NFP 6xxx Hardware Debug - DMA Init Failed

[Kyle Simpson]

Hi all,

We've been running into some issues on our deployment installing and debugging firmware using version 6.1.0.1 of the SDK, RTE and Programmer Studio. We're hosting the card and RTE on Ubuntu 18.04. It seems that the (debug) firmware installation relies on a DMA configuration file which doesn't exist, `nfp_nbi9_dma.json`. Having installed the RTE and toolchain, a cursory `find / | grep nbi9` turns up nothing related. Programmer Studio on Windows offers `nfp_nbi9_dma_cdp.json`, but I assume this is for another architecture rather than Starfighter.

Relevant sections of /var/log/nfp-sdk6-rte.log: (https://pastebin.com/dcVpEhr5 lines 584--605)

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:092 - nfp_pif_design.c:445 Using design data in firmware file

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:092 - nfp_pif_design.c:461 Loading firmware

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:162 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 No ARI Support found. VFs not supported.

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:349 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 Detected starfighter1 platform, using sf1-2x40GE-prepend.json for MAC init

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:349 - nfp_pif_design.c:90  and nfp_nbi8_dma_sf.json for DMA init (when not in debug mode)

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 Input Files:

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_DMA8_JSON   = /opt/nfp_pif/etc/configs/nfp_nbi8_dma_sf.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_DMA9_JSON   = /opt/netronome/share/nbi/nfp_nbi9_dma.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_MAC8_JSON   = /opt/nfp_pif/etc/configs/sf1-2x40GE-prepend.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_MAC9_JSON   = /opt/netronome/share/nbi/sf1-2x40GE-aux.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_MACPHY_JSON = /opt/netronome/share/nbi/nfp_nbi_phy_tuning_AMDA0058R1.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:23:48:492 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 NBI_TM_JSON     = /opt/netronome/share/nbi/nfp_nbi_tm_cdp.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:298 - nfp_pif_design.c:90
 Initializing DMA-0 with config =
/opt/nfp_pif/etc/configs/nfp_nbi8_dma_sf.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:298 - nfp_pif_design.c:90

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:298 - nfp_pif_design.c:90  DMA Init complete

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:298 - nfp_pif_design.c:90

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:341 - nfp_pif_design.c:90  Initializing DMA-1 with config = /opt/netronome/share/nbi/nfp_nbi9_dma.json

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:341 - nfp_pif_design.c:90

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:341 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 Error reading config file

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:341 - nfp_pif_design.c:90 DMA Init Failed

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:341 - nfp_pif_design.c:90

RTE: 2020-02-19 13:24:00:342 - nfp_pif_design.c:497 Failed to load firmware: 256

I feel like this is a file which is missing from the toolchain, but if there's a more fundamental issue then we'd appreciate the insight. We don't require VFs at the moment, so the lack of ARI support in this box shouldn't affect the installation.

Thanks,

--Kyle

[Kyle Simpson]

Necroposting now that I have the time to revisit this after another unit of work completed.

Issue was multi-stage:

 * Missing DMA file. Correspondence with support before they stopped answering some time around March suggested that: "nbi_dma9.json will only be added in the 6.1.0.2, so they are confused as to how you've gotten to a state that it is being looked for".

 * CTM on Island 1 is apparently reserved, so firmware installation was deemed illegal. It would be nice to have the full databook so that we can know about inviolable decisions like this ahead of time.

Band-aid fix until we one day see the next SDK edition:

cp /opt/nfp_pif/etc/configs/nfp_nbi8_dma_sf.json /opt/netronome/share/nbi/nfp_nbi9_dma.json

--Kyle

web: https://mcfelix.me