Mellanox ConnectX-3 Firmware

[John_61]

Hello, I just purchased a Mellanox MCX311A-XCAT CX311A ConnectX-3, I haven't got it yet from shipping. I was researching info to upgrade the firmware if needed and noticed at Nvidia's firmware download that the latest firmware they offer is dated: 7-Sep-17
Is that the latest firmware for this card? Just wondering if there is anything newer out there.
My main goal is to upgrade my onboard RJ45 1GB NIC... slowly migrating my mini homelab to 10GB =;^P
Thank you.

 

[i386]

Just wondering if there is anything newer out there.

There is a 2.42.5032 from lenovo/ibm for the vpi cards. Not sure if it could be modded for the "en" cards or crossflashed...

2.42.5032 release notes: https://network.nvidia.com/related-docs/firmware/ConnectX3-FW-2_42_5032-release_notes.pdf

 

[ano]

also have to mention, even old, the firmware is quite mature and good

 

[i386]

If you change the psid to "IBM1080111023" the mlx tool from the linked packages should be able to update the firmware to 2.42.5032.

Windows package: Mellanox Network Adapter/Device Windows Firmware - Lenovo Support PA
Linux package: Mellanox Network Adapter/Device Linux Firmware - Lenovo Support PA

 

[John_61]

Thanks for the comments, I think I will stay on the current 2.42.50 FW.
Anyone know where there is an updated Mellanox ConnectX-3 .pdf user manual? The only one I can find is V2.3 from March of 2015.
Thanks again.

 

[kevindd992002]

I have the same question here. Is it better to change the PSID so we can upgrade this to 2.42.5032 or just stay with 2.42.50?

 

[kevindd992002]

@i386 how do you change the PSID if you don't have the mlx firmware for 2.42.5032?

 

[i386]

flash an older firmware with the desired psid, use mlxup that knows the psid and the 2.42.5032 firmware update your nic.

 

[kevindd992002]

Were you able to confirm if the IBM fw you linked to is just for vpi cards (not en)?

 

[i386]

Did you check the links?
Lenovo lists vpi, en and pro skus.

https://download.lenovo.com/servers/mig/2021/09/07/54650/mlnx-lnvgy_fw_nic_cx.3-5.0-2.1.8.0.0_windows_x86-64.txt

 

[kevindd992002]

Oops, my bad. I'll have to try this in one of my cards later. It should be easy to do on the card on my Windows machine but I'm not sure if it's possible to do this on the card in my Synology NAS.

 

[kevindd992002]

flash an older firmware with the desired psid, use mlxup that knows the psid and the 2.42.5032 firmware update your nic.

All the guides I see are showing how to cross-flash from an OEM (IBM, Dell, etc.) to a stock Mellanox firmware, not the other way around which is what we're tying to do here. Can you expound on what you're trying to point out here? Are you saying there's an older IBM MLX fw that I can use to build the an older IBM BIN file, flash that compiled one to the card and use the 2.42.5032 firmware update you linked in this thread?

 

[i386]

re you saying there's an older IBM MLX fw that I can use to build the an older IBM BIN file

No.
What I did was to create a "custom" firmware with the (old) mellanox firmware and an ibm/lenovo psid and then use a oem mlxup to update to a firmware version that is newer than anything mellanox offeres.