Intel X553 driver Support for Freebsd 12.1

[nRgia]

I have the following board: https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/motherboard/A2SDi-4C-HLN4F

I use Netmap on FreeBSD 12.1:

https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=netmap&sektion=4

The driver for FreeBSD as far as I know is this:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/14688/Intel-Network-Adapters-Driver-for-PCIe-10-Gigabit-Network-Connections-Under-FreeBSD-

1) After compilation the following if_if.ko is created as a driver, although in your "readme files" Intel mentions it should output if_ixgbe. Is this a bug?

2) Linux, FreeBSD and Netmap supports "ixgbe" driver, but not IX, what is IX driver? Shouldn't x553 support be included in ixgbe driver as in Linux?

Observation:

On Linux using ixgbe driver, Netmap works and I achieve 960 Mbs/s

On Freebsd using ix driver, Netmap works only in emulation mode, and I achieve only ~150 Mbs/s

I talked with the guys on FreeBSD, and they told me Netmap is not supported by ix driver, only by ixgbe driver.

3) If Netmap works on Linux with the same card and not on FreeBSD, I tend to believe the driver is the issue here.

All information about NETMAP and accepted drivers are here:

https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=netmap&sektion=4

Mainly it is used by Snort and Suricata for IDS/IPS hence I need a proper driver for it

Please shed a light about the above,

Thank you

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thank you for contacting Intel Embedded Community.

You should address your consultations associated to the devices of the mentioned manufacturer to the channels listed in the following website:

https://webpr3.supermicro.com/SupportPortal/

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ 

With all due respect I cannot agree with your statement and I will explain why:

1) SuperMicro doesn't create Intel drivers, Intel does

2) Intel created the driver for which my question is about

In the context above, what will be the question I should direct to SuperMicro, if it's related to hardware and software created by Intel?

I don't have questions about the whole board, only about Intel Atom C3000 chipset, that happen to include the Network adapter also. If Supermicro included in their board your hardware and sofware, what could their input be on this, besides, "these are the drivers that Intel provided".

Please direct me to proper channels, that can respond to my initial question

Thank you,

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

We would like to have the proper information for a third-party project but this information is only handle by its developer.

Due to this fact, you should contact them to find the confirmation of compatibility or best known configuration tested and confirmed for their device.

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ 

What are your referring to a third party project ? FreeBSD, SuperMicro board itlsef ?

Thank you,

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

The board that you have mentioned is a third-party project.

By the way, your FreeBSD consultations should be addressed as a reference to the following website:

https://forums.freebsd.org/

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ 

In my initial question I mentioned that I already spoke with FreeBSD guys. They are using the drivers provided by Intel, and directed me to speak with Intel.

Also in SuperMicro support page the drivers are from Intel.

My question is about X553 network adapter, and it's respective driver. Nobody can answer that question but Intel.

Are you willing to help me, or not?

Thank you,

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

Based on your last communication , could you please confirm that the device is an Intel Network Adapter or a design develop by you using the Intel® Ethernet Controller X553?

We are waiting for your clarification.

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello, @Mæcenas_INTEL​ 

It is not a physical card that you insert in a PCI slot, it's embeded, LOM I think it's called (LAN On Motherboard) and it uses the Intel X553 chipset

I read more here:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/design/products-and-solutions/processors-and-chipsets/denverton/ns/atom-processor-c3000-series.html

And here for the specific processor I have:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/97936/intel-atom-processor-c3858-12m-cache-up-to-2-0-ghz.html

But that information doesn't help me much.

Just needed to know about the drivers regarding X553 LOM

I don't use third party software or drivers, only the ones provided by Intel

Thank you,

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

We suggest verify with the developer of the board associated to this situation the compatibility of the Intel(R) Denverton [DNV] B0/B1 stepping PV MR2 (Maintenance Release 2) LAN Enabling Kit [LEK] document # 572330, that may help you. This document can be found when you are logged into your Resource & Design Center (RDC) privileged account on the following website:

http://www.intel.com/cd/edesign/library/asmo-na/eng/572330.htm

The RDC Account Support form is the channel to process your account update request or any inconvenience related to the provided websites. It can be found at:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/forms/support/my-intel-sign-on-support.html

We suggest you use a business email address to evade any inconvenience. Please avoid the free email provider's address (such the provided by Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, or others).

Best regards

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ 

I created a ticket with SuperMicro and linked our discussion. I cannot login to the site you've mentioned, but maybe SuperMicro can.

I'll get back with their response, I will give them a few days to respond.

I will post their response here.

