The current approach to having new hardware support and features in SLE kernels it to integrate changes to individual drivers from the mainline kernel back into the SLE kernel. The Linux Kernel Backports project (https://backports.wiki.kernel.org/) in comparison has an approach which consists in adding a shim layer between unmodified mainline drivers and older kernel interfaces. This project has its roots in wireless drivers. It currently supports only a handful of old ethernet adapters.

The goal of this hackweek project is to integrate support for the Intel 1Gb pci-express ethernet driver e1000e into the Backports project. This particular driver was chosen because it is widely used and modern while not being exotic.