Edge 610 Linux board-support notes and modules

This kit documents and packages the board-specific work needed to expose the six front-panel Marvell 88E6190 ports on a VMware/Dell Edge 610 under Linux. It is intentionally not a network configuration package. After successful bring-up, the operating system has six independent DSA interfaces named ge1 through ge6. Technicians should configure addressing, VLANs, bridges, bonds, firewalling, and routing with their distro's normal tools.

Version 1.0.0 was validated on x86-64 with Linux 6.12.94. The modules use upstream kernel APIs, but out-of-tree modules can require small source adjustments when kernel APIs change.

What is board-specific

The Edge 610 does not describe its switch topology to Linux through ACPI or a device tree. Two modules fill that gap:

• edge610_switch_standalone bit-bangs the board MDIO pins, releases and identifies the 88E6190, selects the X553's working 1 Gb/s SGMII path, and performs the early CPU-port setup before ixgbe probes.
• edge610_dsa registers the relocated MDIO bus and the topology expected by upstream mv88e6xxx: switch ports 1-6 become ge1-ge6, and switch port 10 connects to the first X553 function (called eno1 in the tested system).

Upstream DSA resets CPU-port physical control during setup. The board module therefore restores register 0x01 to 0x203e; without this, copper carrier may be visible but no packets cross the switch CPU link.

The board also contains watchdog controls at I2C addresses 0x22 and 0x24 on the Intel iSMT adapter. Both must be written to zero early in boot.

Bundle layout

• src/: GPL-2.0 kernel-module sources, Makefile, and optional DKMS metadata.
• scripts/: hardware detection, watchdog disable, ordered switch bring-up, and verification helpers.
• systemd/: optional reference units for the required boot order.
• config/: reference modprobe, modules-load, and conduit-name configuration.
• docs/TECHNICIAN-GUIDE.md: full distro-neutral integration procedure.

Quick manual outline

1. Confirm the system identifies as EDGE610 and contains PCI device 8086:19dd.

2. Confirm the running kernel contains the required DSA, Marvell, ixgbe, iSMT, and I2C features. In particular, ixgbe must be a module so the board initializer can run first.

3. Build src/ against the exact running-kernel headers, either directly or with DKMS.

4. Blacklist automatic ixgbe probing, refresh the initramfs, and preserve this load order:

   i2c-ismt/i2c-dev -> disable both watchdogs
   edge610_switch_standalone -> ixgbe -> X553 conduit up
   mv88e6xxx -> edge610_dsa -> ge1..ge6 up
   distro network configuration
   

5. Verify CPU port 10 reports status 0x0e4a, physical control 0x203e, and that all six ge* devices exist.

See docs/TECHNICIAN-GUIDE.md before changing a machine. Serial console access and a known-good fallback kernel are strongly recommended.

Network policy

This kit creates no bridge and assigns no address. Examples of valid policies after board bring-up include:

• a DHCP or static address directly on any one ge* interface;
• a Linux bridge containing selected ports;
• VLAN subinterfaces or bridge VLAN filtering;
• independent routed ports;
• bonding, subject to the normal DSA and distro constraints.

Do not assign an address to the X553 conduit itself. The conduit is the DSA transport between the host and switch, not a front-panel network interface.

License and support status

The kernel modules are GPL-2.0 as declared by their SPDX/module metadata. This is community board support derived from hardware investigation; it is not an official VMware, Dell, Broadcom, Intel, or Marvell release.