82598EB Datasheet, PDF (159/596 Pages) Intel Corporation – Intel® 82598EB 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controller Datasheet

Intel^® 82598EB 10 GbE Controller - EEPROM Software Section
Table 3-44. EEPROM Map
0x34
PXE
–
0x37
PXE Words
0x38
HW
EEPROM Control Word 3
0x39
HW
–
0x3E
Hardware Reserved
0x3F
SW
Software Checksum, Words 0x00 – 0x3F including the areas covered by the different hardware pointers.
Table 3-44 lists the common sections for the entire EEPROM: hardware pointers, software and
firmware. The hardware sections (pointed to by words 0x03 – 0x0C) are described following the
common sections.
3.4.2 EEPROM Software Section
3.4.2.1 Compatibility Fields – Words 0x10-0x14
Five words in the EEPROM image are reserved for compatibility information. New bits within these fields
are defined as the need arises for determining software compatibility between various hardware
revisions.
3.4.2.2 PBA Number Module – Words 0x15:0x16
The nine-digit Printed Board Assembly (PBA) number used for Intel manufactured Network Interface
Cards (NICs) is stored in EEPROM.
Through the course of hardware ECOs, the suffix field is incremented. The purpose of this information is
to enable customer support (or any user) to identify the revision level of a product.
Network driver software should not rely on this field to identify the product or its capabilities.
PBA numbers have exceeded the length that can be stored as HEX values in two words. For newer NICs,
the high word in the PBA Number Module is a flag (0xFAFA) indicating that the actual PBA is stored in a
separate PBA block. The low word is a pointer to the starting word of the PBA block.
The following shows the format of the PBA Number Module field for new products.
PBA Number
G23456-003
Word 0x8
FAFA
Word 0x9
Pointer to PBA Block
The following provides the format of the PBA block; pointed to by word 0x9 above:
Word Offset
Description
159