IBM Support

SLES 11 SP2 network bridge loses packets when using the be2net driver - IBM Servers

Troubleshooting


Problem

Guest operating systems using a network bridge interface in Xen/Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) sessions on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11.2 will drop large numbers of packets (possibly all) when any of Emulex-based adapters listed are used by the Xen/KVM session.

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H207721

Symptom

Guest operating systems using a network bridge interface in Xen/Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) sessions on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 11.2 will drop large numbers of packets (possibly all) when any of Emulex-based adapters listed are used by the Xen/KVM session.

Affected Configurations

The system can be any of the following IBM servers:

  • BladeCenter HS23, type 7875, any model
  • Flex System x240 Compute Node, type 8737, any model
  • Flex System x240 Compute Node, type 8738, any model
  • Flex System x440 Compute Node, type 7917, any model

The system is configured with at least one of the following:

  • Flash Update (UEFI, IMM, FPGA, DSA Preboot), any
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, Service Pack 2

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM options:

  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Integrated Virtual Fabric Adapter II for IBM System x, L1 option 49Y7940, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Integrated Virtual Fabric Adapter III for IBM System x, option 95Y3768, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Integrated Virtual Fabric Adapter for IBM System x, option 49Y4202, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter Advanced II for IBM BladeCenter HS23, option 90Y9332, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter Advanced II for IBM BladeCenter, option 90Y3566, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter Advanced for IBM BladeCenter, option 49Y4275, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter II option, for IBM system x, option 49Y7951, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter II for IBM BladeCenter HS23, option 81Y3120, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter II for IBM BladeCenter, option 90Y3550, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter II, for IBM System x, option 49Y7950, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter III for IBM System x, option 95Y3762, any replacement part number
  • Emulex 10 Gigabit Ethernet Virtual Fabric Adapter for IBM System x, option 49Y4250, any replacement part number
  • Emulex Dual-Port 10 Gigabit Virtual Fabric Adapter Advanced II for IBM BladeCenter, option 00Y3264, any replacement part number
  • Emulex Dual-Port 10 Gigabit Virtual Fabric Adapter II for IBM BladeCenter, option 00Y3266, any replacement part number
  • Emulex Dual-Port 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ Embedded Adapter for IBM System x, option 90Y6456, any replacement part number
  • Emulex Virtual Fabric Adapter (CFFh) for IBM BladeCenter, option 49Y4235, any replacement part number

The 4.4.180.0 or newer device driver for the Emulex Ethernet devices is affected.

Emulex Ethernet devices

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software.

Please see the compatibility page for more information: http://www.ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/

The system has the symptom described above.

Solution

This issue is corrected in the maintweb kernel release 3.0.58-0.6.2.1, or later for SLES 11.2.

Workaround

Use Emulex be2net driver version 4.1.422.5, or earlier levels (including the in-box driver provided with the operating system).

Additional Information

A large amount of packet loss can occur when a network bridge is configured with be2net version 4.4.180.0, or later versions, and used with Linux kernels 3.0 - 3.6.

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

BladeCenter:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11

System x Hardware Options:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11

BladeCenter:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 x86-64

System x Hardware Options:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 x86-64

PureFlex System and Flex System:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 x86-64

PureFlex System and Flex System:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 IBM POWER

[{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QU00IMP","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y4235"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QU00IMQ","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y4275"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QU01GRH","label":"PureFlex System and Flex System->x240 Compute Node->8737"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU050","label":"BU NOT IDENTIFIED"},"Product":{"code":"QU01GRM","label":"PureFlex System and Flex System->x440 Compute Node->7917"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QU01SAH","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->00Y3264"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QU04QGE","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y4250"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU056","label":"Miscellaneous"},"Product":{"code":"HW239","label":"BladeCenter HS23"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"LOB18","label":"Miscellaneous LOB"}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAGQ","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y7950"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAGS","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->90Y3566"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAJG","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->90Y3566"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAQK","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y7940"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAVI","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->90Y9332"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEAVP","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->95Y3762"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEB12","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->95Y3768"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEB13","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->90Y3550"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEB1G","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->00Y3266"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEB1N","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->81Y3120"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEBOM","label":"System x Hardware Options->Ethernet->10 Gb->49Y7951"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"QUOEDBG","label":"PureFlex System and Flex System->x240 Compute Node->8738"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF047","label":"SurePOS"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
30 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-5092647

Page Feedback