New CPP interface changes the way firmware upload is managed by the PMD. It also supports different firmware file names for having specific firmware aplications per card.
Signed-off-by: Alejandro Lucero <alejandro.luc...@netronome.com> --- doc/guides/nics/nfp.rst | 31 ++++++++++++++++++++++++------- 1 file changed, 24 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-) diff --git a/doc/guides/nics/nfp.rst b/doc/guides/nics/nfp.rst index 99a3b76..6b1f9fc 100644 --- a/doc/guides/nics/nfp.rst +++ b/doc/guides/nics/nfp.rst @@ -99,16 +99,33 @@ have a PMD able to work with the PF and VFs at the same time and with the PF implementing VF management along with other PF-only functionalities/offloads. The PMD PF has extra work to do which will delay the DPDK app initialization -like checking if a firmware is already available in the device, uploading the -firmware if necessary, and configure the Link state properly when starting or -stopping a PF port. Note that firmware upload is not always necessary which is -the main delay for NFP PF PMD initialization. +like uploading the firmware and configure the Link state properly when starting or +stopping a PF port. Since DPDK 18.05 the firmware upload is always happening when +a PF is initialized, which was not always true with older DPDK versions. Depending on the Netronome product installed in the system, firmware files should be available under ``/lib/firmware/netronome``. DPDK PMD supporting the -PF requires a specific link, ``/lib/firmware/netronome/nic_dpdk_default.nffw``, -which should be created automatically with Netronome's Agilio products -installation. +PF looks for a firmware file in this order: + + 1) First try to find a firmware image specific for this device using the + NFP serial number: + + serial-00-15-4d-12-20-65-10-ff.nffw + + 2) Then try the PCI name: + + pci-0000:04:00.0.nffw + + 3) Finally try the card type and media: + + nic_AMDA0099-0001_2x25.nffw + +Netronome's software packages install firmware files under ``/lib/firmware/netronome`` +for supporting all the Netronome's SmartNICs and also different firmware applications. +This is usually done using file names based on SmartNIC type and media and with a +directory per firmware application. Options 1 and 2 for firmware filenames allow to +have more than one SmartNIC, same type of SmartNIC or different ones, and to upload a +different firmware to each SmartNIC. PF multiport support -------------------- -- 1.9.1
