ConnectX-7: format_select_dw_8_6_ext = 0 — blocks DOCA Flow IPv6 CT pipe

Infrastructure & Networking DOCA Getting Started & Resources
1

We are building a commercial IaaS+PaaS cloud SDN data plane using DOCA Flow
on ConnectX-7. We need IPv6 Connection Tracking which requires the
format_select_dw_8_6_ext (full_dw_jumbo_support) capability bit.

We have tested three different SKUs:

  • MCX75310AAS-NEA (PSID MT_0000000838, 400G NDR OSFP)
  • MCX713106AS-VEA (PSID MT_0000000840, 200G QSFP112)
  • MCX755206AS-NEA (PSID MT_0000000892, DGX storage)

All three: format_select_dw_8_6_ext = 0 in BOTH GET_CUR and GET_MAX
on firmware 28.48.1000 (latest).

Steps we have already verified:

  1. No mlxconfig variable affects this bit (tested 24 NV-config changes
    with mlxfwreset, all confirmed via -e -a query showing Current column).
  2. CR-space direct access returns 0xbadacce6 (blocked on standalone CX-7).
  3. SET_HCA_CAP from userspace is filtered by kernel mlx5 driver (EINVAL).
  4. All public CX-7 PSIDs share identical MAIN_CODE section.

Questions:

  1. Is there a roadmap to enable IPv6 CT pipe on standalone ConnectX-7?
  2. Is there a documented mechanism (signed CS/CRCS/DBG token) to unlock
    this capability for evaluation/research?
  3. The DOCA Flow CT documentation states “BlueField-3 and above required
    for IPv6”. Is this a permanent product positioning decision or
    firmware/HW limitation?

We are happy to share our CRCS challenge tokens with NVIDIA Engineering
support team. We have an active deployment of 3+ CX-7-based SDN nodes
and would prefer not to migrate to BlueField-3 if there is a path forward.

2

Hello,

Thank you for your questions.

In order to answer them, opening a new support case will be required.

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Best Regards,

Anatoly