Upgrade i40e driver to support 6.01 Firmware - Intel XL710

[Márton Kiss]

Intel released the 6.01 Firmware for the Intel XL710 network cards. As stated in the feature support matrix [1] in the table 9 on page 18, the minimum kernel driver version for the 6.01 Firmware i40e must be 2.1.26, the recent driver version is 2.4.10 [2]

The i40 driver version included in the 4.15.0-36 (Bionic, LTS) is 2.1.14-k.

$ uname -a
Linux ubuntu-bionic 4.15.0-36-generic #39-Ubuntu SMP Mon Sep 24 16:19:09 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ modinfo i40e
filename: /lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e.ko
version: 2.1.14-k
license: GPL
description: Intel(R) Ethernet Connection XL710 Network Driver

Release notes: [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The firmware 6.01 introduce better performance for DPDK and SR-IOV applications for those cards, and NFV application workloads would perform better.

[1] Intel® Ethernet Controller X710/ XXV710/XL710 Feature Support Matrix
https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/release-notes/xl710-ethernet-controller-feature-matrix.pdf

[2] Intel® Network Adapter Driver for PCIe* 40 Gigabit Ethernet Network Connections Under Linux*
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24411/Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-PCIe-40-Gigabit-Ethernet-Network-Connections-Under-Linux-?product=75021

[3] Intel(R) Network Connections Software Version 23.2 Release Notes
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/24411/eng/readme.txt

[4] Intel(R) Network Connections Software Version 23.1 Release Notes
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27869/eng/readme.txt

[5] Intel(R) Network Connections Software Version 22.10 Release Notes
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27547/eng/readme.txt

[6] Intel(R) Network Connections Software Version 22.9 Release Notes
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27547/eng/readme.txt

[7] Intel(R) Network Connections Software Version 22.6 Release Notes
https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27189/eng/readme.txt

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1795587

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Márton Kiss (marton-kiss)]

It is rather a feature request than a bug, but affects the supportability of NIC firmware, and the performance of SRIOV and DPDK.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Vivien GUEANT (vivienfr)]

Does this have any connection to the bug "i40e driver does not work with kernel 4.15" described on https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-meta-hwe/+bug/1779756 ?

[Márton Kiss (marton-kiss)]

We are using the 4.15 HWE kernel on Xenial, and the i40e driver is working, the only problem that the kernel driver version is not matching the minimum requirement for 6.01 Firmware, what is required for latest dpdk / sriov features and upgrades.

[Suphanat (suphantoon)]

I would like to know how to resolve my issue? I'm facing with the issue like this. Initially, I have the information of driver, kernel, NIC card as the below and performed to change fiber link but this issue still alive.

$ ethtool -i enp175s0f0
driver: i40e
version: 2.1.14-k
firmware-version: 6.01 0x80003554 1.1747.0
Ethernet Controller XXV710

Linux kernel: 4.15.0-106-generic
Operation System: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

$dmesg | grep enp175s0f0
[33183121.471105] i40e 0000:af:00.0 enp175s0f0: speed changed to 0 for port enp175s0f0
[33183121.973729] i40e 0000:af:00.0 enp175s0f0: NIC Link is Up, 25 Gbps Full Duplex, Requested FEC: None, FEC: CL74 FC-FEC/BASE-R, Autoneg: False, Flow Control: None
[33183122.320007] i40e 0000:af:00.0 enp175s0f0: NIC Link is Down