Chapter 1: Advanced Server Program Overview
Broadcom Advanced Server Program (BASP) Overview
BASP is an intermediate software driver for Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, and Linux that provides load-balancing, fault-tolerance, and VLAN features.
The BASP features are provided by creating teams (virtual adapters) that consist of multiple NIC interfaces. A team can consist of one to eight NIC interfaces. You can designate each interface as a primary or standby* interface. All primary interfaces in a team participate in Load-balancing operations by sending and receiving a portion of the total traffic. Standby interfaces take over in the event that all primary interfaces have lost their links. VLANs can be added to a team to allow multiple VLANs with different VLAN IDs. A virtual adapter is created for each VLAN added. Load-balancing and fault-tolerance features work with any third party's NIC adapters, but are only supported with the Allied Telesyn Gigabit Ethernet adapters. VLANs only work with the Allied Telesyn Gigabit Ethernet adapters.
Note
*You can use Standby only in Smart Load-Balance mode (see Limitations below).
Smart Load-balance (SLB) mode works with all Ethernet switches without configuring the switch ports to any special trunking mode. Only IP traffic is load-balanced in both inbound and outbound directions. In comparison, IPX traffic is load-balanced in the outbound direction only. Other protocol packets are be sent and received through one primary NIC only. Fault- tolerance for non-IP traffic is only supported using the Allied Telesyn Gigabit Ethernet adapters. The Generic Trunking mode requires the Ethernet switch to support some form of port trunking mode (for example, Cisco's Gigabit EtherChannel or other switch vendor's link aggregation mode). This mode is protocol-independent and all traffic should be load- balanced and fault-tolerant.
Note
Allied Telesyn recommends that you disable the spanning tree protocol at the switch when you use BASP. This setting minimizes the downtime due to spanning tree loop determination when failing over.
Note
The Broadcom Advanced Server Program (BASP) requires that at least one adapter in the team be an Allied Telesyn Gigabit Ethernet adapters.