This chapter describes how to configure the driver parameters used by the Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter.

This document contains the following sections:

• GigaSwift Ethernet Device Driver Parameters

• Setting ce Driver Parameters

• GigaSwift Ethernet Driver Operating Statistics

• Configuring the Network Host Files

The ce device driver controls the GigaSwift Ethernet devices. The ce driver is attached to the UNIX pci name property pci108e,abba for the Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter ( 108e is the vendor ID and abba is the PCI device ID).

You can manually configure the ce device driver parameters to customize each Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter device in your system. This section provides an overview of the capabilities of the GigaSwift Ethernet device used in the adapter, lists the available ce device driver parameters, and describes how to configure these parameters.

The Sun GigaSwift Ethernet UTP PCI adapter is capable of all the operating speeds and modes listed in Setting the Auto-negotiation Mode . The ce device performs auto-negotiation with the remote end of the link ( link partner) to select a common mode of operation. The ce device also supports a forced mode of operation.

Driver Parameter Values and Definitions

The following table describes the parameters and settings for the ce device driver.

Operational Mode Parameters

The following parameters determine the transmit and receive speed and duplex. The following table describes the operational mode parameters and their default values

If all these parameters are set to 1, autonegotiation will use the highest speed possible. If all these parameters are set to 0, you will receive the following error message:

NOTICE: Last setting will leave ce1 with no link capabilities.

WARNING: ce1: Restoring previous setting.

Flow Control Parameters

The ce device is capable of sourcing (transmitting) and terminating (receiving) pause frames conforming to the IEEE 802.3x Frame Based Link Level Flow Control Protocol. In response to received flow control frames, the ce device can slow down its transmit rate. On the other hand, the ce device is capable of sourcing flow control frames, requesting the link partner to slow down, provided that the link partner supports this feature. By default, the driver advertises both transmit and receive pause capability during autonegotiation.

The following table provides flow control keywords and describes their function.

Gigabit Forced Mode Parameter

In 10/100 mode it was possible to disable auto-negotiation and force the link to the speed you required. With Gigabit copper interfaces this feature is also available but may require you to decide whether your side of the connection is a master or a slave. The link_master parameter will facilitate that. Usually switches will be enabled as master therefore this parameter can remain unchanged, since slave operation is the default. If this is not the case Then link_master can be used to enable ce as a master.

Interpacket Gap Parameters

The ce device supports a programmable mode called enable_ipg0 .

When a driver receives a packet with enable_ipg0 set (the default), it adds an additional time delay before transmitting the packet. This delay, set by the ipg0 parameter, is in addition to the delay set by the ipg1 and ipg2 parameters. The additional ipg0 delay helps to reduce collisions.

If enable_ipg0 is disabled, the value of ipg0 is ignored and no additional delay is set. Only the delays set by ipg1 and ipg2 will be used. Disable enable_ipg0 if other systems keep sending a large number of back-to-back packets. Systems that have enable_ipg0 set might not have enough time on the network.

You can add the additional delay by setting the ipg0 parameter from 0 to 255, which is the media byte time delay.

The following table defines the enable_ipg0 and ipg0 parameters.

The ce device supports the programmable Interpacket Gap (IPG) parameters ipg1 and ipg2 . The total IPG is the sum of ipg1 and ipg2 . The total IPG is 0.096 microseconds for the link speed of 1000 Mbps.

The following table lists the default values and allowable values for the IPG parameters.

By default, the driver sets ipg1 to 8-byte time and ipg2 to 4-byte time, which are the standard values. (Byte time is the time it takes to transmit one byte on the link, with a link speed of 1000 Mbps.)

If your network has systems that use longer IPG (the sum of ipg1 and ipg2 ), and if those machines seem to be slow in accessing the network, increase the values of ipg1 and ipg2 to match the longer IPGs of other machines.

Interrupt Parameters

The following table describes the receive interrupt blanking values.

Random Early Drop Parameters

The following table describes the RX random early detection 8-bit vectors, which allows you to enable random early drop (RED) thresholds. When received packets reach the RED range packets are dropped according to the preset probability. The probability should increase when the fifo level increases. Control packets are never dropped and are not counted in the statistics.

PCI Bus Interface Parameters

These parameters allow you to modify PCI interface features to gain better PCI interperformance for a given application.

