Intel 82599 with non-Intel SFP+'s?

[Patrick Klos]

Jack Vogel wrote:
> Intel can only support a finite set of hardware, it is NOT a matter of 
> it being some "Intel" part, its
> a matter of some SFPs that are out there DO NOT WORK, so engineering 
> here was able to
> delimit, validate, and thus certify a specific set of SFPs, the 
> software check is there to make
> sure that you use something we can know works.
Thanks for the reply Jack,

The code for the 82599 is specific in that it checks for (and allows to 
be used) ONLY Intel SFP+'s.  The 82598 is a little more flexible in that 
it supports 4 vendors (including Finisar).  Any idea why 4 SFP+ vendors 
are supported on the 82598, but not the 82599?

Also, the very existance of a definition for 
IXGBE_DEVICE_CAPS_ALLOW_ANY_SFP (and code to check it) implies the 
ability of the 82599 to be able to be configured to support "any" SFP, 
although I can't find any reference to the bit or capability in the 
82599 datasheet?  Is that a possible "future" feature?

Lastly (for now), can support for an additional SFP+ (like the Finisar) 
be */added /*to the 82599 driver or is there something that would 
prevent that?

Thanks again!

Patrick