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Switch modules
Your BladeCenter unit supports a minimum of one hot-swap Ethernet switch
module, in switch-module bay 1. This switch module is a fully functional
four-connector Ethernet switch that provides an internal connection to Ethernet Link
1 in all the blade servers in the BladeCenter unit. To provide an internal connection
for Ethernet Link 2 in each blade server, install an Ethernet switch module in
switch-module bay 2.
The BladeCenter unit supports up to two four-port 1-Gb Ethernet switch modules,
for blade server communication with the network. Each switch module provides one
internal connection to each blade server, up to 14 internal connections per switch
module. The BladeCenter unit also supports two additional switch modules, for a
total of four switch modules. The two additional switch modules support the network
interface on the optional I/O expansion card installed on one or more blade servers
in the BladeCenter unit.
Note: The two additional switch modules must have the same I/O type, such as
If you install an I/O expansion option on any blade server, you must install a
hot-swap switch module of the same network interface in switch-module bay 3 to
obtain network connection 3 for the option; to provide network connection 4 for the
option, install a switch module of that same network interface in switch-module bay
4. The switch modules in bays 3 and 4 provide network connections to all the I/O
expansion options in the BladeCenter unit.
Important: The switch modules in switch-module bays 3 and 4 and all blade server
I/O expansion options in the BladeCenter unit must use the same network interface.
For example, if you install a Fibre Channel I/O expansion option on a blade server,
the switch modules you install in switch-module bays 3 and 4 must be Fibre
Channel, and all other I/O expansion options in the BladeCenter unit must also be
Fibre Channel I/O expansion options.
The following table summarizes the application for each switch module. See "Rear
view" on page 33 for the location of the switch-module bays on the BladeCenter
unit.
Note: Enumeration of the Ethernet controllers is operating-system dependent. For
16
BladeCenter Type 8677: Installation and User's Guide
fibre channel, and must match the network interface on the optional I/O
expansion cards in the blade servers.
Bay
Switch-module function
1
Network connection 1 (Ethernet Link 1) for all blade servers in the BladeCenter
unit
2
Network connection 2 (Ethernet Link 2) for all blade servers in the BladeCenter
unit
3
Network connection 3 (from all blade server I/O expansion options in the
BladeCenter unit)
4
Network connection 4 (from all blade server I/O expansion options in the
BladeCenter unit)
example, the Ethernet controller located nearer the top of the blade server,
whose communications are routed through Ethernet switch module 1, is
designated as the first connection (or Local Area Connection) by Microsoft
Windows 2000, but is designated as the second connection (or eth1) by Red
Hat Linux Version 7.3. The Ethernet controller located nearer the bottom of
the blade server, whose communications are routed through Ethernet switch
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