Updating firmware of SSDs under VMD(VROC)

[JShin]

Hi,

I'm making an application to update firmware of NVMe SSDs under VMD(VROC).

Until now I have accessed NVMe SSDs under Intel RST driver using CSMI(Common Storage Management Interface) and NVMe Pass-through in Intel's document "563914-Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Private API Support: NVMe* Pass-through API, Firmware Download API and AER API". But I can't access to NVMe SSDs under VMD using this method.

The document 563914 provides the guide below but these APIs don't work with VMD driver. CSMI IOCTLs return nothing.

6.1.2 Dependencies
• CSMI IOCTLs are needed – CC_CSMI_SAS_GET_DRIVER_INFO, CC_CSMI_SAS_GET_RAID_INFO and CC_CSMI_SAS_GET_RAID_CONFIG (Refer to Intel® RST CSMI IOCTL support) - to use Device Location API for devices that are part of logical volumes. CSMI IOCTLs provide device PTL information.

Please let me know how I can access to NVMe SSDs under VMD(VROC).

Question 1. Is it possible that an application accesses NVMe SSDs under VMD driver and updates firmware of them ?

Question 2. I found a document's name in Intel(R)_RSTe_5_4_ReleaseNotes.pdf - "Please refer to the Intel® VROC IOCTLs 1.3 Document for structure API changes included in this Intel VROC 5.3 release Kit". Can you share this document?

Question 3. Is there any other documentation to guide how to access NVMe SSDs under VMD?

[BrusC_Intel]

Hello, JShin.

Good day,

Thank you for contacting the Intel Community Support.

I checked your details regarding the application you are working on, I will be glad to assist you.

I will need to get some additional details and investigate further Are you working on this around a particular platform or operating system?

About the document you mentioned, is this available in the Intel website? if so, can you provide the link to it?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards,

Bruce C.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[JShin]

Dear Bruce C,

Thanks for your support.

Here are my test environment.

 - Dell Precision 7920 : https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/cty/pdp/spd/precision-7920-workstation/xctopt7920us_2

 - Intel Xeon Silver 4116

 - Windows 10 Pro 1809

 - VROC(VMD) Driver : https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29564/Intel-Virtual-RAID-on-CPU-Intel-VROC-SATA-Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Enterprise-Intel-RSTe-Windows-Driver-for-S1200SP-Family

And documents for development.

- NVMe pass-through : https://cdrdv2.intel.com/v1/dl/getContent/563914?wapkw=563914

- CSMI : https://www.t10.org/cgi-bin/ac.pl?t=d&f=04-284r1.pdf

If you need more information, let me know.

Best regards,

JShin

[BrusC_Intel]

Hello, JShin.

Thank you for the additional details.

Please allow me to investigate and I will contact you back as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Bruce C.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[BrusC_Intel · Accepted solution]

Hello, JShin.

Good day and thank you very much for waiting.

I will contact you privately via the e-mail registered on file regarding your request.

Best regards,

Bruce C.

Intel Customer Support Technician

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[BobZ]

Hi, I came across this post and we are looking for one of the same documents.  Details of what we are looking for are as follows:

We want a document describing how to detect and interact with NVMe drives attached to an Intel VROC controller.

Looking at available Intel documents we can see references to an Intel® VROC IOCTLs 1.3 Document in relation to "Windows IOCTLs for NVMe Device Information". This document and related documents are not available via our Intel IBL account.

Hoping someone can point us to this documentation.

Thanks!

[Mario_luo]

Hello Bruce，

We are facing a similar problem as that for the OP of thread titled ‘Updating firmware of SSDs under VMD(VROC)’.

We were able to get expected response with the Get Log Page command with ControlCode=IOCTL_INTEL_NVME_PASS_THROUGH, based on Microsoft’s document for Windows’ IOCTL_SCSI_MINIPORT driver (ntddscsi.h). However, when trying to send Firmware image download or Firmware commit command using ControlCode = IOCTL_INTEL_NVME_PASS_THROUGH will result in a failure. We’d appreciate it very much if you could point us to the direction for correctly accomplishing this task.

Any information in this regard is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Mario

[Mario_luo]

@BrusC_Intel 

Can I get your reply as soon as possible?