[NIC] X550-AT2 802.3az/Energy-efficient Ethernet (EEE)

[cwriter]

Hi

I'm successfully running a couple of machines using the X550-AT2 NIC Chip. Currently, I'm using this Board for an integrated Setup:
https://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=EPYC3101D4I-2T#Specifications

All is well, but the NIC gets extremely hot (90° C). Yes, 10GBase-T is not very efficient and according to Intel, uses up to 13 Watts of power that all has to go somewhere.
However, there should be a solution with 802.3az - The energy-efficient ethernet Standard. My switch does support it.
For some reason, even though the datasheet explicitly lists the registers for the X550, support got killed at some point due to rather esoteric NICs/Phys (55[2,3]):
https://reviews.freebsd.org/D21673

Since then, "thing's just gone, yo":
https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/blob/d5c0a7b6d3923d2a6967810d0aa3e148a39351c1/sys/dev/ixgbe/ixgbe_x550.c#L66

The eee_status / eee_enabled flags are gone from dev.ix.<num>.

However, even though Intel is not officially supporting EEE anymore on X550 (only on x710+), the registers in silicon probably did not yet vanish.
Is there a way to force the driver to pretty-please allow for EEE to enable? After all, the X550 is a rather often used cheap 10G chip and the overall powersavings could be substantial.

Best
cwriter

[pyrodex]

If your footprint allows it you could always strap a small 40/60MM FAN to the card to help dissipate heat. I know this isn't ideal but I've done that in the past with other devices than ran warm.

Quick other question for you since you have it running in OPNSense.

Do you know if the 1/2.5/5/10G option works in the latest version? I am interested in these cards in a future upcoming SuperMicro based off the Ice Lake-D line (https://www.servethehome.com/welcome-to-the-intel-ice-lake-d-era-with-the-xeon-d-2700-and-d-1700-series/3/, see SYS-110D-16C-FRN8TP) and it comes with two of them on the board. I was hoping to leverage those for my Fiber internet as it seems AT&T is deploying 2 and 5 service now but need a 2.5/5G port to work. 

[cwriter]

Hi

With the newest software, it does not seem to support it (neither on my linux box nor the OpnSense).

Code: [Select]

media: Ethernet autoselect (10Gbase-T <full-duplex,rxpause,txpause>)
        status: active
        supported media:
                media autoselect
                media 100baseTX
                media 1000baseT
                media 10Gbase-T
I know that the *hardware* supports it, though - it's just the drivers that don't. It was apparently removed at some point due to "issues with negotiations". These card/driver-combos are really in a sorry state.
Maybe the Intel drivers do support it, but I cannot really test that without risking to crash the production systems

If your footprint allows it you could always strap a small 40/60MM FAN to the card to help dissipate heat. I know this isn't ideal but I've done that in the past with other devices than ran warm.

Well, yes. If it was a cheapo realtek Chip for 10$ I could accept that. This is an IC that costs 150$. And removing generated heat is fine, but it still is wasted if you could get away with *industry-standard* stuff that was even advertised at one point in 2016(!).
Well, anyways, I grabbed my pitchfork over at the folks of Intel to get it cleared out. I'll keep you posted; if somebody wants to join, feel free.

https://community.intel.com/t5/Ethernet-Products/On-the-state-of-802-3az-with-Intel-X550/m-p/1364016/