NETGEAR GA620 - PCI Fiber Card, Reference Manual

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Introduction 1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter provides information about the features of the Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card.
The Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card connects your PCI-compliant server or workstation to a
Gigabit Ethernet network, incorporating a new technology that transfers data at a rate of 1gigabit
per second (Gbps) or 1000 megabits per second (Mbps), which is 100 times the rate of Ethernet.
Benefits
Performance is optimized and network overhead on the host system is minimized with the use of
the Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card. The device introduces CruiseControl, a NETGEAR
feature that uses a set of functions to offload the host PC by providing interrupt coalescing and
zero host copy.
With interrupt coalescing, the Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card provides adaptive host
interrupt frequency based on traffic load. In light traffic, it interrupts the host as soon as a packet
arrives in order to minimize latency. In heavy traffic, the card optimizes host efficiency by
coalescing interrupts
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receiving back-to-back packets and issuing a single interrupt only when
buffer space is low or its timer has expired. In this way, interrupt coalescing eliminates
unnecessary interrupts, maximizing cycles for applications.
The Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card can move packet headers and data to and from various
memory locations, offloading CPU-consuming copy operations from the host. In addition, data can
be transferred directly between the network card and the application data buffer, allowing zero host
copy packet processing.
The Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card has demonstrated interoperability with all major Gigabit
Ethernet equipment on the market that is compliant with IEEE 802.z standards. In addition,
because the Model GA620 Gigabit Ethernet Card uses standard Ethernet frame and MAC formats,
it provides full compatibility with 10 Mbps Ethernet and 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet network
equipment through network switches from a variety of vendors including NETGEAR.