Intel X722 NIC ports flapping following host upgrade

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• After upgrade of Lenovo SR650 from ESXi 7 to ESXi 8 the Intel X722 NIC ports are flapping
  
  
• You see on vobd logs a rapid succession of link up and down:
  
    In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 42490136us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.up] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate up
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 42669725us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.down] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate down
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 43097558us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.up] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate up
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 43098912us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.up] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate up
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 43207978us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.down] vmnic vmnic0 linkstate down
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 43238880us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.down] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate down
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 44675056us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.up] vmnic vmnic1 linkstate up
 In(14) vobd[2097956]  [netCorrelator] 45086893us: [vob.net.vmnic.linkstate.up] vmnic vmnic0 linkstate up
  
  
• You are running i40en driver version: 2.8.4.0 or 2.9.2.0 with firmware Version: 6.50 0x80004377 1.3684.0
              

Environment

ESXi 8.x

Cause

Interoperability of software and pnic firmware code.

Resolution

• Workaround:
  Downgrade i40en driver to version 2.5.2.0 or previous running version.
• Fix:
  Packages from Lenovo available as referenced at: Issues with Intel X722 network adapter establishing link or maintaining link - Lenovo ThinkSystem
  
  
  

Additional Information

• Issues with Intel X722 network adapter establishing link or maintaining link - Lenovo ThinkSystem
• Hosts May Disconnect from vCenter when using a X710 or XL710 or X722 family card when LLDP is enabled.
• Determining Network/Storage firmware and driver version in ESXi
• Downgrading device drivers in VMware ESXi