Re: [PATCH net] ionic: fix persistent MAC address override on PF

["Creeley, Brett" <bcreeley@amd.com>]

On 3/17/2026 10:08 AM, mheib@redhat.com wrote:
> Caution: This message originated from an External Source. Use proper caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or responding.
>
>
> From: Mohammad Heib <mheib@redhat.com>
>
> The use of IONIC_CMD_LIF_SETATTR in the MAC address update path causes
> the ionic firmware to update the LIF's identity in its persistent state.
> Since the firmware state is maintained across host warm boots and driver
> reloads, any MAC change on the Physical Function (PF) becomes "sticky.
>
> This is problematic because it causes ethtool -P to report the
> user-configured MAC as the permanent factory address, which breaks
> system management tools that rely on a stable hardware identity.
>
> While Virtual Functions (VFs) need this hardware-level programming to
> properly handle MAC assignments in guest environments, the PF should
> maintain standard transient behavior. This patch gates the
> ionic_program_mac call using is_virtfn so that PF MAC changes remain
> local to the netdev filters and do not overwrite the firmware's
> permanent identity block.
>
> Fixes: 19058be7c48c ("ionic: VF initial random MAC address if no assigned mac")
> Signed-off-by: Mohammad Heib <mheib@redhat.com>
> ---
>   drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c | 17 +++++++++++------
>   1 file changed, 11 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
> index 8d040e611d5a..637e635bbf03 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/pensando/ionic/ionic_lif.c
> @@ -1719,13 +1719,18 @@ static int ionic_set_mac_address(struct net_device *netdev, void *sa)
>          if (ether_addr_equal(netdev->dev_addr, mac))
>                  return 0;
>
> -       err = ionic_program_mac(lif, mac);
> -       if (err < 0)
> -               return err;
> +       /* Only program macs for virtual functions to avoid losing the permanent
> +        * Mac across warm reset/reboot.
> +        */
> +       if (lif->ionic->pdev->is_virtfn) {
> +               err = ionic_program_mac(lif, mac);
> +               if (err < 0)
> +                       return err;
>
> -       if (err > 0)
> -               netdev_dbg(netdev, "%s: SET and GET ATTR Mac are not equal-due to old FW running\n",
> -                          __func__);
> +               if (err > 0)
> +                       netdev_dbg(netdev, "%s: SET and GET ATTR Mac are not equal-due to old FW running\n",
> +                                  __func__);
> +       }

LGTM. Thanks for the fix!

Reviewed-by: Brett Creeley <brett.creeley@amd.com>

Brett

>
>          err = eth_prepare_mac_addr_change(netdev, addr);
>          if (err)
> --
> 2.53.0
>