The errors and their meaning describe what you may see when using the CLI command diag hardware deviceinfo nic interface.
Rx_Errors = rx error count
Bad frame was marked as error by PHY.
Rx_CRC_Errors + Rx_Length_Errors + Rx_Align_Errors
Valid in 10/100M mode.
Rx_Dropped
Running out of buffer space. A newer error is rx_no_buffer_count.
Rx_Missed_Errors
Equals Rx_FIFO_Errors + CEXTERR (Carrier Extension Error Count). Only valid in 1000M mode, which is marked by PHY.
Tx_Errors=Tx_Aborted_Errors
ECOL, Excessive Collisions Count. Valid in half-duplex mode.
Tx_Window_Errors
LATECOL, Late Collisions Count. Late collisions are collisions that occur after 64-byte time into the transmission of the packet while working in 10-100 Mb/s data rate, and 512 byte time into the transmission of the packet while working in the 1000 Mb/s data rate. This register only increments if transmits are enabled and the device is in half-duplex mode.
Rx_Dropped
See RX error.
Tx_Dropped
Not defined
Collisions
Total number of collisions experienced by the transmitter. Vaild in half-duplex mode.
Rx_Length_Errors
Transmission length error.
Rx_Over_Errors
Not defined.
Rx_CRC_Errors
Frame crc error.
Rx_Frame_Errors
Same as Rx_Align_Errors. This error is only valid in 10/100M mode.
Rx_FIFO_Errors
Same as Rx_Missed_Errors; missed packet count.
Tx_Aborted_Errors
ECOL - Excessive Collisions Count. Only valid in half-duplex mode.
Tx_Carrier_Errors
The PHY should assert the internal carrier sense signal during every transmission. Failure to do so may indicate that the link has failed, or the PHY has an incorrect link configuration. This register only increments if transmits are enabled. This register is not valid in internal SerDes1 mode (TBI mode for the 82544GC/EI), and is only valid when the Ethernet controller is operating at full duplex.
Tx_FIFO_Errors
Not defined.
Tx_Heartbeat_Errors
Not defined.
Tx_Window_Errors
LATECOL - Late Collisions Count.
Tx_Single_Collision_Frames
Counts the number of times that a successfully transmitted packet encountered a single collision. The value only increments if transmits are enabled and the Ethernet controller is in half-duplex mode.
Tx_Multiple_Collision_Frames
Multiple Collision Count, counts the number of times that a transmit encountered more than one collision but less than 16. The value only increments if transmits are enabled and the Ethernet controller is in half-duplex mode.
Tx_Deferred
Counts defer events. A defer event occurs when the transmitter cannot immediately send a packet due to the medium being busy either because another device is transmitting, the IPG timer has not expired, half-duplex deferral events, reception of XOFF frames, or the link is not up. This register only increments if transmits are enabled. This counter does not increment for streaming transmits that are deferred due to TX IPG.
Rx_Frame_Too_Longs
Rx frame over size.
Rx_Frame_Too_Shorts
Rx frames too short.
Rx_Align_Errors
This error is only valid in 10/100M mode.
Symbol Error Count
SYMERRS - Counts the number of symbol errors between reads. The count increases for every bad symbol received, whether or not a packet is currently being received and whether or not the link is up. this register only increments in internal SerDes mode.