Chassis Description 17
Preferred Primary Adapter
With multipleadapters installed, you can specify one as the Preferred Primary adapter. For
example if youhave a server with a PRO/1000 server adapter as the primary adapter and a
PRO/100+ adapteras the secondary, you could configure the PRO/1000 server adapter to be the
preferred primary. In this scenario, if the PRO/1000 server adapter fails, the PRO/100+ will take
over. Thenwhen the PRO/1000 server adapter is replaced, it will automaticallyrevert to being the
primaryadapter in the team.
If a PreferredPrimary is not selected, PROSet will attempt to select the best adapter,based on
adapter model and speed.
Mixed Adapter Teaming
AFT supports up to six server adaptersper team,in any mix.
Adaptive Load Balancing
Adaptive LoadBalancing (ALB) is a simple and efficient way to increase your server's transmit
throughput. With ALB you group server adapters in teams to provide an increased transmit rate
(up to 8 Gbps) usinga maximum of eight adapters. The ALB software continuously analyzes
transmitloading on each adapter and balances the rate across the adapters as needed. Adapter
teams configuredfor ALBalso provide the benefits of AFT. Receive rates remain at 100 Mbps or
1 Gbps depending on the primaryadapter’s capability.
To use ALB, you musthave 2-6 server adapters installed in your server or workstation and linked
to the samenetwork switch.
Cisco Fast EtherChannel
Fast EtherChannel(FEC) isa performance technology developed by Cisco to increase your server's
throughput. Unlike ALB, FEC can be configured to increase both transmission and reception
channels betweenyour server and switch. FEC works only with FEC-enabled switches, such as the
Catalyst 5000series. With FEC, as you add adapters to your server, you can group themin teams
to provide upto 18 Gbps at full duplex, with a maximum of 6 server adapters. The FECsoftware
continuouslyanalyzes loading on each adapter and balances network traffic across the adapters as
needed. Adapterteams configured for FEC also provide the benefits of AFT.
To use FEC, you musthave 2, 4, or 6 server adapters plus use of both onboard NIC adapters
installedin your server and linked to the same FEC-enabled Cisco switch.
Keyboard and Mouse The keyboardcontroller is PS/2-compatible. If specifiedthrough the System Setup Utility (SSU),
the server maybe locked automatically if there is no keyboard or mouse activity for a predefined
length of time. Oncethe inactivity (lockout) timer has expired, the keyboard and mouse do not
respond until the previously stored pass word is entered. If a mouse is required, you can either
connect a USB mouseto a USB port or a PS/2 mouse to the PS/2 port using the “Y”-splitter cable.