You can set the ce device driver parameters in two ways:

• Using the ndd utility

• Using the ce.conf file

If you use the ndd utility, the parameters are valid only until you reboot the system. This method is good for testing parameter settings.

To set parameters so they remain in effect after you reboot the system, create a
/platform/sun4u/kernel/drv/ce.conf file and add parameter values to this file when you need to set a particular parameter for a device in the system.

Setting Parameters Using the ndd Utility

Use the ndd utility to configure parameters that are valid until you reboot the system. The ndd utility supports any networking driver, which implements the Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI).

The following sections describe how you can use the ce driver and the ndd utility to modify (with the -set option) or display (without the -set option) the parameters for each ce device.

Before you use the ndd utility to get or set a parameter for a ce device, you must specify the device instance for the utility.

1. Check the /etc/path_to_inst file to identify the instance associated with a particular device.

# grep ge /etc/path_to_inst

"/pci@1f,2000/pci@1/network@0" 2 "ce"

"/pci@1f,2000/pci@2/network@0" 1 "ce"

"/pci@1f,2000/pci@4/network@0" 0 "ce"

In the example above, the three GigaSwift Ethernet instances are from the installed adapters. The instance numbers are in bold italics for clarity.

2. Use the instance number to select the device.

# ndd -set /dev/ce instance instance#

The device remains selected until you change the selection.

Noninteractive and Interactive Modes

You can use the ndd utility in two modes:

• Noninteractive

• Interactive

In noninteractive mode, you invoke the utility to execute a specific command. Once the command is executed, you exit the utility. In interactive mode, you can use the utility to get or set more than one parameter value. (Refer to the ndd (1M) man page for more information.)

Using the ndd Utility in Noninteractive Mode

This section describes how to modify and display parameter values.

1. To modify a parameter value, use the -set option.

If you invoke the ndd utility with the -set option, the utility passes value , which must be specified, down to the named /dev/ce driver instance, and assigns it to the parameter:

# ndd -set /dev/ce parameter value

When you change any adv parameter, a message similar to the following appears:

xcvr addr:0x00 - link up 1000 Mbps half duplex

2. To display the value of a parameter, specify the parameter name and omit the value.

When you omit the -set option, a query operation is assumed and the utility queries the named driver instance, retrieves the value associated with the specified parameter, and prints it:

# ndd /dev/ce parameter

Using the ndd Utility in Interactive Mode

3. To modify a parameter value in interactive mode, specify ndd /dev/ce , as shown below.

The ndd utility then prompts you for the name of the parameter:

# ndd /dev/ce

name to get/set? (Enter the parameter name or ? to view all parameters)

After typing the parameter name, the ndd utility prompts you for the parameter value (see through ).

4. To list all the parameters supported by the ce driver, type ndd /dev/ce .

# ndd /dev/ce

name to get/set ? ?

?                             (read only)

instance                      (read and write)

adv_autoneg_cap               (read and write)

adv_1000fdx_cap               (read and write)

adv_1000hdx_cap               (read and write)

adv_100T4_cap                 (read and write)

adv_100fdx_cap                (read and write)

adv_100hdx_cap                (read and write)

adv_10fdx_cap                 (read and write)

adv_10hdx_cap                 (read and write)

adv_asmpause_cap              (read and write)

adv_pause_cap                 (read and write)

link_master                   (read and write)

use_int_xcvr                  (read and write)

enable_ipg0                   (read and write)

ipg0                          (read and write)

ipg1                          (read and write)

ipg2                          (read and write)

rx_intr_pkts                  (read and write)

rx_intr_time                  (read and write)

red_dv4to6k                   (read and write)

red_dv6to8k                   (read and write)

red_dv8to10k                  (read and write)

red_dv10to12k                 (read and write)

tx_dma_weight                 (read and write)

rx_dma_weight                 (read and write)

infinite_burst                (read and write)

disable_64bit                 (read and write)

name to get/set ? 

# 

Setting the Auto-negotiation Mode

By default, autonegotiation is set to on . This means that the adapter communicates with its link partner to determine a compatible network speed, duplex mode, and flow control capability.

If your network equipment does not support autonegotiation, or if you want to specify your network speed, you can set autonegotiation to off on the ce device.

