NEC Express 5800/140Rb-4, Service Manual

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Network Teaming Features
✏
NOTE
Using both onboard NICs in a team does not allow the use of NIC 1 for server
management access. To support both network teaming features and server
management features, a third NIC must be added and teamed to NIC 2.
The network controller provides several options for increasing throughput and fault tolerance when
running Windows NT
† 4.0, Windows 2000, NetWare † 4.1x or newer, or Linux † :
•
Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT)—provides automatic redundancy for your adapter. If the
primary adapter fails, the secondary takes over. AFT works with any hub or switch.
•
Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB)—creates a team of two to eight adapters to increase
transmission throughput and includes AFT. Works with any 10Base-TX or 100Base-TX
switch.
•
Fast EtherChannel
†
(FEC) or Intel
®
Link Aggregation—creates a team of up to eight adapters
to increase transmission and reception throughput and includes AFT. Requires a FEC-enabled
switch.
To set up an option, read the instructions in the Windows NT 4.0 or NetWare 4.1x readme files.
✏
NOTE
Windows NT versions prior to 4.0 do not support Adapter Teaming options.
Adapter Teaming options require NT 4.0 with Service Pack 4.0 or later (or
Service Pack 3.0 and the Windows Hot Fix
†
).
In Windows NT, teaming options cannot be implemented on adapters that
have been configured for VLANs. NetWare can support teaming options and
VLANs on the same adapters.
Adapter Fault Tolerance
Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT) is a simple, effective, and fail-safe approach to increase the
reliability of server connections. AFT gives you the ability to set up link recovery to the server
adapter in case of a cable, port, or network interface card failure. By assigning two server adapters
as a team, AFT enables you to maintain uninterrupted network performance.
AFT is implemented with two server adapters: a primary adapter and a backup, or secondary,
adapter. During normal operation, the backup will have transmit disabled. If the link to the
primary adapter fails, the link to the backup adapter automatically takes over.
Server Description 113