NOTE:
To replace an existing SLA-teamed adapter in a Hot Plug slot, first unplug the adapter
cable. When the adapter is replaced, reconnect the cable.
PCI Hot Plug Support for Microsoft* Windows* Operating Systems
Intel® network adapters are enabled for use in selected servers equipped with PCI Hot Plug support and
running Microsoft* Windows* operating systems. For more information on setting up and using PCI Hot Plug
support in your server, see your hardware and/or Hot Plug support documentation for details. PCI Hot Plug
only works when you hot plug an identical Intel network adapter.
NOTES:
l
The MAC address and driver from the removed adapter will be used by the replacement
adapter unless you remove the adapter from the team and add it back in. If you do not
remove and restore the replacement adapter from the team, and the original adapter is used
elsewhere on your network, a MAC address conflict will occur.
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For SLA teams, ensure that the replacement NIC is a member of the team before con-
necting it to the switch.
Getting the Most From Your Intel® 10 Gigabit Server Adapter
NOTE:
These adjustments should be performed by a highly skilled network administrator. They
are not guaranteed to improve performance. Not all settings shown here may be available through
your BIOS, operating system or network driver configuration.
1. Install the adapter in a PCIe x8 slot.
NOTE:
Some PCIe x8 slots are actually configured as x4 slots. These slots have
insufficient bandwidth for full 10Gbe line rate with dual port 10GbE devices. The driver can
detect this situation and will write the following message in the system log: “PCI-Express
bandwidth available for this card is not sufficient for optimal performance. For optimal
performance a x8 PCI-Express slot is required.”
If this error occurs, moving your adapter to a true x8 slot will resolve the issue.
2. Use the proper cabling for the adapter you have. See
for details.
3. Enable Jumbo Frames, if your other network components can also be configured for it.
4. If your BIOS has an MMRBC (Maximum Memory Read Byte Count) adjustment, change it from its
default (usually 512) to 4096 (maximum).
NOTE:
Some systems may set the adapter's MMRBC to 4096 by default.
5. Increase the number of TCP and Socket resources from the default value.
6. Increase the allocation size of Driver Resources (transmit/receive buffers). However, most TCP traffic
patterns work best with the transmit buffer set to its default value, and the receive buffer set to its
minimum value.
