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+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0-only OR BSD-2-Clause)
+
+.. _devlink_flash:
+
+=============
+Devlink Flash
+=============
+
+The ``devlink-flash`` API allows updating device firmware. It replaces the
+older ``ethtool-flash`` mechanism, and doesn't require taking any
+networking locks in the kernel to perform the flash update. Example use::
+
+  $ devlink dev flash pci/0000:05:00.0 file flash-boot.bin
+
+Note that the file name is a path relative to the firmware loading path
+(usually ``/lib/firmware/``). Drivers may send status updates to inform
+user space about the progress of the update operation.
+
+Firmware Loading
+================
+
+Devices which require firmware to operate usually store it in non-volatile
+memory on the board, e.g. flash. Some devices store only basic firmware on
+the board, and the driver loads the rest from disk during probing.
+``devlink-info`` allows users to query firmware information (loaded
+components and versions).
+
+In other cases the device can both store the image on the board, load from
+disk, or automatically flash a new image from disk. The ``fw_load_policy``
+devlink parameter can be used to control this behavior
+(:ref:`Documentation/networking/devlink/devlink-params.rst <devlink_params_generic>`).
+
+On-disk firmware files are usually stored in ``/lib/firmware/``.
+
+Firmware Version Management
+===========================
+
+Drivers are expected to implement ``devlink-flash`` and ``devlink-info``
+functionality, which together allow for implementing vendor-independent
+automated firmware update facilities.
+
+``devlink-info`` exposes the ``driver`` name and three version groups
+(``fixed``, ``running``, ``stored``).
+
+The ``driver`` attribute and ``fixed`` group identify the specific device
+design, e.g. for looking up applicable firmware updates. This is why
+``serial_number`` is not part of the ``fixed`` versions (even though it
+is fixed) - ``fixed`` versions should identify the design, not a single
+device.
+
+``running`` and ``stored`` firmware versions identify the firmware running
+on the device, and firmware which will be activated after reboot or device
+reset.
+
+The firmware update agent is supposed to be able to follow this simple
+algorithm to update firmware contents, regardless of the device vendor:
+
+.. code-block:: sh
+
+  # Get unique HW design identifier
+  $hw_id = devlink-dev-info['fixed']
+
+  # Find out which FW flash we want to use for this NIC
+  $want_flash_vers = some-db-backed.lookup($hw_id, 'flash')
+
+  # Update flash if necessary
+  if $want_flash_vers != devlink-dev-info['stored']:
+      $file = some-db-backed.download($hw_id, 'flash')
+      devlink-dev-flash($file)
+
+  # Find out the expected overall firmware versions
+  $want_fw_vers = some-db-backed.lookup($hw_id, 'all')
+
+  # Update on-disk file if necessary
+  if $want_fw_vers != devlink-dev-info['running']:
+      $file = some-db-backed.download($hw_id, 'disk')
+      write($file, '/lib/firmware/')
+
+  # Try device reset, if available
+  if $want_fw_vers != devlink-dev-info['running']:
+     devlink-reset()
+
+  # Reboot, if reset wasn't enough
+  if $want_fw_vers != devlink-dev-info['running']:
+     reboot()
+
+Note that each reference to ``devlink-dev-info`` in this pseudo-code
+is expected to fetch up-to-date information from the kernel.
+
+For the convenience of identifying firmware files some vendors add
+``bundle_id`` information to the firmware versions. This meta-version covers
+multiple per-component versions and can be used e.g. in firmware file names
+(all component versions could get rather long.)