[syslinux] Etherboot and gpxe

[Michael Brown]

On Friday 31 July 2009 00:22:29 Joyce Yu wrote:
> <snip>
> xxxx_probe() does some HW initialization, but leave some to the
> xxxx_open(). This is the difference between etherboot xxxx_probe() and
> gpxe xxxx_probe(), am I right?
> ---------------------------------------
>
> I want to know if both implementations are working? What is the benefit
> if the new ones are used?

Both implementations are working.  The old-style Etherboot API is there simply 
because no-one has yet taken the time to convert all of the old drivers.

The advantage of using the gPXE API is that you can support multiple NICs in a 
single system, non-blocking TX, zerocopy TX, and minimal-copy RX.

No new drivers should be added at this point using the old-style Etherboot 
API.  It's generally easier to program to the newer gPXE API anyway.  (With 
the gPXE API you don't have to do things like assemble the Ethernet header 
yourself.)

Moving discussion to the Etherboot list, since syslinux is not the right forum 
for this kind of question.

Michael