Data Sheet

Ethernet Controller I210 —Introduction

1.7.5 Manageability

1.7.5.1 DMTF MCTP Protocol Over PCIe

The I210 enables reporting and controlling all information exposed in a LOM device via NC-SI using the

MCTP protocol over PCIe in addition to SMBus. The MCTP interface over PCIe is used by the MC to

control the NIC and for pass through traffic. For more information, refer to Section 10.7.

1.7.5.2 Flash Structures

Management related Flash structures were updated. For further information see Chapter 6.0.

1.7.5.3 Improved Support of Shared MAC and Shared IP

The I210 supports better filtering in systems when the MAC or the IP is shared with the host. This

support is achieved using additional filtering capabilities as described in Section 10.3.1 and can be

controlled using a new set of NC-SI OEM commands as the functionality described in Section 10.6.3.14

and Section 10.3.7.

1.7.5.4 Simplified SMBus TCO Status and Filter Setting

The TCO status in SMBus received packet was reduced to eight bytes and most of the information was

removed in order to keep only the information relevant to the MCs. See Section 10.5.9.2.1.1 for

details.

In addition, a generic command is used to set the most common filtering options independently of the

actual filters implementation. See Section 10.5.9.1.7 for details.

1.7.5.5 Diagnostic Commands

Commands were added to the NC-SI and legacy SMBus to query the identity of the I210 and the

firmware versions currently running on the I210. See Section 10.5.9.2.7 and Section 10.6.3.16.1 for

details.

1.7.6 BOM Cost Reduction

1.7.6.1 On-chip 0.9V SVR Control

The I210 includes a fully integrated on-chip Switching Voltage Regulator (SVR) that can be used to

generate a 0.9V power supply without the need for a higher cost on-board 0.9V voltage regulator (refer

to Section 3.6).

1.8 Device Data Flows

1.8.1 Transmit Data Flow

Table 1-11 lists a high level description of all data/control transformation steps needed for sending

Ethernet packets to the line.