Port-wise NIC passthrough - SR-IOV required?

[LarsLindstrom]

Hi everyone!

I would like to add a quad port NIC (for instance an i340-T4) to a server and then be able to (direct, no virtual switch or alike) pass through each port or a set of ports to different virtual machines (for instance port 1 and 2 to virtual machine A and port 3 and 4 to virtual machine B).

What is still unclear to me - do I need SR-IOV for that (which means this is not possible with a i340-T4, but requires for instance a i350-T4)?


Thanks, Lars

 

[pricklypunter]

Passthru is an "all or nothing" thing. It is the whole PCI-e device that you are passing through, using VT-d supported hardware. I believe what you are proposing will require SR-IOV support, at the hardware level, so NIC, Mainboard, BIOS and etc, must all support the technology

 

[Marsh]

i340-T4

i340-T4 does not support SR-IOV

 

[LarsLindstrom]

Thanks.

So, passing through a subset of the ports requires SR-IOV, without that just the whole PCIe device must be passed - which means it must be a 350.

Is there any other advantage of using a 350 that justifies almost double the price? Otherwise I might just go with two i340 dual and pass through the whole devices.

 

[Sorin Bidian]

Regular four port network card is splitted in two and can be passthrough independent each.

 

[tomaash]

I have HP NC365T, which is quad port i340 (Intel 82580) based, currently in a Dell destop box that is not VT-d capable.
Each port shows with it's own PCI address, so each port can be passed through individually (and I'm almost sure I've done that at some point in the past).

 

[LarsLindstrom]

Neat, so a i340 is sufficient. I could get an IBM 49Y4242 quite cheap - I think such refurbished OEM are fine as well?