FW: FW: Linux Device Driver ZL50408

[Caleb Gordon]

Hi to everyone on this mailing list,

I have been directed to post this project to this mailing list by Greg KH. I
have attached some of the conversation that I have had with Greg regarding
the development of a Linux device driver for an IC I am currently using -
the ZL50408/CX97316. 

To summarise what is below: I am using a ZL50408/CX97316 Ethernet switching
IC initially produced by Zarlink but recently acquired by Conexant. There is
currently no open source device driver for this device, and being a Linux
newbe I am looking at doing this daunting task myself. I have started by
looking at modifying the DM9000 device driver as it has a similar interface.
The switching hardware I have developed contains an FPGA (SDRAM, FLASH,
programming interface etc), ZL50408 and PHY among other components. I plan
to use uCLinux onboard an embedded NIOS II processor on the FPGA and have
started to look into modifying the DM9000 device driver (currently part of
the 2.6 Kernel) as it has a similar (16-bit DMA) interface. 

If the Linux Device Driver Project could help I would much appreciate it. I
am open to all questions and I can forward datasheets and application notes
to you if you are able to help. 

Thanks,
Caleb Gordon

Design Engineer

Tekron International

Phone: +64 4 566 7722

Email: caleb.gordon at tekroninternational.com

Mobile: +64 21 434647

Fax: +64 4 569 9272

Web: www.tekroninternational.com

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Greg KH [mailto:greg at kroah.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 4:04 PM
To: Caleb Gordon
Subject: Re: FW: Linux Device Driver ZL50408

On Mon, Jul 07, 2008 at 09:36:14AM +1200, Caleb Gordon wrote:
> Hi Greg,
> 
> Thanks for getting back to me on this. From my perspective what I need 
> is a Kernel driver module that will allow for me to initialise and 
> talk to the
> ZL50408 using the 16-bit CPU interface. There will be some glue logic 
> that can be performed by the programmable hardware of the FPGA if 
> needed to mainly help with timing. I believe that the functionality of 
> the driver will be similar to that of the Davicom DM9000 ISA fast 
> Ethernet driver, however I am slightly unsure about how to deal with 
> some of the specific needs of this driver. The ZL50408 CPU interface 
> can be used for both configuration and as a port of the switch, 
> therefore packets can be sent and received via this interface and at 
> times during normal operation, statistics will have to be retrieved 
> and the switch configuration (i.e. VLANs) can be changed. I plan to 
> use this interface for management messages, remote configuration and
remote upgrade.
> 
> Are you able to help me or perhaps point me in a good direction for help.
> Are there any other device drivers that are part of the Kernel that 
> you can recommend that I look at? Any drivers for a switch with an 
> addressable type interface that allows for both configuration of the 
> hardware and passing of packets? Do you think using embedded linux is
actually the way to go?
> 
> I have talked to my supervisor about this and he sees no problem as 
> long as there is appropriate credit given. The bulk of the research 
> has been in the hardware and programmable hardware side of things, the 
> driver will allow for switch management functionality to be 
> incorporated. I am looking at finishing my thesis by the end of August 
> and after this stage I'll be working on this project for Tekron
International Ltd.
> 
> What kind of a timeline would we be looking at if your team were to go 
> ahead with this development? I would like to be able have something by 
> the end of October, if this is unachievable then are there any 
> companies that you could recommend that could develop this driver for us
on a commercial basis?

Ok, I suck and this probably isn't going to work out for an october
deadline, my appologies.  I got pulled into other projects for other
hardware and have a few days off before I have to go do other work for 3
weeks.

I suggest you post this to the devel at linuxdriverproject.org mailing list and
ask the developers there for help.  They are the ones working on this type
of thing and will be able to do much more than I can at this moment in time.

Again, my sincere apologies for the delays.

greg k-h

-----Original Message-----
From: Caleb Gordon [mailto:caleb.gordon at tekroninternational.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:01 PM
To: 'greg at kroah.com'
Subject: FW: Linux Device Driver ZL50408

Hi Greg,

This is just a follow up to check that you had got my last email with the
attachments and to give you the register definitions spreadsheet that I
compiled and edited from the datasheet. 

I am interested in the process and progress at your end. 

At my end I have been able to work around not having this interface by
working with an I2C interface that allows for unmanaged configuration of the
switch IC. This has allowed for me to verify my hardware which is now 99.9%
working. 

My masters project is due to be completed at the end of August this year and
so I am slightly anxious about time. Luckily the company I am working on
this project through is keeping me on to complete this project after that
date. 

What time frame am I looking at for initial testing of the driver? Is there
some way that we could facilitate the development by putting it on a
commercial basis? I'm not sure if this works with the Linux Device Driver
ethos, however I'm sure that you would have been asked this before :-)

Cheers,
Caleb Gordon

-----Original Message-----
From: Caleb Gordon [mailto:caleb.gordon at tekroninternational.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 9:26 AM
To: 'Greg KH'
Subject: RE: Linux Device Driver ZL50408

Hi Greg, 

Thank you very much, any help would be much appreciated and most definately
credited. I have attached the appropriate datasheet and processor interface
application note for the ZL50408. I have started researching what is
necessary to alter the DM9000A 16-bit interface driver to work with the
ZL50408, hopefully it will not be too much of a leap but I am unsure about
how to handle certain management packets, statistics etc..

If you would like any more information about my project or any questions
that I may be able to answer about the switch IC don't hesitate to email. I
will continue to work on what I can do with the driver at my end and will
let you know if I make any breakthroughs. 

I am receiving the hardware I have developed on Monday which contains an
FPGA (SDRAM, FLASH, programming interface etc), ZL50408 and PHY among other
components and so I will be able to conduct testing immediately. 

Thanks,
Caleb Gordon

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg KH [mailto:greg at kroah.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 5:13 AM
To: Caleb Gordon
Subject: Re: Linux Device Driver ZL50408

On Tue, Apr 29, 2008 at 05:43:48PM +1200, Caleb Gordon wrote:
> Hi Greg,
>  
> I am working on a Masters project through Victoria University of 
> Wellington and am using uCLinux onboard a NIOS2 processor. I have 
> developed some custom hardware with a ZL50408 switch IC previously 
> made by Zarlink, but Conexant has recently bought the packet switching 
> IP from Zarlink and the new device part number is CX97316. There is 
> currently no open source device driver for this device, and being a 
> Linux newbe I am looking at doing this daunting task myself. I have 
> started by looking at modifying the DM9000 device driver as it has a
similar interface.
>  
> If the Linux Device Driver Project could help I would much appreciate 
> it. I can forward datasheets and application notes to you if you are able
to help.

Yes we can help, but please note that our developers are a bit slow, so if
you are on a time deadline, it might not work out for you to use us.

Please send me the information and I'll see what is needed to be done.

thanks,

greg k-h