i210 NVM Programming

[ppaul5]

I am designing a PCIe to SFP interface using the i210 without external memory.

Is it possible to program the internal NVM from a header/connector or does it have to be programmed from the host system via the PCIe interface?

Any information on this subject would be much appreciated.

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, PBurger:

Thank you for contacting Intel Embedded Community.

The information that may help you is stated in the answers to the questions 2.15, 2.16, 2.14, and 2.9; on pages 8 and 9 of the https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/faqs/ethernet-controller-i210-i211-faq.pdf Intel(R) Ethernet Controller I210/I211 Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs] document # 335346.

We hope that this information is useful.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.

[ppaul5]

Hello Carlos,

Thank you for your reply.

I have already seen the info that you point to above - however, this does not answer my question.

Physically, how is the programming done? Is it via a connector to the NVM pins, or, via the PCIe interface?

Kind regards,

Paul

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, PBurger:

Thanks for your clarification.

In order to find the information that may help you, could you please tell us if the project related to this situation has been developed by a third company or by you? In case that it is a third party design, please give us all the information related to it. On the other hand, if it has been designed by you, could you please tell us if it has been reviewed by Intel?

Waiting for your reply.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.

[ppaul5]

Hello Carlos,

The project is our own design and has not been reviewed by Intel.

Hope that helps?

Paul

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, PBurger:

We really appreciate your clarification.

It is important to let you know that the INVM should be programmed internally because it needs to write to registers. This information is stated in section 3.4.3.1, on pages 79 and 80 of the https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/i210-ethernet-controller-datasheet.pdf Intel(R) Ethernet Controller I210 Datasheet document # 333016. By the way, please be sure that you are using the SERDES sku if you are trying to use SFP.

We hope that this information may help you.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.

[ppaul5]

Hello Carlos,

I appreciate what you are saying above, however, it does not answer my question: Is the iNVM programmed via the PCIe interface, or, via the NVM pins on the chip (which could be connected to a programming header/connector)?

Kind regards,

Paul

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, PBurger:

Thanks for your reply.

The NVM pins on the chip are only for the chip to control an external flash device. Due to this fact, it is programmed via PCIe.

We hope that this information may help you.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.

[ppaul5]

Thank you Carlos - that is the answer I required.

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello, PBurger:

Thanks for your update.

We are glad to hear that the provided information is useful.

Please do not hesitate to contact us again if you have any question related to Intel Embedded products.

Best regards,

Carlos_A.