Broadcom iSCSI Adapter - BCM 5709 not working with iSCSI

[Tomek24VMWARE]

Hi All

I testing new ESXi on my server Dell R710 with 4 TOE port BroadCom Ethernet adapter.

000:001:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation PowerEdge R710 BCM5709 Gigabit Ethernet

000:001:00.1 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation PowerEdge R710 BCM5709 Gigabit Ethernet

000:002:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation PowerEdge R710 BCM5709 Gigabit Ethernet

000:002:00.1 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation PowerEdge R710 BCM5709 Gigabit Ethernet

This ethernet device have support for dependent BroadCom iSCSI Adapter.

when I configure vmk and NIC with vmhba34 - then iSCSI not working

when I configure vmk and NIC with Software iSCSI Adapter iSCSI working for me.

pleas see image:

and esxcli configuration for vmhba34

Does anyone have a similar problem and knows how to solve this?</span>

Tom

[resteves]

Well, i have a BCM5709C from Dell on a Windows Server, and also requires a special license to use iSCSI Offload, and for what i've been told that license comes in the motherboard of the Dell Servers

[resteves]

For LOM cards the license comes in the motherboard, and for add in nics it comes preprogrammed on the nic chip

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/servers/f/956/t/19429052.aspx

So you must find out if your nic has the license or not.

[QuankLei]

resteves - Thank you for your post!!

I was trying to solve this problem for a couple months, reading documentations, calling to VMware and Dell, even to Cisco. I finally got an answer why our BCM card does not work as HW iSCSI initiator. We did not purchase the this feature on our R710

Now, I turn into really hate Dell TS. I called and email them so many times and they know what my servers' specification are, but no one notice what the problem is. They just keep asking me to call VMware or telling me they need to co-operate with VMware to sovle the issue. Dell TS sucks.

[scerazy]

My PCI-e BCM5709 cards (they are add-on card, not mobo build-in) definitely have the hardware iSCSI licence just fine (as I use one on Windows Server 2008 R2  with no problems WITH Jumbo Frames enabled)

Which means that the hardware is capable & only the Vmware xdriver is total ****

But does anybody (Broadcom, Vmware) care? I would say surely NO. Customers are just dumb bums that pay money for the products

Seb

[Tomek24VMWARE]

Hi all

I wrote a lot of emails from broadcom in this case. And?
Finally a solution!

I got a new test driver for the Broadcom iSCSI adapter.

Now everything works as it should offloading and properly supports iscsi.

Discovering Luns works, I have no more problems with iscsi Error.

Broadcom is in the process of certification of the new improved driver, and soon to be available for download from the VMware.

to confirm the offloading broadcom card adapter 5709 without JumboFrames with HP P2000 iSCSI array, attach tests results:

My result on Broadcom 5709 NIC without jumboFrame - NOT SOFTWARE iscsi, only dependend HBA

SERVER TYPE: VM Windows 2008 R2 62bit
CPU TYPE Intel Xeon X5680 / NUMBER: 6 core
HOST TYPE: ESXi 5.0 patch3 Dell R710 and Supermicro + 4xNIC braodcom 5709 offloading without JumboFrame
STORAGE TYPE HP P2000 G3 4x10Gb/s / DISK NUMBER: 6x600GB SAS2 15k / RAID LEVEL: RAID10 from 6x600GB SAS2 15k iSCSI

|*TEST NAME*|*Avg Resp. Time ms*|*Avg IOs/sec*|*Avg MB/sec*|*% cpu load*|
|*Max Throughput-100%Read*|6.57|8844|276|0%|
|*RealLife-60%Rand-65%Read*|8.41|4296|33|1%|
|*Max Throughput-50%Read*|7.20|8125|253|0%|
|*Random-8k-70%Read*|8.04|4353|34|1%|

[scerazy]

Excellent news, it took years, but I suppose better later then never!

Hopefuly it can do BOTH, Jumbo Frames AND offload at the same time (just like Windows driver does)

Seb

[Tomek24VMWARE]

Support Offoloading and Jumbo Frames together will be supported on next release of ESXi probably ESXi 6.

If I know windows not use broadcom as dependend HBA in iscsi offloading and Jumbo Frames together I'm think this is a software iscsi in Windows.

[scerazy]

Windows DOES (definitely!) use it as dependant adapter & NOT software iSCSI (it can ofcourse be used as software only if one wants)

It is done with BCM Control Center

Seb

[XSBen]

Tomek24VMWARE,

which version of drivers you have?

Ben

[Tomek24VMWARE]

from broadcom i'm got scsi-bnx2i-2.70.1k.v50.2.error1-1OEM.500.0.0.472560.x86_64.vib

[XSBen]

Thank

I test with:

• ESXi 5.0 Update 1
• Broadcom Drivers update
• Login Timeout set to 15

I no longer have the problem.

Ben

[scerazy]

But that still does NOT give offload AND Jumbo Frames, correct?

Seb

[XSBen]

I have not tested yet with jumbo frames.

But this configuratin uses Broadcom offloaded initiator and not the iScsi initiator software.

[Tomek24VMWARE]

XSBen witch od adapter use in configuration see picture:

"Broadcom iscsi Adapter?" or "iSCSi Software Adapter"??

Driver from Your link is this same number:

Build Number                          553511 have included:

scsi-bnx2i-2.70.1k.v50.2-1OEM.500.0.0.472560.x86_64.vib

i'm got fixed driver from broadcom:

scsi-bnx2i-2.70.1k.v50.2.error1-1OEM.500.0.0.472560.x86_64.vib

[scerazy]

But I rather use software initiator WITH JF then hardawer offload without JF

I will wait till they get their act in gear

Seb

[XSBen]

"iSCSI Software Adapter" is disabled.
I used it until now but the "Equalogic MEM" is designed to work with the"Broadcom Hardware Adapter"

The "MTU" should be 1500.

[Tomek24VMWARE]

Can You attache screen shot from Your Storage Adapters and configuration??

[screenplay]

hey man, any possiblility of you sharing that driver with me please?

plysaker@yahoo.com

or tell me where to go?

[Tomek24VMWARE]

Broadcom say:

"These driver will be submitted later this month, or early May."

Driver should be available shortly to download from vmware download page.

[scerazy]

Sadly even this driver is half-job, as it only makes offload working without Jumbo Frames

Seb