1. Set the following driver parameters to the values that are described in the documentation that shipped with your link partner (for example, a switch):

• adv_1000fdx_cap

• adv_1000hdx_cap

• adv_100fdx_cap

• adv_100hdx_cap

• adv_10fdx_cap

• adv_10hdx_cap

• adv_asmpause_cap

• adv_pause_cap

See for the descriptions and possible values of these parameters.

2. Set the adv_autoneg_cap parameter to 0 .

# ndd -set /dev/ce adv_autoneg_cap 0

When you change any ndd link parameter, a message similar to the following appears:

xcvr addr:0x00 - link up 1000 Mbps half duplex

Setting Parameters Using the ce.conf File

You can also specify the driver parameter properties on a per-device basis by creating a ce.conf file in the /platform/sun4u/kernel/drv directory. Use a ce.conf file when you need to set a particular parameter for a device in the system. The parameters you set are read and write parameters that are listed in Driver Parameter Values and Definitions .

The man pages for prtconf (1M) and driver.conf (4) include additional details. The next procedure shows an example of setting parameters in a ce.conf file.

1. Obtain the hardware path names for the ce devices in the device tree.

Typically, the path names and the associated instance numbers are in the
/etc/path_to_inst file.

# grep ce /etc/path_to_inst

"/pci108e;abba;/pci@4,4000/network@0" 2 "ce"

"/pci108e;abba;/pci@6,2000/network@0" 1 "ce"

"/pci108e;abba;/pci@4,2000/network@0" 0 "ce"

• In the previous example:

  • The first part within the double quotes specifies the hardware node name in the device tree.

  • The second number is the instance number (shown in bold italics).

  • The last part in double quotes is the driver name.

• In the device path name, the last component after the last / character and before the @ character is the device name.

• The path name before the last component is the parent name.

• The comma separated numbers after the @ character represent the device and function numbers, which are together referred to as unit-address.

To identify a PCI device unambiguously in the ce.conf file, use the name, parent name, and the unit-address for the device. Refer to the pci (4) man page for more information about the PCI device specification.

In the first line of the previous example:

• Name = pci108e,abba

• Parent name = /pci@4,4000

• Unit-address = 4,4

In the second line in the previous example:

• Name = pci108e,abba

• Parent name = /pci@6,2000

• Unit-address = 6,2

In the third line in the previous example:

• Name = pci108e,abba

• Parent name = /pci@4,2000

• Unit-address = 4,2

2. Set the parameters for the above devices in the /platform/sun4u/kernel/drv/ce.conf file.

In the following example, the adv_autoneg_cap and adv_1000fdx_cap parameters are set for all Sun GigaSwift Ethernet devices. (See the driver.conf(4) man page for more information.)

 adv_autoneg_cap=0 adv_1000fdx_cap=0

In the following example, the adv_autoneg_cap and adv_1000fdx_cap parameters are set for a single instance of the Sun GigaSwift Ethernet device.

name=pci108e,abba parent=pci@4,4000 unit address+4 adv_autoneg_cap=0 adv_1000fdx_cap=0;

3. Save the ce.conf file.

4. Save and close all files and programs, and exit the windowing system.

5. Shut down and reboot the system.

These statistics are part of the statistics presented by the netstat -k command.

The following table describes the read-only Media Independent Interface (MII) capabilities. These parameters define the capabilities of the hardware. The Gigabit Media Independent Interface (GMII) supports all of the following capabilities.

Reporting the Link Partner Capabilities

The following table describes the read-only link partner capabilities.

If the link partner is not capable of autonegotiation (when lp_cap_autoneg is 0), the remaining information described in the previous table is not relevant and the parameter value = 0.

If the link partner is capable of autonegotiation (when lp_cap_autoneg is 1), then the speed and mode information is displayed when you use autonegotiation and the link partner capabilities.

