Support Status of QLogic BCM57810 10Gb Network Adapters on ESXi 9.x

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• QLogic BCM57810 - 10Gb Base-T copper network cards are not recognized by ESXi 9.x.
• Upgrade to ESXi 9.x fails or results in complete loss of network connectivity for hosts using these adapters.
• The qfle3 driver is missing or unable to claim the device in the ESXi 9.x kernel.

Environment

• Hardware: QLogic/Marvell BCM57810 (10Gb Base-T)
• Software: VMware ESXi 9.x and later.

Cause

the QLogic BCM57810 has been classified as End of Life (EOL) for ESXi 9.0.

• EOL Definition: The device and/or its driver have been removed from the release.
• Impact: The device will not be claimed or recognized by ESXi 9.0. Upgrading from a previous release may fail, and proceeding with an upgrade can lead to a non-recoverable loss of network access and host configuration.

Resolution

1. Hardware Replacement: You must replace EOL devices with supported adapters prior to upgrading to ESXi 9.x. Refer to the Broadcom Compatibility Guide (BCG) for a list of certified 10Gb/25Gb NICs.
2. Maintain Legacy Version: If hardware replacement is not immediately possible, hosts must remain on a supported legacy version (ESXi 7.x or 8.x) where the BCM57810 is still certified.
3. No Support: There is no official support, driver development, or fix planned for this hardware on ESXi 9.x.

Additional Information

Deprecated devices in ESX 9.0 and implications for support