Re: [PATCH} Network interface for IPMI

[Andrew Morton <akpm@osdl.org>]

Corey Minyard <cminyard@mvista.com> wrote:
>
> IPMI is a manage standard that allows intelligent management controllers 
> to monitor things about the system (temperature, fan speed, etc.).  The 
> management controllers sit on a bus, and have addresses, and such.  
> After seeing the ugliness required for the 32-bit ioctl compatability 
> layers for 64-bit kernels, I have decided that the network interface for 
> IPMI is a good thing, as the IPMI device ioctls have pointers and 
> require ugly hacks.  None should be needed for the network interface.
> 
> This patch adds that layer.
> 
> -#define NPROTO		32		/* should be enough for now..	*/
> +#define NPROTO		64		/* should be enough for now..	*/

Boy, that was a big bump.  Was this intentional?

> +static struct ipmi_sock *ipmi_socket_create1(struct socket *sock)
> +{
> +	struct ipmi_sock *i;
> +
> +	if (atomic_read(&ipmi_nr_socks) >= 2*files_stat.max_files)
> +		return NULL;

Why this test?

> +config IPMI_SOCKET
> +	tristate "IPMI sockets"
> +	depends on IPMI_HANDLER
> +	---help---
> +	  If you say Y here, you will include support for IPMI sockets;
> +	  This way you don't have to use devices to access IPMI.  You
> +	  must also enable the IPMI message handler and a low-level
> +	  driver in the Character Drivers if you enable this.
> +	  
> +	  If unsure, say N.

Is this new kernel interface documented somewhere?