Adaptec ANA-6904 Specifications

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
• Four connectors supporting four
separate network segments, all
at full bandwidth
• Each of the four channels operate
at independent speeds for maximum
flexibility (10 Mbps, 20 Mbps,
100 Mbps, 200 Mbps)
• Full Duplex Fast Ethernet on UTP,
for up to 800 Mbps throughput on
one adapter
• NWay AutoSensing of maximum
line speed on 10/100 TX adapters
• Duralink ™ Failover offers FDDI-
like port resiliency for optimum
availability
R
PCI server adapters for Fast Ethernet and Ethernet
Overview
Adaptec's Cogent Quartet adapters are
the ultimate performance solution for
PCI servers operating on Fast Ethernet
and Ethernet networks. With four
channels on a single board and Full
Duplex support, these adapters have
the features today's 32-bit Fast Ethernet
and Ethernet servers need to handle
user's graphics, multimedia, database,
and mission-critical applications.
These innovative adapters provide
ample bandwidth for even the most
demanding networks. They support
up to four network segments on sepa-
rate channels for a cumulative through-
put of up to 800 Mbps (depending on
model). The Quartet adapters multiply
flexibility, performance, and cabling
compatibility by four, and provide
easy migration paths from Ethernet
to Fast Ethernet network solutions.
Key Features and Benefits
Scalability
Using the Quartet adapter, I.S. organi-
zations can increase the total network
bandwidth without the need to buy a
new server. Though the PCI bus offers
132 Mbps of bandwidth, typically only
a limited number of slots are available
thereby restricting the number of seg-
ments a server can handle. The Quartet
adapters solve this problem by provid-
ing the power of four Fast Ethernet, or
Ethernet, segments on a single adapter.
These adapters use an on-board PCI-to-
PCI bridge chip to extend the machine's
internal bus. Multiple Quartets can
be installed on each server for even
greater overall bandwidth.
Flexible Configuration
The Quartet adapters support all four
network channels at full cable band-
width. Each channel is fully indepen-
dent and is automatically configured
by the system BIOS. Each of the
adapters' four ID nodes can be
customized at load time.
Cogent
™
Quartet
™
The AutoSense feature of the 10/100
Mbps models allows the adapters to
automatically detect the network's
maximum line speed. No adapter con-
figuration is necessary. For maximum
flexibility, the AutoSense feature is
compatible with all 10 and 100 Mbps
devices, including those without NWay
line speed negotiation.
With the Quartet T4 model, cabling
plant upgrades aren't necessary. They
run on any UTP cable currently run-
ning 10Base-T and can be used in the
future to run at 100 Mbps, providing
an easy migration path.
Resilient, Redundant Links
Duralink Failover drivers included with
each 10/100 TX adapter, ensure the
integrity of mission-critical Ethernet
server links. Duralink Failover estab-
lishes an FDDI-like port resiliency with
both active and hot-standby links. In the
event that the active link fails, the stand-
by link is automatically activated to
preserve the network link and maintain
the server's availability. Duralink Man-
ager, also included, is a data compilation
tool that simplifies adapter monitoring
and configuration.
Full Duplex Mode
Full Duplex Fast Ethernet (FDFE) and
Full Duplex Ethernet (FDE) capabilities
double the cumulative system through-
put in Fast Ethernet and Ethernet net-
works. Servers using the Quartet
adapters can handle, receive, and
transmit requests simultaneously,
over multiple ports so workstations
benefit from much faster service.
Designed for Performance
The Quartet adapters' efficient bus
master design minimizes CPU
utilization for optimum throughput.
Independent transmit and receive
FIFO buffers (First In, First Out
memory) for each port onboard, and
a powerful DMA capability mean consis-
tently high performance, even during
periods of peak network activity.