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serak126
Contributor
Contributor

Vsphere 5.5 won't see my certified NIC.

Hello, I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post questions. I can't understand why my hosts won't see my NICs from the console or the client.

~ # lspci | grep -i net

0000:05:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T [vmnic0]

0000:09:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T [vmnic1]

0000:0e:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic2]

0000:0e:00.1 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic3]

0000:0e:00.2 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic4]

0000:0e:00.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic5]

This above output shows that the hosts sees vmnic 1 - 4

This is a INTEL i350AM4 Gigabit 4 Port Network Server PCI-e Network Adapter 1000M i350-T4

Can someone explain this. The system is a dell poweredge 1950 lll

12 Replies
bharathl
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Did you try installing the drivers for the same

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RyanH84
Expert
Expert

Hi,

I'm a little confused as to the problem, can you clarify?


Your output shows 2 broadcom nics (vmnic0 and vmnic1) and then your 4 Intel I350 Nics (vmnic2-5). Do they not show anywhere else?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regards, Ryan vExpert, VCP5, VCAP5-DCA, MCITP, VCE-CIAE, NPP4 @vRyanH http://vRyan.co.uk
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serak126
Contributor
Contributor

The Broadcom are both onboard and they work fine. The other four ports are a Quad Nic. I've download and patched  the

Vib for the quad nic. What I'm saying below is vsphere 5.5 shows the ports via the CLI. But they don't show via the

vsphere client or logging on to the console.

lspci | grep -i net

0000:05:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T [vmnic0]

0000:09:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T [vmnic1]

0000:0e:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic2]

0000:0e:00.1 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic3]

0000:0e:00.2 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic4]

0000:0e:00.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation I350 Gigabit Network Connection [vmnic5]

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RyanH84
Expert
Expert

If you use esxcfg-nics -l does that also list them?
Did the drivers install properly? Can you find them with esxcli software vib list

Can you check the vmkernel and host-d log for any output relating to "vmnic" or possibly the driver?

What version of the driver is it?

Does the web client list the NICS?
Have you restarted the host since installing the drivers?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regards, Ryan vExpert, VCP5, VCAP5-DCA, MCITP, VCE-CIAE, NPP4 @vRyanH http://vRyan.co.uk
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serak126
Contributor
Contributor

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Doesn't see the NIC

[root@localhost:~] esxcfg-nics -l

Name    PCI          Driver      Link Speed     Duplex MAC Address       MTU    Description                  

vmnic0  0000:05:00.0 bnx2        Up   1000Mbps  Full   00:15:c5:ed:eb:7e 1500   QLogic Corporation QLogic NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T

vmnic1  0000:09:00.0 bnx2        Up   100Mbps   Full   00:15:c5:ed:eb:80 1500   QLogic Corporation QLogic NetXtreme II BCM5708 1000Base-T

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sees it as the first entry of the list. It list as intel and not Vmware like the others in the list

esxcli software vib list

Name                           Version                               Vendor  Acceptance Level  Install Date

-----------------------------  ------------------------------------  ------  ----------------  ------------

net-igb                        5.2.5-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820            Intel   VMwareCertified   2015-05-19

mtip32xx-native                3.8.5-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585            VMWARE  VMwareCertified   2015-05-19 

ata-pata-amd                   0.3.10-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585           VMware  VMwareCertified   2015-05-19 

ata-pata-atiixp                0.4.6-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585            VMware  VMwareCertified   2015-05-19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The NIC is

INTEL i350AM4 Gigabit 4 Port Network Server PCI-e Network Adapter 1000M i350-T4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hostd-log shows nothing concerning the quad nic.

The vmkernel shows only this as far as the quad nic.

