System may crash if the kernel module be2net is loaded

This document (7017676) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 Service Pack 4 (SLES 11 SP4)

Situation

IBM x3850x6 servers may immediately crash with a kernel panic when the module "be2net" is loaded.
The messages logged in the system log are:

[ 246.348087] BUG: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at 0000000000000010
[ 246.349411] IP: [<ffffffffa06fcb82>] be_clear+0x72/0x1c0 [be2net]
[ 246.350102] PGD 3daef8067 PUD 3a9c17067 PMD 0
[ 246.350958] Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP
[ 246.351733] CPU 21
[ 246.351837] Modules linked in: be2net(+) loop drbd crc32c libcrc32c nbd blktap blktap2 pciback usbbk xen_scsibk blkbk domctl blkback_pagemap netbk xenbus_be gntdev evtchn iscsi_tcp libiscsi_tcp libiscsi scsi_transport_iscsi nfs lockd fscache auth_rpcgss nfs_acl sunrpc ebtable_filter ebtables bridge 8021q garp stp llc bonding af_packet microcode ipt_LOG xt_limit xt_physdev iptable_filter ip_tables x_tables fuse dm_mod cdc_ether usbnet ipmi_devintf mii joydev ipv6 ipv6_lib pcspkr sg iTCO_wdt 8250_pnp igb ptp pps_core iTCO_vendor_support shpchp pci_hotplug wmi tpm_tis tpm tpm_bios rtc_cmos 8250 serial_core ipmi_si ipmi_msghandler container button ttm drm_kms_helper drm agpgart i2c_algo_bit sysimgblt sysfillrect i2c_core syscopyarea xhci_hcd processor thermal_sys hwmon scsi_dh_emc scsi_dh_hp_sw scsi_dh_rdac scsi_dh_alua scsi_dh xenblk cdrom xennet megaraid_sas usbhid hid ohci_hcd uhci_hcd ehci_hcd usbcore usb_common ext3 mbcache jbd sd_mod crc_t10dif raid1 scsi_mod [last unloaded: be2net]
[ 246.352014] Supported: Yes, External
[ 246.352014]
[ 246.352014] Pid: 23179, comm: insmod Tainted: G X 3.0.101-71-xen #1 LENOVO Lenovo System x3850 X6 -[6241AC1]-/00WA086
[ 246.352014] RIP: e030:[<ffffffffa06fcb82>] [<ffffffffa06fcb82>] be_clear+0x72/0x1c0 [be2net]
[ 246.352014] RSP: e02b:ffff8803d821dcb8 EFLAGS: 00010246
[ 246.352014] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 0000000000000000
[ 246.352014] RDX: 0000000000000010 RSI: 00000000ffffffff RDI: 0000000000000010
[ 246.352014] RBP: ffff880394800800 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffff8803f178b580
[ 246.352014] R10: 0000000000000002 R11: ffffffff802f7d60 R12: ffff8803e055a000
[ 246.352014] R13: ffff8803e055a000 R14: ffff880394800800 R15: 00007f7815c10010
[ 246.352014] FS: 00007f7815c52700(0000) GS:ffff8803ef4a0000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 246.352014] CS: e033 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 000000008005003b
[ 246.352014] CR2: 0000000000000010 CR3: 00000003d8f2d000 CR4: 0000000000042660
[ 246.352014] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000
[ 246.352014] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000ffff0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400
[ 246.352014] Process insmod (pid: 23179, threadinfo ffff8803d821c000, task ffff8803dc1c4340)
[ 246.352014] Stack:
[ 246.352014] 0020004600400000 0040007e00a60020 0000002000400020 0088bbb801001bbc
[ 246.352014] 0000000000160001 ffff880394800800 0000000000160001 ffffffffa06fcd9e
[ 246.352014] 0000000000000230 ffffffff8000b93a 00000010ffffffff 00000000fffffff4
[ 246.352014] Call Trace:
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffffa06fcd9e>] be_setup+0xce/0x430 [be2net]
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffffa06feeaa>] be_probe+0x42a/0x6b0 [be2net]
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff80246f44>] local_pci_probe+0x54/0xe0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff80247aa9>] pci_device_probe+0x89/0xb0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e201a>] really_probe+0x7a/0x270
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e2273>] driver_probe_device+0x63/0xc0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e2363>] __driver_attach+0x93/0xa0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e1668>] bus_for_each_dev+0x88/0xb0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e0db5>] bus_add_driver+0x155/0x2a0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff802e29b9>] driver_register+0x79/0x170
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff80247d7c>] __pci_register_driver+0x5c/0xe0
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff8000403b>] do_one_initcall+0x3b/0x190
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff8008901f>] sys_init_module+0xcf/0x240
[ 246.352014] [<ffffffff8041b743>] system_call_fastpath+0x16/0x1b
[ 246.352014] [<00007f78157a80ba>] 0x7f78157a80b9

The system crash only happens if the network interface had been configured with "vNIC Mode" also known as "Unified Fabric Protocol Mode".

Resolution

Either disable vNIC mode in the BIOS of the NIC or install the latest be2net driver from the SUSE SolidDriver website which doesn't show this problems.

Additional Information

IBM released a document describing this issue at https://www-947.ibm.com/support/entry/portal/docdisplay?lndocid=migr-5095763

Disclaimer

This Support Knowledgebase provides a valuable tool for SUSE customers and parties interested in our products and solutions to acquire information, ideas and learn from one another. Materials are provided for informational, personal or non-commercial use within your organization and are presented "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.