mlxarchive – Binary Files Compression Tool
mlxarchive is not installed by default, and requires installing MFT with the --oem option.
The mlxarchive tool allows the user to create a file with the MFA2 extension. The new file contains several binary files of a given firmware for different adapter cards.
mlxarchive accepts the following attributes as its input:
--bins-dir - The path to a folder with the binary files that will be included in the MFA2 file
--version - The MFA2 file’s version
--out-file - The output of the mlxarchive file (MFA2 file)
-m|--mfa2-file mfa2_file - MFA2 file to parse
Example:
            
            mlxarchive --bins-dir /full/path/to/bin/directory/ --version 1.1.1 --out-file out.mfa2 mlxarchive --mfa2-file out.mfa2
Creation Time  : 2019-09-18 08:35:43
Devices	2
PSID	: <…>
Num of Images	1
Index	0
Version : 10.16.1200
Date   : 2019-09-18 08:35:43 PSID	: <…>
Num of Images	1
Index	1
Version : 10.16.1200
Date	: 2019-09-18 08:35:43
        
    
            
            [--help] [--version version] [--out-file out_file] [--bins-dir bins_dir] [-m|--mfa2-file mfa2_file]
        
    where:
--help  | Shows the help message and exit  | 
--version version  | MFA2’s version in the following format: x.x.x  | 
--out-file out_file  | The output file  | 
-bins-dir bins_dir  | The directory with the binaries files  | 
-m|--mfa2-file mfa2_file  | Mfa2 file to parse  | 
The .mfa2 file can be used with ethtool to burn adapter cards firmware. The procedure is described in Updating Firmware Using ethtool/devlink and .mfa2 File section.