[openib-general] [PATCH 1/6] libibverbs include files changes.

[Sean Hefty]

> - "Path records are IB specific.  Not sure we need to rename them" and "These
>  changes look fine.  We just need to decide if we want to change everything 
> that's ibv_* to rdma_*, or keep IB specific names (path records, GIDs, PKeys,
>  etc.) the same."
> 
> I had indicated this in my "Information notes" in the [PATCH 0/6] : "IB
> specific routines are also converted to use RDMA generic API's for sake of
> uniformness (knowing that transport dependent names will be removed once all
> apps are converted)."
> 
> The issue is between deciding to have either rd(ma)_v or ibv_ for IB specific
>  structures. Currently there is no other transport other than IB that has 
> these specific structures, but if that changes it might be better to keep the
>  name transport agnostic. Another reason that I see at this time is to have 
> uniform names which means that this library exports names using one prefix -
> this means that I do not have to care about the underlying transport type and
> I also do not have to remember that ibv_ is for [a, b, c, d] operations and
> rdma_ is for [e, f, g, h] operations. What do you feel ?

If an application is looking at a path record, GID, PKey, etc. they they _are_ 
caring about the underlying transport type and the fact that it is IB.  An 
application that wants to be transport neutral would just need to limit itself 
to using rdma_* structures and APIs.

If we take a larger view, I don't think we want transport neutral names for the 
IB CM and IB MAD userspace APIs and structures.  Things like path records, GIDs, 
etc. are also used by those libraries.

- Sean