LSI 9300-8i flashing?

[Trapped]

Hi,

I've bought a "LSI 9300-8i" card for cheap for my upcoming first home server.

I've read about IR/IT firmware modes and IR mode should be the way to go for a FreeNAS build.

Now I'm asking: Do I need to flash this specific card? Or does this only apply to RAID cards?
I've bought it "NEW" so the card should be in default mode, whatever this is?

How could I see which mode and version etc. this specific card is?

 

[Trapped]

I've found this guide from 2016: https://www.servethehome.com/flash-lsi-sas-3008-hba-e-g-ibm-m1215-mode/

It is talking about P13 firmware but P10 may be considered better since it is more tested and known to work? As far as I understand.

On the broadcom website there now is a P16 (v17.0) firmware from Nov 2019.

Is it a bad idea to flash such a new firmware version?
Or is this version also known to work?

I am going to passtrough the card to a FreeNAS VM.

 

[Trapped]

The latest available BIOS for download is "SAS3_UEFI_BSD_P14".
There is one binary files signed by Miscrosoft to be compatible with enabled Secure Boot.
But there is also one unsigned binary...

My question is: Does it make sense to use the unsigned file in any case?
The signed should also work if Secure Boot is disabled?
So why would they even ship the unsigned file too?

 

[mysy]

If you use freenas and hdd for storage , you should flash card to IT mode , and it through HDD to OS.
Raid mode need use with cache module to get performance enhance , more for the system Disk or VM host . Without cache module, hardware raid doesn't get fast speed than HBA IT mode .

9300 card use sas3008 chipset, and broadcom provide fw for both mode.

 

[fahadshery]

Hi,

were you able to flash the card to IT mode?
I got a new card in the IR mode and there are no definitive guides on how to flash it to IT mode.

thanks