Data Sheet

Interconnects—Ethernet Controller I210

3.2.2.2 NC-SI Transactions

The NC-SI link supports both pass-through traffic between the MC and the I210 LAN functions, as well

as configuration traffic between the MC and the I210 internal units as defined in the NC-SI protocol.

Refer to Section 10.6.2 for information.

3.2.3 MCTP (over PCIe or SMBus)

The I210 supports MCTP protocol for management. MCTP runs over PCIe or SMBus. The I210

implements NC-SI over MCTP protocol for command and pass through traffic.

3.3 Flash

3.3.1 General Overview

The I210 uses a Flash device for storing product configuration information. The Flash is divided into

four general regions:

• Hardware Accessed — Loaded by the the I210 hardware after power-up, PCI reset de-assertion, D3

to D0 transition, or software reset. Different hardware sections in the Flash are loaded at different

events. For more details on power-up and reset sequences, see Section 4.0.

• Secure Firmware Area — Firmware code and structures used by the firmware for management

configuration in its different modes.

• Unsecure Firmware Area — Same as above -Firmware code and structures used by the firmware for

management configuration in its different modes. This area is used by the software for updating the

new firmware code and structures.

• Software Accessed — used by software only. The meaning of these words as listed here is a

convention for the software only and is ignored by the I210. This region is used by software entities

such as LAN drivers, option ROM software and tools, PCIe bus drivers etc. The content of this area

is listed here as a convenience for software developers only and is ignored by the I210 hardware.

Note: The role played by the secured area and the unsecured area is toggled on every Firmware

update. This is referred as the double bank update policy.

The I210 merges the legacy EEPROM and Flash content in a single Flash device. Flash devices require a

sector erase instruction in case a cell is modified from 0b to 1b. As a result, in order to update a single

byte (or block of data) it is required to erase it first. The I210 supports Flash devices with a sector erase

size of 4 KB. Note that many Flash vendors are using the term sector differently. The I210 EAS uses the

term Flash sector for a logic section of 4 KB.

The I210 supports Flash devices that are either write-protected by default after power-up or not. The

I210 removes the protection by sending the write-protection removal OpCode to the Flash after power

up. For the first programming of a blank Flash, it is the host’s responsibility to remove the write-

protection from the Flash part via bit-banging access. Refer to Section 11.8 for the list of the Flash

devices supported by the I210.