Bug 1221262

Summary:	Regarding version-matching between kernel module mlx5_core and Mellanox ConnectX NIC firmware
Product:	[openSUSE] PUBLIC SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP4	Reporter:	Tyler Sun <tyler.sun>
Component:	Kernel	Assignee:	Kernel Bugs <kernel-bugs>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	Normal
Priority:	P5 - None	CC:	daniel.wagner, kernel-bugs, tbogendoerfer, tiwai
Version:	unspecified	Flags:	tyler.sun: needinfo? (kernel-bugs) tyler.sun: needinfo? daniel.wagner: needinfo? (tbogendoerfer)
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	x86-64
OS:	SLES 15
Whiteboard:
Found By:	---	Services Priority:
Business Priority:		Blocker:	---
Marketing QA Status:	---	IT Deployment:	---

Description Tyler Sun 2024-03-12 07:26:43 UTC

Hi guys,

	In our ObjectStorage products, we run NVMe_over_RDMA and NVMe_over_TCP traffic through Mellanox ConnectX NICs.

	You know Mellanox has a series of ConnectX NIC models.
E.g., ConnectX-4 Lx, ConnectX-6 Dx, etc.
	And for each NIC model, there is a series of firmware versions.
	E.g., for ConnectX-4 Lx, the available firmware versions include 14.27.1016, 14.28.2006, etc.

	On the other hand, in SLES 15 SP4, the kernel module mlx5_core is the driver of the ConnectX NICs.
	As an alternative, the MLNX_OFED also provides its own implementation of the kernel module mlx5_core.
	For us, in some products, we use the MLNX_OFED, in some products, we use the SLES 15 SP4 inbox drivers.

	However, as I know, in each release of the MLNX_OFED, for each ConnectX NIC model, they always announce
an explicit list of supported firmware versions.
	E.g., in MLNX_OFED 4.9-6.0.6.0-LTS, for ConnectX-4 Lx, the supported firmware versions are 14.27.1016, 14.28.2006.
							Ref:https://docs.nvidia.com/networking/display/mlnxofedv496060lts/general+support+in+mlnx_ofed

	So our question is, in case we use SLES 15 SP4 inbox drivers instead of the drivers from the MLNX_OFED, are there any
similar version-matching requirements between kernel module mlx5_core and Mellanox ConnectX NIC firmware.

	If so, for RDMA and TCP/IP, do the version-matching requirements only apply to one of them or both?

Comment 1 Tyler Sun 2024-03-15 09:54:35 UTC

Any response?

Comment 2 Tyler Sun 2024-03-21 05:52:38 UTC

Any response?

Comment 3 Tyler Sun 2024-03-28 06:23:06 UTC

Any response?

Comment 4 Daniel Wagner 2024-03-28 09:08:02 UTC

> in case we use SLES 15 SP4 inbox drivers instead of the drivers from the
> MLNX_OFED, are there any similar version-matching requirements between
> kernel module mlx5_core and Mellanox ConnectX NIC firmware.

As far I can tell, the similar dependency between driver and firmware. 
Though I can't don't know the details.

@Thomas, do you happen to know more about this?

Comment 5 Tyler Sun 2024-04-01 02:40:55 UTC

@Daniel Wagner
Thanks for the brief answer.

Could anyone provide us with an explicit and detailed answer?

Comment 6 Tyler Sun 2024-04-23 03:34:57 UTC

Any update?

Comment 7 Tyler Sun 2024-05-13 05:28:50 UTC

Any update?