How to enable SR-IOV in ESXi using host client?

[edselaviatrix]

I'm using ESXi version - VMware ESXi 6.7.0 build-10302608 and server  HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen10 machine.  Loaded with this 10Gig card (QLogic Inc. QLogic 57810 10 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter) which uses native driver =qfle3.

vmnic4  0000:11:00.0  qfle3   Up

Up

10000  Full

d8:9d:67:20:ed:d8  1500  QLogic Inc. QLogic 57810 10 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

I've set the SR-IOV enable from HP BIOS and enable the host with DRSS,RSS,rxqueue/txqueue.

[root@localhost:~] esxcfg-module -g qfle3

qfle3 enabled = 1 options = 'DRSS=4,4 RSS=1,1 rxqueue_nr=8,8 txqueue_nr=8,8'

Unfortunately, I did not enable SR-IOV from vCenter/vSphere Client, hence the SR-IOV was not enabled due to the native driver qfle3.

1. Using the host client http://ip_address/ui doesn't have the ability to enable SR-IOV under physical adapter.  Is there another way of doing it?

or

2. Install a software vib with bnx2x driver to force the SR-IOV settings from ESXi host level using "max_vfs" command.  Where can i find it?

[adgate]

Probably this is the best guide you can find https://community.mellanox.com/docs/DOC-3143

[edselaviatrix]

In my case, even if i enabled the SR-IOV from ESXi host, the SR-IOV passthrough won't show up in network adapter.  I need to have my vCenter GUI to enable in SR-IOV via editing physical adapter (right most side) before it show up in VM adapter settings.

And sometimes it will only enable port1 and port2 always off no matter what.   My workaround is toggle back and forth the SR-IOV in ESXi hosts and couple of reboots.  Not sure if this is related to BCM57414 NetXtreme-E 10Gb/25Gb card.

[Wolken]

I hope this article will be useful during the configuration: Enable SR-IOV on ESXi