PSOD on Cisco servers, when NFNIC 5.0.0.46 is in use

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

PSOD occurs on Hosts when nfnic 5.0.0.46-1OEM.803.0.0.24022510 is in use




Trace in clear text Clear Text 

VMware ESXi 8.0.3 [Releasebuild-24784735 x86_64]
#PF Exception 14 in world 2111325:fnic_world_f IP 0x42001657fccl addr 0x45b9422cd2d0
PTEs:0x3040071023:0x135a93063:0x0;

Module(s) involved in panic: [nfnic 5.0.0.46-10EM.803.0.0.24022510 (External)]
cr0=0x8001003d cr2=0x45b9422cd2d0 cr3=0x6c867000 cr4=0x14216c
FMS=06/55/7 uCode=0x5003801
frame=0x453928f9bdb0 ip=0x42001657fccl err=0x0 rflags=0x10283
rax=0xfffff6894d5a1557 rbx=0x4311d80013c0 rcx=0x35
rdx=0x763 rbp=0x4311e4a2b0f8 rsi=0x0
rdi=0x98360931a6c r8=0x4311e4a2b0f8 r9=0x7b8eed
r10=0x3fc00000 г11=0x420047401040 г12=0x405
r13=0x0 r14=0x4200165abc28 r15=0x45b9422cd280
*PCPU9:2111325/fnic_world_func-1-0x4311d8079ba
PCPU 0: SSSSSSSUSSUUVSSVVSSSVSSSSSVSSSVSSSUVUSSSUVSSVV
Code start: 0x420015400000 VMK uptine: 0:01:04:34.067
0x453928f9be70: [0x42001657fcc1]fnic_abort_cnd@(nfnic)#<None>+0x921 stack: 0x976b2e10792
0x453928f9bf00: [0x42001658041b]fnic_virt_reset_abort@(nfnic)#<None>+0x1d0 stack: 0x4311d8079ba0
0x453928f9bfa0: [0x42001559fae4]vmkWor 1dFunc@vmkernel#nover+0x31 stack: 0x42001559fae0
0x453928f9bfe0: [0x420015adc88e ]CpuSched_StartWor1d@vnkernel#nover+0xbf stack: 0x0
0x453928f9c000: [0x420015544faf ]Debug_IsInitialized@vnkernel#nover0xc stack: 0x0
base fs=0x0 gs=0x420042400000 Kgs=0x0
No disk partition configured to dump data.
Finalized dump header (18/18) FileDump: Successful.
No port for remote debugger. "Escape" for local debugger.

Environment

vSphere 8 

Cause

Issue is documented/ reported by the Vendor 
https://bst.cisco.com/quickview/bug/CSCwq55757 
No solution at present, still being investigated by the Vendor 

Resolution

Reach out to the  Vendor for resolution.
From a vSphere perspective we should downgrade the VIB  
Since there is no higher version atm consider disabling the NATIVE driver as per https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/344761/enabling-and-disabling-native-drivers-in.html 
Uninstalling the driver https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/342065/instructions-for-uninstalling-thirdparty.html 
and installing a stabler version https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/343840/patching-esxi-host-using-command-line.html 

Stable version, or recommendation as to what should be used of nfnic 5.0.0.46 must be confirmed by the Vendor.