be2net" driver crash during install

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Environment

SUSE
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15

Situation

The "be2net" driver fails to initialize properly during the build process (GRUB loads, the kernel loads, initrd loads, but as the kernel initializes and tries to load the be2net driver, the driver fails).
This issue is described at --> https://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ibm10794153
It talks about AIX NIM, but it additionally affects both RHEL and SLES, all supported versions.
The symptoms were that the "be2net" driver would crash during install; the installer would sort-of recognize that there was an "eth0" but it was not possible to actually configure or do anything with it. Attempting to unload the driver caused a kernel panic. This only happened in a PowerPC environment while performing an "lpar_netboot". Booting to ISOs works.

Resolution

IBM is issuing a temporary PowerVM firmware patch that essentially backs out the one problematic change. A more-permanent fix in a firmware release will be available in the future.

Cause

IBM identified the issue as a firmware bug (between the PowerVM firmware and the Broadcom NIC firmware/be2net driver) that was introduced in v920.20 of the Power9 firmware.

Disclaimer

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