E-810C, GRE and VLANs

[ErnestoR]

Hi,

we are using E810-C-Q2 cards on Centos 8.3 both as 2x1x100GbE and split as 8x10GbE; no differences on the two configurations.

We are using them in a DPDK-based solution for Virtual Network Functions and Software Defined Networking, so they manage any kind of traffic and packets.

All works fine, except when they receive GRE packets with a single VLAN or no VLAN at all: those packets are simply lost somewhere in the NIC and not sent to DPDK drivers. We tried also disabling DPDK and using the Linux ice driver: same result, so apparently it's the firmware that drops the (valid!) packets. If the GRE packet is encapsulated in two VLANS, the NIC correctly sends the packet to the driver. This just to say that we are confident everything around just works fine: it's enough to hide the packet in two VLANs so that the NIC ignores it and passes it. But when it recognizes the packet as GRE, it drops it. No offloading is configured.

Any idea why this occurs? Any way to disable this default behaviour?

NVM 2.5, CentOS 8.3 DPDK 20.11

Thanks

Ernesto

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto, 

As previously advised by our engineers, if GRE version is set to 1 which is Enhanced GRE. This is the reason there is an error entry and gets rejected. – ice ddp package parser supports GRE version = 0. Enhanced GRE (GRE version = 1) is not supported. So it would be a feature request to add support for that version.

Just a clarification request from our engineers, they would like to know if you are using a DPDK?

Should there be no response from you, I’ll make sure to reach out after 3 business days.

Awaiting for your reply,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[RomanVTrepalin]

Добрый день, Эрнесто!
Авторы программного обеспечения, используемого нами, предложили нам на тестирование адаптер Mellanox CONNECTX-5. Исходя из всего вышеизложенного и позиции Интел по данному вопросу, мы вынуждены будем отказаться от использования сетевых адаптеров на базе Intel E810C в пользу NVIDIA, в случае положительных результатов тестирования. Мы используем адаптеры с DPDK драйвером для контроля и анализа трафика. И в нашем случае адаптер, самостоятельно принимающий решение какой трафик пропускать, а какой нет, не пригоден.
Возможно Вам также подойдет данное решение.
С уважением,Роман.

[ErnestoR]

Hi Roman,

that's definitely an option for 100Gbps interfaces (we have very good experience with Mellanox for other projects), but E810 can split 8x10 while Mellanox does not not. So for multiple 10Gbps nics, switching to a different vendor is currently not a viable option.

Thanks

Ernesto

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello ErnestoR,

We would like to followup this information from you, our engineers would like to know if you are using a DPDK?

Should there be no response from you, I’ll make sure to reach out again after 3 business days

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[ErnestoR]

Hello,

yes we're using DPDK.

If you need to raise a feature request to fix this bug, can I ask you to make it future-proof?

That is, instead of dropping packets for protocols that you don't understand, just let the packet flow and stop processing it and consider it a valid packet of the last-valid protocol found.

As an example for GRE: you process it. Valid Ethernet, Valid IPv4. Then it seems to be GRE, but the packet is unreadable as GRE, so the algorithm concludes that the packet is a valid IPv4 packet and that's it, and let it pass classified as IPv4.

And apply this in general of course, not only for GRE.

If you just implement GREv1 (it is ten or twenty years old, right?), there could always be a protocol you missed, or a new protocol or protocol version that gets ratified and could be used, and we would be back here to report your NIC dropping valid packets.

Hope it is clear, but very happy to discuss it further.

Thanks

Ernesto

[RomanVTrepalin]

Доброго дня, Эрнесто!

Полностью разделяю Вашу точку зрения.  В случае с DPDK - по моему априори необходимо пропустить в систему ВСЕ валидные пакеты. Чтобы уже ПО принимало решение, что с ним делать, а не сетевой адаптер.

С уважением, Роман.

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto,

Thank you for the update. Please be advised that our engineering team is in the process of submitting the necessary requirements in order to get support added for GRE version = 1, which is Enhanced GRE to resolve the issue. It may take some time and we do apologize for any inconvenience caused. Rest assured that we will get back to you as soon we have updates but no later than 2-4 business days.

Thank you for your kind patience.

Best regards,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto,

Please be advised that we are still waiting an update. It may take some time but rest assured that we are monitoring this request. We will get back to you as soon we have updates but no later than 3-5 business days.

Thank you for your kind patience and stay safe!

Best regards,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto,

Please be advised that we are still waiting an update. It may take some time due to its complexity but rest assured that we are monitoring this request. We will get back to you as soon we have updates but no later than 3-5 business days.

Thank you for your kind patience and stay safe!

Best regards,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto,

Greetings, 

We already received an update from engineering that they have several variants of GRE support coming in the near future (2022), including DDP support for GRE. The feedbacks we received from you is most appreciated and has been included for consideration in the aforementioned GRE support plans. We really appreciated your assistance.

Since the GRE support is confirmed to be included but it will take some time as this is an added feature support, would you like to close this case or let the case open to receive update from us?

We look forward to hearing from you soon. Should we not hear from you, We will make a followup again after 2 to 3 days.

Best regards,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support

[ErnestoR]

Hello Aldy,

To summarize: your nic deliberately decides to drop valid packets it receives. There seems to be no way to avoid it.

The fix to this (known since June) will arrive in 2022, so it takes 6 to 18 months to fix this bug.

So, yes: you can close this case

Thanks

Ernesto

[AldyC_Intel]

Hello Ernesto,

Thank you for the update and we do apologize again for the inconvenience this may have caused.  Unfortunately, the adapter dose not support Enhanced GRE but it will be implemented soon and we also really appreciate your assistance with this request.

We will now close the case and again, thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Best regards,

Aldy C.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[AhmetAk]

Hello,

We are observing same issue even after NVM Update Version 4.0 (2022)

Could we get an exact date since you said it will be implemented in 2022?

[petonagy]

Hi,

Any update on this one? This occurs also in 2024 with newest fw (4.40).

Thank you.

[ErnestoR]

Hi petonagy,

did you try the comms DDP?

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19660/intel-ethernet-800-series-dynamic-device-personalization-ddp-for-telecommunication-comms-package.html

Regards,

Ernesto

[petonagy]

Hi Ernesto,

Yes, I did try it (ddp-1.3.45.0), but without any luck.

Regards,

Peter