Copyright(c) 2022 Intel Corporation

This release includes the native ixgben ENS VMware ESX Driver for Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550 and x552 family

Driver version: 1.8.1.0

Supported ESXi release: 7.0
=================================================================================

Contents
--------

- Important Notes
- Supported Features
- New Features
- New Hardware Supported
- Bug Fixes
- Known Issues and Workarounds
- Command Line Parameters
- Previously Released Versions

=================================================================================

Important Notes:
----------------

- Firmware Recovery Mode

   A device might enter "Recovery Mode" due to a corrupted NVM or an interruption, or due to power loss during
   the NVM update process. Try to reset the NVM back to factory defaults using the "NVM Update Utility", then
   try updating the NVM image again.

   NOTE: To completely reset the firmware and hardware, power cycle the system after using Recovery Mode

Supported Features:
-------------------

- Tx/Rx burst
- Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
- TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
- IP Checksum not offloaded
- TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
- Jumbo Frame (9k max)
- Netqueue (VMDq)
- VLAN inserting
- VLAN stripping
- Get/Set link state
- Get uplink stats
- Get private stats
- Get Netqueue stats
- Geneve Overlay
- Support for ENS Polling Mode
- Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
- Firmware Recovery Mode


New Features:
-------------

- None


New Hardware Supported:
-----------------------

- None


Bug Fixes:
----------

- Fixed PSOD when trying to boot system with more than maximum number of PFs


Known Issues and Workarounds:
----------------------------

- None


Command Line Parameters:
------------------------

Ethtool is not supported for native driver.
Please use esxcli, vsish, or esxcfg-* to set or get the driver information, for example:

Get commands:

- Get the driver supported module parameters
  esxcli system module parameters list -m ixgben_ens

- Get the driver info
  esxcli network  nic get -n vmnic1

- Get an uplink stats
  esxcli network nic stats -n vmnic1

The extended esxcli tool allows users to set device specific configurations, for example:

- Dump Optical Module Information
  esxcli intnet module read -n vmnic1


Features Supported in the Intnetcli Tool:
-----------------------------------------

- Link privilege
- Dump Optical Module Information
- FEC Configuration
- Enable/Disable Firmware LLDP Engine
- RSS Configuration

The tool is available at the following link: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28479

=================================================================================

Previously Released Versions:
-----------------------------
- Driver Version: 1.7.1.0
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7, 7.0
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
                - Support for 7.0 ENS Polling Mode
                - Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
                - Firmware Recovery Mode
        New features:
                - None
        Bug Fixes:
                - Provided minor fixes to log messages

- Driver Version: 1.6.3
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7, 7.0
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
                - Support for 7.0 ENS Polling Mode
                - Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
                - Firmware Recovery Mode
        New features:
                - None
        Bug Fixes:
                - Removed 'Software semaphore SMBI between device drivers not granted' warning from system log

- Driver Version: 1.5.5
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7, 7.0
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
                - Support for 7.0 ENS Polling Mode
                - Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
                - Firmware Recovery Mode
        New features:
                - Added ESXi support of simplified hardware access for NVM update.
        Bug Fixes:
                - None


- Driver Version: 1.5.1
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7, 7.0
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
                - Support for 7.0 ENS Polling Mode
                - Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
                - Firmware Recovery Mode
        Bug Fixes:
                - Fixed incorrect MTU value shown in vmkernel.log for X540
                - Fixed compatibility issues with NSX-T 3.1
                - Fixed kernel panic when removing NSX-T transport node in ENS mode
                - Fixed printing NVM version for Sage Pond adapter
                - Fixed warning message 'Not enough queues to bring up vmnicX' when reconfiguring link parameters.
                - Removed warning messages during driver initialization
                - Fixed issues with bringing up VF interfaces.
                - Fixed PSOD when configuring numa nodes on NSX-T 3.1.1.
                - Fixed kernel panic when removing NSX-T transport node in ENS mode
        Known Issues:
                - None


- Driver Version: 1.2.4
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7, 7.0
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
                - Support for 7.0 ENS Polling Mode
                - Support firmware updates when adapter is configured in ENS mode
                - Firmware Recovery Mode
        Bug Fixes:
                - Fixed the kernel panic when running management tool (i.e. NVM update) when uplink is connected to ENS
        Known Issues:
                - None


- Driver Version: 1.1.3
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
                - Geneve Overlay
        Bug Fixes:
                - None
        Known Issues:
                - Running management tool (i.e. NVM update) when there is an uplink connected to an ENS switch will fail
                  Workaround: disconnect all uplinks connected to the ENS switch before running any management tool

- Driver Version: 1.0.3
        Hardware Supported: Hardware Supported: Intel(R) Ethernet Controllers 82599, x520, x540, x550, and x552 family
        Supported ESXi release: 6.7
        Features Supported:
                - Tx/Rx burst
                - Triple-speed (10G / 1G / 100M)
                - TCP / UDP Checksum Offload
                - IP Checksum not offloaded
                - TSO (IPv4 and IPv6)
                - Jumbo Frame (9k max)
                - Netqueue (VMDq)
                - VLAN inserting
                - VLAN stripping
                - VLAN filtering (is not yet supported)
                - Get/Set link state
                - Get uplink stats
                - Get private stats
                - Get Netqueue stats
        Bug Fixes:
                - None
        Known Issues:
                - Running management tool (i.e. NVM update) when there is an uplink connected to an ENS switch will fail
                  Workaround: disconnect all uplinks connected to the ENS switch before running any management tool
