Current situation
So far Flatcar automatically synced its coreos-firmware version with the latest version of upstream linux-firmware repo. That has worked except for minor version updates required for certain firmware files now and then, but only until the recent version 20260519.
Starting from 20260622, however, upstream linux-firmware simply deleted unlicensed firmware files, including acenic/tg1.bin and acenic/tg2.bin. Those firmware files are still necessary because Flatcar kernel config enables CONFIG_ACENIC.
While upstream Kernel v7.1 also started to delete the unlicensed ACENIC driver, it would take ages until Flatcar could get that Kernel, because the next target Kernel is 6.18.
In practice we are either stuck with the old firmware 20260519 until Kernel 7.1 lands in Flatcar, (not good because Kernel version update and firmware version should be in sync in the long term) or we should figure out a way to deprecate unlicensed drivers like Alteon ACENIC ethernet. From a quick look, there is no clue that the driver is currently heavily being used out there. Its development seems to have been inactive since many years.
Impact
Possibility of breaking users that still use the drivers? If anyone still uses, please let maintainers know.
Additional information
flatcar/scripts#4138 (comment)
Current situation
So far Flatcar automatically synced its coreos-firmware version with the latest version of upstream linux-firmware repo. That has worked except for minor version updates required for certain firmware files now and then, but only until the recent version 20260519.
Starting from 20260622, however, upstream linux-firmware simply deleted unlicensed firmware files, including
acenic/tg1.binandacenic/tg2.bin. Those firmware files are still necessary because Flatcar kernel config enables CONFIG_ACENIC.While upstream Kernel v7.1 also started to delete the unlicensed ACENIC driver, it would take ages until Flatcar could get that Kernel, because the next target Kernel is 6.18.
In practice we are either stuck with the old firmware 20260519 until Kernel 7.1 lands in Flatcar, (not good because Kernel version update and firmware version should be in sync in the long term) or we should figure out a way to deprecate unlicensed drivers like Alteon ACENIC ethernet. From a quick look, there is no clue that the driver is currently heavily being used out there. Its development seems to have been inactive since many years.
Impact
Possibility of breaking users that still use the drivers? If anyone still uses, please let maintainers know.
Additional information
flatcar/scripts#4138 (comment)