Thank you,

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

By the way, could you please try the Intel(R) Network Adapter Driver for PCIe* Intel® 10 Gigabit Ethernet Network Connections Under Linux*? It can be found in the following website:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/14687/Intel-Network-Adapter-Driver-for-PCIe-Intel-10-Gigabit-Ethernet-Network-Connections-Under-Linux-

We are waiting for your feedback.

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Dear @Mæcenas_INTEL​ ,

Please read my initial post with more attention. I already gave you that information

On Linux after compilation the output is "ixgbe.ko" as a driver. IXGBE is recognized by Netmap also in FreeBSD, but the issue is that the the driver outpout after compilation in FreeBSD is "if_ix.ko", instead of "ixgbe.ko"

Intel also describes in the Intel driver for FreeBSD that the same "ixgbe.ko" should result after compilation.

The initial question is what is "if_ix.ko" ? Is this intended for FreeBSD and for Linux it should be "ixgbe.ko"? The readme files points to the same output regardless of Linux/FreeBSD

The driver I used for FreeBSD is this one:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/14688/Intel-Network-Adapters-Driver-for-PCIe-10-Gigabit-Network-Connections-Under-FreeBSD-

Please check and confirm the following:

1) This is the proper driver for X553

2) Is the output driver name "if_ix.ko" what was inteneded, and not a bug?

3) Shouldn't X553 should be included in "xgbe" driver like in Linux

4) What is IX driver for FreeBSD, I don't find information about it, on Linux or on FreeBSD ?

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your update.

Reviewing the website provided on your previous communication, specifically the readme file, you should address this consultation to the email address: freebsdnic@mailbox.intel.com

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ ,

It seems something is wrong with that e-mail address, can you validate again if it's the correct one, or it's still active?

I got a delivery error after I sent the e-mail:

Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:   freebsdnic@mailbox.intel.com (freebsdnic@mailbox.intel.com)<mailto:freebsdn= ic@mailbox.intel.com> The e-mail address you entered couldn't be found. Please check the recipien= t's e-mail address and try to resend the message. If the problem continues,= please contact your helpdesk.               Diagnostic information for administrators:   Generating server: intel.com   freebsdnic@mailbox.intel.com #550 5.1.1 RESOLVER.ADR.RecipNotFound; not found ##

Thank you,

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​ ,

Please check my last post.

Thank you

[nRgia]

Hello @Mæcenas_INTEL​

This is what SuperMicro responded:

 

Also the response from FreeBSD forums is here:

https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/intel-x553-driver-support-for-freebsd-12-1.75588/

But to summarise both FreeBSD and SuperMicro indicated a driver issue. More to it from the discussion on the FreeBSD forums, it seems that Netmap has been disabled in the Intel driver...please see discussion.

So I need explications from Intel for the following:

1) Why the Netmap support is missing from FreeBSD 12.1 driver, but is present on Linux

2) Why Netmap support was present on FreeBSD 11.3 and disabled on FreeBSD 12.1

3) Should a new driver will be released soon?

4) What workaround Intel proposes for now.

Please respond

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your updates.

Reviewing the board developer response, they confirm that the Operating System (Free BSD12.1) is not corroborated or verified by them on the board that you are using. You can confirm this information in the attached screenshot of your last attachment specifically in the yellow-highlighted information.

Due to this fact, we suggest using the Operating Systems that they have tested and validated to avoid any undesired condition as listed at the beginning of this thread.

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.  

[nRgia]

It's not a tested version of FreeBSD, it may work, it may not, you have no support from the manufacturer of the board. I am testing it for them.

Does Intel, or this driver in particular: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/do...10-Gigabit-Network-Connections-Under-FreeBSD-

support FreeBSD 12.1? Because Intel doesn't specify

Can you confirm this with someone from Intel? This is what I need

Is Intel releasing a new driver maybe, do Intel have a beta driver maybe? I need confirmation, that's all I'm asking

All others have confirmed their part, it will be nice, to have a confirmation from Intel that NETMAP will be supported by version x.x.x( as en example) of future driver, or not all.

This way, I can relay an official answer to the FreeBSD community.

Thank you

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, @nRgia​:

Thanks for your reply.

The readme file located in the website cited on your previous communication has the information of the supported versions.

By the way, reviewing the following website we found the Intel team that may answer your consultations associated to the Operating System that you have mentioned and their drivers:

https://01.org/blogs/imad/2017/intel-increases-support-freebsd-project

You can contact them by filling out the following form:

https://01.org/about/contact-us

Finally, please keep in mind that this thread is associated to a third-party board. The proper information of this device is only handled by its manufacturer.

Best regards,

@Mæcenas_INTEL​.