Cisco UCS enic driver incompatible for upgrade from 5.5 to 6.5 and its in use

[rzotz0814]

We are trying to figure out a way around this to upgrade 3 of our hosts that show incompatible enic drivers from 5.5 to 6.5.  The current driver that is installed for the enic is 2.1.2.38.  And it's actually in use on the hosts. How do we go about upgrading to 6.5 to get around this? We are using Ciscos Custom ISO for 6.5 U3. 

The upgrade contains the following set of conflicting VIBs:
Cisco_bootbank_net-enic_2.1.2.38-1OEM.500.0.0.472560
Cisco_bootbank_cisco-vem-v165-esx_4.2.1.2.2.3.0-3.2.1
Cisco_bootbank_net-enic_2.1.2.38-1OEM.500.0.0.472560

Remove the conflicting VIBs or use Image Builder to create a custom upgrade ISO image that contains the newer versions of the conflicting VIBs, and try to upgrade again.

~ # ethtool -i vmnic0
driver: enic
version: 2.1.2.38
firmware-version: 4.0(8c)
bus-info: 0000:06:00.0

~ # esxcli network nic list
Name PCI Device Driver Link Speed Duplex MAC Address MTU Description
------ ------------- ------ ---- ----- ------ ----------------- ---- ----------------------------------------
vmnic0 0000:006:00.0 enic Up 20000 Full 00:25:b5:01:a1:2e 1500 Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC Ethernet NIC
vmnic1 0000:007:00.0 enic Up 20000 Full 00:25:b5:01:b1:8e 1500 Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC Ethernet NIC
vmnic2 0000:008:00.0 enic Up 20000 Full 00:25:b5:01:a1:3e 1500 Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC Ethernet NIC
vmnic3 0000:009:00.0 enic Up 20000 Full 00:25:b5:01:b1:9e 1500 Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC Ethernet NIC

~ # esxcfg-scsidevs -a
vmhba0 megaraid_sas link-n/a unknown.vmhba0 (0:1:0.0) LSI / Symbios Logic MegaRAID SAS SKINNY Controller
vmhba1 fnic link-up fc.20000025b501005f:20000025b501a1df (0:10:0.0) Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC FCoE HBA Driver
vmhba2 fnic link-up fc.20000025b501005f:20000025b501b15f (0:11:0.0) Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC FCoE HBA Driver
vmhba3 fnic link-up fc.20000025b501005f:20000025b502a10f (0:12:0.0) Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC FCoE HBA Driver
vmhba4 fnic link-up fc.20000025b501005f:20000025b502b1cf (0:13:0.0) Cisco Systems Inc Cisco VIC FCoE HBA Driver

[Kirk J]

I believe you are hitting this because the driver switched over to 'NENIC' in 6.5.

For circumstances that involve vibs/drivers that are still in use, you can try one of two things:

• Upgrade the VIBs/drivers on the current host, before upgrading esxi. http://partnerweb.vmware.com/comp_guide2/detail.php?deviceCategory=io&productid=21081&releaseid=367&deviceCategory=io&details=1&VID=1137&DID=0043&SVID=1137&SSID=0084&page=1&display_interval=10&sortColumn=Partner&sortOrder=AscIS
• Simply remove the VIBs right before the reboot to the ESXi 6.5U3 ISO.  I believe it will prompt you for a reboot as part of the VIb removal process.  When you boot to the ISO to do the update, it should no longer complain about the enic, and 6.5 will switch over to using nenic.  You will also want to remove the old N1K VEM Vib.

Kirk..

[rzotz0814]

Thanks.  To be safe, I think we are going to do a manual upgrade to 6.0 from the ISO, then use VUM to 6.5.  This will prevent us from deleting the vibs and having issues where we can't revert too.