
469 | A1. If the PCI device supports MSI and conforms to the | ||
470 | specification and the platform supports the APIC local bus, | ||
471 | then using MSI should work. | ||
472 | |||
473 | Q2. Will it work on all the Pentium processors (P3, P4, Xeon, | ||
474 | AMD processors)? In P3 IPI's are transmitted on the APIC local | ||
475 | bus and in P4 and Xeon they are transmitted on the system | ||
476 | bus. Are there any implications with this? | ||
477 | |||
478 | A2. MSI support enables a PCI device sending an inbound | ||
479 | memory write (0xfeexxxxx as target address) on its PCI bus | ||
480 | directly to the FSB. Since the message address has a | ||
481 | redirection hint bit cleared, it should work. | ||
482 | |||
483 | Q3. The target address 0xfeexxxxx will be translated by the | ||
484 | Host Bridge into an interrupt message. Are there any | ||
485 | limitations on the chipsets such as Intel 8xx, Intel e7xxx, | ||
486 | or VIA? | ||
487 | |||
488 | A3. If these chipsets support an inbound memory write with | ||
489 | target address set as 0xfeexxxxx, as conformed to PCI | ||
490 | specification 2.3 or latest, then it should work. | ||
491 | |||
492 | Q4. From the driver point of view, if the MSI is lost because | ||
493 | of the errors occur during inbound memory write, then it may | ||
494 | wait for ever. Is there a mechanism for it to recover? | ||
495 | |||
496 | A4. Since the target of the transaction is an inbound memory | ||
497 | write, all transaction termination conditions (Retry, | ||
498 | Master-Abort, Target-Abort, or normal completion) are | ||
499 | supported. A device sending an MSI must abide by all the PCI | ||
500 | rules and conditions regarding that inbound memory write. So, | ||
501 | if a retry is signaled it must retry, etc... We believe that | ||
502 | the recommendation for Abort is also a retry (refer to PCI | ||
503 | specification 2.3 or latest). | ||