The following table describes the netstat -k transmit and receive parameters:

1. As superuser, type the netstat -k command:

# netstat -k ce0

ce0:

ipackets 0 ipackets64 0 ierrors 0 opackets 0 opackets64 0 

oerrors 0 collisions 0 rbytes 0 rbytes64 0 obytes 0 obytes64 0 

multircv 0 multixmt 0 brdcstrcv 0 brdcstxmt 0 norcvbuf 0 

noxmtbuf 0 first_collision 0 excessive_collisions 0 late_collisions 0 

peak_attempts 0 length_err 0 alignment_err 0 crc_err 0 code_violations 0 

ifspeed 0 rev_id 1 xcvr_inits 1 xcvr_inuse 3 xcvr_addr 0 

xcvr_id 0 cap_autoneg 1 cap_1000fdx 1 cap_1000hdx 0 cap_100T4 0 

cap_100fdx 0 cap_100hdx 0 cap_10fdx 0 cap_10hdx 0 cap_asmpause 0 

cap_pause 1 lp_cap_autoneg 0 lp_cap_1000fdx 0 lp_cap_1000hdx 0 

lp_cap_100T4 0 lp_cap_100fdx 0 lp_cap_100hdx 0 lp_cap_10fdx 0 

lp_cap_10hdx 0 lp_cap_asmpause 0 lp_cap_pause 0 link_T4 0 

link_speed 0 link_duplex 0 link_asmpause 0 link_pause 0 

link_up 0 lb_mode 0 qos_mode 0 tx_inits 0 tx_starts 0 tx_nocanput 0 

tx_msgdup_fail 0 tx_allocb_fail 0 tx_no_desc 0 tx_dma_bind_fail 0 

tx_uflo 0 tx_queue0 0 tx_queue1 0 tx_queue2 0 tx_queue3 0 

tx_max_pend 0 rx_inits 0 rx_hdr_pkts 0 rx_mtu_pkts 0 rx_split_pkts 0 

rx_no_buf 0 rx_no_comp_wb 0 rx_ov_flow 0 rx_len_mm 0 rx_bad_descs 0 

rx_nocanput 0 rx_msgdup_fail 0 rx_allocb_fail 0 rx_new_pages 0 

rx_new_hdr_pgs 0 rx_new_mtu_pgs 0 rx_new_nxt_pgs 0 rx_hdr_drops 0 

rx_mtu_drops 0 rx_nxt_drops 0 rx_rel_flow 0 rx_pkts_dropped 0 

pci_err 0 pci_rta_err 0 pci_rma_err 0 pci_parity_err 0 pci_bad_ack_err 0 

pci_drto_err 0 ipackets_cpu00 0 ipackets_cpu01 0 ipackets_cpu02 0 

ipackets_cpu03 0 

After installing the driver software, you must create a hostname.ce number file for the adapter's Ethernet interface. You must also create both an IP address and a host name for its Ethernet interface in the /etc/hosts file.

1. At the command line, use the grep command to search the /etc/path_to_inst file for ce interfaces.

# grep ce /etc/path_to_inst

"/pci@1f,4000/pci@1/network@4" 0 "ce"

In the example above, the device instance is from a Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter installed in slot 1. For clarity, the instance number is in bold italics.

2. Use the ifconfig command to setup the adapter's ce interface.

Use the ifconfig command to assign an IP address to the network interface. Type the following at the command line, replacing ip_address with the adapter's IP address:

# ifconfig ce0 plumb ip_address up

Refer to the ifconfig(1M) man page and the Solaris documentation for more information.

• If you want a set-up that will remain the same after you reboot, create an
  /etc/hostname.ce number file, where number corresponds to the instance number of the ce interface you plan to use.

To use the adapter's ce interface in the Step 1 example, create an
/etc/hostname.ce0 file, where 0 is the number of the ce interface. If the instance number were 1 , the filename would be
/etc/hostname.ce1 .

• Do not create an /etc/hostname.ce number file for a Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter interface you plan to leave unused.

• The /etc/hostname.ce number file must contain the hostname for the appropriate ce interface.

• The host name should have an IP address and should be listed in the
  /etc/hosts file.

• The host name should be different from any other host name of any other interface, for example: /etc/hostname.ce0 and /etc/hostname.ce1 cannot share the same host name.

The following example shows the /etc/hostname.ce number file required for a system called zardoz that has a Sun GigaSwift Ethernet adapter ( zardoz-11) .

# cat /etc/hostname.hme0

zardoz

# cat /etc/hostname.ce0

zardoz-11

3. Create an appropriate entry in the /etc/hosts file for each active ce interface.

For example:

# cat /etc/hosts

#

# Internet host table

#

127.0.0.1     localhost

129.144.10.57 zardoz    loghost

129.144.11.83 zardoz-11

Platform Notes: Sun GigaSwift Ethernet Device Driver

816-2351-10

Copyright © 2002, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.