Issue 11
© Solarflare Communications 2014
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Solarflare Server Adapter
User Guide
3.14 Running Adapter Diagnostics
You can use ethtool to run adapter diagnostic tests. Tests can be run offline (default) or online.
Offline runs the full set of tests, which can interrupt normal operation during testing. Online
performs a limited set of tests without affecting normal adapter operation.
As root user, enter the following command:
ethtool --test ethX offline|online
The tests run by the command are as follows:
Table 16: Adapter Diagnostic Tests
Diagnostic Test
Purpose
core.nvram
Verifies the flash memory ‘board configuration’ area by
parsing and examining checksums.
core.registers
Verifies the adapter registers by attempting to modify the
writable bits in a selection of registers.
core.interrupt
Examines the available hardware interrupts by forcing the
controller to generate an interrupt and verifying that the
interrupt has been processed by the network driver.
tx/rx.loopback
Verifies that the network driver is able to pass packets to
and from the network adapter using the MAC and Phy
loopback layers.
core.memory
Verifies SRAM memory by writing various data patterns
(incrementing bytes, all bit on and off, alternating bits on
and off) to each memory location, reading back the data
and comparing it to the written value.
core.mdio
Verifies the MII registers by reading from PHY ID registers
and checking the data is valid (not all zeros or all ones).
Verifies the MMD response bits by checking each of the
MMDs in the Phy is present and responding.
chanX eventq.poll
Verifies the adapter’s event handling capabilities by
posting a software event on each event queue created by
the driver and checking it is delivered correctly.
The driver utilizes multiple event queues to spread the
load over multiple CPU cores (RSS).
phy.bist
Examines the PHY by initializing it and causing any
available built-in self tests to run.