Bug 70742

Summary:	Request support for new vmware network drivers in upcoming livecd's
Product:	Gentoo Release Media	Reporter:	Matthew Marlowe (RETIRED) <mattm>
Component:	Everything	Assignee:	Gentoo Release Team <releng>
Status:	RESOLVED NEEDINFO
Severity:	enhancement
Priority:	High
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	x86
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description Matthew Marlowe (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2004-11-10 22:22:14 UTC

vmware gsx 3.1+ includes support for _two_ kinds of network drivers, the old standard lance and a newer _vmxnet_ driver.  Apparently, vmware is depreciating the lance driver w/ any vm's that use gigabit cards or otherwise have high network util.  That's all great, but I can find no support for the driver in any of the latest gentoo livecd's.  

Given the increasing importance of virtualization solutions, I'd like to ensure gentoo has the best possible support for vmware gsx..which means supporting this and any other curves vmware sends us.

I'm more than willing to provide any testing.  Also, I am willing to
help w/ research or developemnt of an ebuild for this.  An alternative
solution here would be to have gentoo based vm's install using lance, and
then install a vmxnet ebuild, and then covert the vm from lance to vmxnet.


Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1.create a new vm using vmxnet as the selected nic hardware under gsx 3.1
2.boot a livecd in that vm
3.notice that no network module is loaded, eth0 doesn't appear

Actual Results:  
no net!

Expected Results:  
eth0 happy

Comment 1 Mitchell 2005-02-22 11:46:09 UTC

You would need to patch your kernel to add support for vmxnet as a module or driver.  This taints the kernel though.

Comment 2 Chris Gianelloni (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2005-05-03 08:51:28 UTC

Does the license on vmware-tools allow redistribution?

Comment 3 Chris Gianelloni (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2005-07-22 14:43:14 UTC

This is either a CANTFIX or a NEEDINFO, as we either cannot redistribute
VMWare's IP, or somebody needs to tell me that we can and preferably provide an
ebuild for the driver, so I can add it to the CD.

Comment 4 Matthew Marlowe (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2005-08-12 03:50:29 UTC

I assumed we had someone who was in contact with vmware to address questions
like this.  As it appears we do not, I will try to contact them myself in the
next few weeks and see if we can get a firm statement on gentoo's ability to
include their drivers as part of the livecd.

If they say yes, I will create an ebuild for it.