I/O (switch) modules
For blade server communication with the network, your BladeCenter unit supports from one to four hot-swap I/O modules. Table 1 on page 35 identifies the type of I/O module you can install in each I/O-module bay. Go to the IBM Support Web site at http://www.ibm.com/systems/support to see the list of supported I/O modules. Your BladeCenter unit supports a minimum of one hot-swap Ethernet switch module or pass-thru module, in I/O-module bay 1. This I/O module provides an internal connection to Ethernet Link 1 in all the blade servers in the BladeCenter unit, up to 14 internal connections per I/O module. To provide an internal connection for Ethernet Link 2 in each blade server, install an Ethernet switch module or pass-thru module in I/O-module bay 2.
The BladeCenter unit also supports two additional I/O modules, for a total of four I/O modules. The two additional I/O modules support the network interface on the I/O expansion option installed on one or more blade servers in the BladeCenter unit.
Note: The BladeCenter unit supports either four Ethernet switch modules or two Ethernet switch modules and up to two fibre channel switch modules. No more than two fibre channel switch modules can be connected to the BladeCenter unit.
If you install an I/O expansion option on any blade server, you must install a hot-swap I/O module of the same network interface (or an optical pass-thru module) in I/O-module bay 3 to obtain network connection 3 for the option; to provide network connection 4 for the option, install the same type of I/O module in I/O-module bay 4 as you installed in I/O-module bay 3. For example, if you install a Fibre Channel I/O expansion option on a blade server, the I/O modules you install in I/O-module bays 3 and 4 must both be Fibre Channel or both be optical pass-thru, and all other I/O expansion options in the BladeCenter unit must also be Fibre Channel I/O expansion options.
Notes:
1.All blade server I/O expansion options in the BladeCenter unit must use the same type of network interface.
2.You can mix four-port 1-Gb Ethernet switch modules with other supported Ethernet switch modules to achieve the total number of Ethernet switch modules you need in the BladeCenter unit.
3.You can use a pass-thru module in any I/O-module bay, provided that the controller in the blade servers or I/O expansion options is compatible with the network switch to which the pass-thru module is connected.
34BladeCenter E Type 8677 and 1881: Hardware Maintenance Manual and Troubleshooting Guide