2015-05-19T17:10:41.686Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:0e:00.1 named 'vmnic3' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.693Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:0e:00.3 named 'vmnic5' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.700Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:0e:00.2 named 'vmnic4' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.707Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:09:00.0 named 'vmnic1' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.714Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:00:1f.1 named 'vmhba0' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.721Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:05:00.0 named 'vmnic0' (was '')

2015-05-19T17:10:41.729Z cpu1:33095)PCI: 1145: 0000:0e:00.0 named 'vmnic2' (was '')

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes I have rebooted the server.

This is where I got the drivers from Vmware.

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=37051&vcl=true

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I attached both files.

Thank you.

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RyanH84
Expert
Expert

Hi,


So I can see that in the vmkernel.log we can see errors:

2015-05-19T17:10:43.710Z cpu3:33115)WARNING: vmklinux: pci_announce_device:1486: PCI: driver igb probe failed for device 0000:0e:00.0

2015-05-19T17:10:43.710Z cpu3:33115)LinPCI: LinuxPCI_DeviceUnclaimed:257: Device 0000:0e:00.0 unclaimed.

This happens for all of your Intel I350 devices. I'd suggest that the driver you have isn't working for some reason.  I have I350's in some of my boxes and I see this when I perform the checks listed. As you can see, my driver version is different to yours.

I assume that you are running 5.5 right? Is this a 4 port card you have additionally purchased and put in the server? What server is it?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regards, Ryan vExpert, VCP5, VCAP5-DCA, MCITP, VCE-CIAE, NPP4 @vRyanH http://vRyan.co.uk
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cykVM
Expert
Expert

I have a HP branded 4port I350 NIC (HP 366i 4port NIC) working without issues. This needed the HP igb driver to get detected. Ryan's I350 NIC is using the native VMWare driver as far as I see. So maybe you just installed a OEM vendor driver whcih does not fully recognize the NIC.

Your driver:  5.2.5-1OEM.550.0.0.1331820

Ryan's driver: 5.0.5.1.1-vmw.550.1.15.1623387

and mine (HP): 5.0.5.1-1OEM.550.0.0.1198611 (I know there is an update to that...)

So you may have to get either an OEM driver from the vendor of your NIC or try the native VMWare igb driver.

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cykVM
Expert
Expert

P.S. If it's an (geniune) Intel I350-T4 NIC it looks like Intel is not providing any OEM drivers for VMWare (as per download page: Intel® Download Center) so you may try the native VMWare driver Ryan uses.

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RyanH84
Expert
Expert

That makes sense cykVM, nice!

It looks like we are on the same driver version (except yours has the HP revision). It looks like Serak is on a newer one, I've asked the vendor of his server so we can try and work out if it's the right driver. Assuming that it is the same vendor that provided the server then he should be ok.

My card is actually onboard and part of a Dell R720 but the native driver works just fine so I've left it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regards, Ryan vExpert, VCP5, VCAP5-DCA, MCITP, VCE-CIAE, NPP4 @vRyanH http://vRyan.co.uk
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cykVM
Expert
Expert

Mine is onboard, too. It's a Proliant DL380e Gen8, but genrally this should not matter. For review here's is the list of available native VMWare and partner supported driver from HCL: VMware Compatibility Guide: I/O Device Search

So Ryan's driver version is the latest VMWare native (inbox) for version 5.5/6.0.

Maybe another thing to consider is the firmware version of the NIC, because some of the drivers available need a certain firmware level (e.g. driver version 5.2.7 needs at least firmware 0.93 on the NIC).

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serak126
Contributor
Contributor

Hi, my server is a dell poweredge  1950 lll and yes it's a quad card

i added to the pci. I will search for the driver you have and try it.

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cykVM
Expert
Expert

I just found this discussion: Re: Intel I350-T4 only recognized by Esx 5.5, not by 5.5 U2

Looks like the version 5.2.x drivers simply don't work with VMWare 5.5 Update 2.

Someone is suggesting a firmware update for the NIC but gives no further hints. Intel seems to call the firmware updates for network controllers "Boot Utility", so you may check this download for the I350 family:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19186/Intel-Ethernet-Connections-Boot-Utility-Preboot-Imag...