Features/ServerKMSDrivers

= Server KMS Drivers =

Summary
Servers generally ship with fairly simple GPU hardware that can provide scanout and a small amount of VRAM. Currently we use X.org drivers to drive these chipsets. However a set of simple KMS drivers could be written along with a single X.org driver to drive this hardware. Bringing the featureset of KMS to these chipsets.

Owner

 * Name: Dave Airlie


 * Email: 

Current status

 * Targeted release: Fedora 17
 * Last updated: (DATE)
 * Percentage of completion: 5%

Detailed Description
Chipsets such as MGA based serverengines and AST chipsets are mainly found in servers, providing KMS drivers for these allows consolidation of userspace and kernel drivers across desktop and servers.

Benefit to Fedora
Going forward we only want to support kernel modesetting based drivers instead of legacy user modesetting X.org drivers. It also allows a single userspace driver to drive these chipsets generically.

Scope
Develop a kernel modesetting driver for MGA G200SE chipsets based on X.org driver. Develop a kernel modesetting driver for AST chipsets based on X.org driver. Develop a userspace generic KMS driver to drive these chipsets unaccelerated. (Possibly develop an XGI KMS driver for Z7/Z9).

How To Test
Have server hardware with MGA SE, AST or XGI hardware. Desktop variants may not be suitable. Install system and see if the installer works and if the console and desktop work post install.

Dependencies
kernel changes. X.org changes.

Contingency Plan
Do nothing, stay as we are now.

Release Notes
Server chipset drivers are moved into the kernel for better future support.

Comments and Discussion

 * See Talk:Features/ServerKMSDrivers