NVIDIA Mellanox MCX542B-ACAN SmartNIC Firmware 16.28.1002

Firmware which is added at the time of manufacturing, is used to run user programs on the device and can be thought of as the software that allows hardware to run. Embedded firmware is used to control the functions of various hardware devices and systems, much like a computer’s operating system (OS) controls the function of software applications. Firmware may be written into read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or flash memory. 

Important Notes:
- Security Hardening Enhancements: This release contains important reliability improvements and security hardening enhancements. Mellanox recommends upgrading your devices firmware to this release to improve the devices’ firmware security and reliability.
- When upgrading or changing the configuration on multi-host adapter cards, for the changes to take effect, PCIe restart must be simultaneously sent from both hosts (servers).
- SR-IOV - Virtual Functions (VF) per Port - The maximum Virtual Functions (VF) per port is 127.

Changes and New Features:

- Added support for flow sampling and mirroring with an associated capable software.
- Increased the maximum XRQ number to 512.
- Added the following new mlxconfig parameters to the Non-Volatile Configurations section: log_max_outstandng_wqe and ece_disable_mask
- Implemented the following new commands from NS-SI 1.2 specification: Get IB Link Status, Get IB Statistics, and Get PF Assignment
- Added the following segments, as appeared in the PRM, to the Resource Dump: PRM_QUERY_QP, PRM_QUERY_CQ, PRM_QUERY_MKEY, and QUERY_VNIC_ENV

Bug Fixes:

- Enabled Bar configuration bytewise by applying the write_en bitmask.
- Fixed an issue in the UC traffic, that prevented out-of-sequence packets at a responder from being counted.
- Fixed low PXE performance while using the VSC to trigger the send_ring_doorbells.
- Updated multi_prio_sq is as following: SmartNIC: ECPF only, Multi host/Single Host: support for PFs. VFs should also be enabled unless explicitly disabled by the PF, and UID = 0 only
- Fixed an issue related to counting CNP packets.
- Fixed an issue that caused packets to get stuck when the Rate Limiter was enabled.
- Fixed a rare issue related to MCTP pass-through packet that caused the PCI boot sequence to fail if sent when the PCI link was not ready.
- Fixed an issue related to iRISC processor internal cache mechanisms that caused context corruption.
- Enabled Bar configuration bytewise by applying the write_en bitmask.
- Fixed an issue in the UC traffic, that prevented out-of-sequence packets at a responder from being counted.
- Fixed low PXE performance while using the VSC to trigger the send_ring_doorbells.
- pdated multi_prio_sq is as following: SmartNIC: ECPF only, Multi host/Single Host: support for PFs. VFs should also be enabled unless explicitly disabled by the PF, and UID = 0 only
- Fixed an issue related to counting CNP packets.
- Fixed an issue that cause fragmented IP packets to drop.
- Added the option to use the unicast MAC from the NC-SI cmd Set MAC Address to establish OS to BMC passthrough.
- Fixed an issue that caused PortCounters.PortRcvErr / PPCNT.infiniband_counters.PortRcvErr not to report port icrc errors.
- Fixed an issue that caused PCI atomic over ETH to be posted as regular atomic operations.

About Network Adapter Drivers:

When connected, the operating system usually installs a generic driver that helps the computer to recognize the newly attached device.

However, proper software must be applied if you want to make use of all features that the network adapter has available. This task also allows computers to properly recognize all device characteristics such as manufacturer, chipset, technology, and others.

Updating the adapter's drivers and utilities version might improve overall performance and stability, increase transfer speeds, fix different compatibility problems and several network-related errors, as well as bring various other changes.

To install this release, simply get the package, extract it if necessary, run the setup, and follow the instructions displayed on-screen. When done, don't forget to perform a system restart and reconnect the network adapter to make sure that all changes take effect properly.

Without further ado, if you intend to apply this version, click the download button and install the package. Moreover, check with our website as often as possible so that you don't miss a single new release.