One day they sent me an Intel XL710-QDA2 network adapter, from the manufacturer Silicom, on which the firmware could not be updated.
An example of viewing information through the firmware update utility:
./nvmupdate64e -i -l
Other Intel XL710 network adapters installed in the server have successfully updated, except for one from Silicom, if you look at the adapter data:
[00:216:00:00]: Intel(R) Ethernet Converged Network Adapter XL710-Q2
Vendor : 8086
Device : 1583
Subvendor : 8086
Subdevice : 0001
Revision : 2
LAN MAC : 00E0ED7E133B
Alt MAC : 000000000000
SAN MAC : 000000000200
ETrackId : 800023D3
SerialNumber : 3B137EFFFFEDE000
NVM Version : 5.02(5.02)
PBA : 100000-000
VPD status : Valid
VPD size : 125
NVM update : No config file entry
checksum : Valid
OROM update : No config file entry
CIVD : 0.0.0
It can be seen that the firmware version is old – 5.02, PBA is indicated by zeros for some reason 100000-000, CIVD is also zeros, it can be assumed that this was done on purpose so that the firmware could not be updated, perhaps because it was modified for example. I also ordered XL710-QDA1 and XL710-QDA2 from Aliexpress, but they updated successfully, unlike Silicom.
If you look at the table, then for DeviceID 1583, Board # (PBA): J11363-xyz should be indicated.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005612/ethernet-products/gigabit-ethernet-adapters-up-to-2-5gbe.html
Here is an example of another network adapter on which the firmware was successfully updated:
[00:018:00:00]: Intel(R) Ethernet Converged Network Adapter XL710-Q2
Vendor : 8086
Device : 1583
Subvendor : 8086
Subdevice : 0001
Revision : 2
LAN MAC : 6CB31150D390
Alt MAC : 000000000000
SAN MAC : 6CB31150D391
ETrackId : 8000C40F
SerialNumber : 90D350FFFF11B36C
NVM Version : 8.112(8.70)
PBA : J11363-003
VPD status : Valid
VPD size : 63
NVM update : No config file entry
checksum : Valid
OROM update : No config file entry
CIVD : 1.3179.0
PXE : 1.1.42, checksum Valid
EFI : 4.9.13, checksum None
The link below also has instructions on how to check the network adapter.
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005584/ethernet-products/gigabit-ethernet-controllers-up-to-2-5gbe.html
The problem was solved by asking the supplier to replace the network adapter with a normal one.
See also my articles:
Intel 700 Series Network Adapters Firmware Update
Intel i40e driver update