Ethernet Port - IBM 8669 - Eserver xSeries 342 Hardware Maintenance Manual

Ethernet port

The server comes with an integrated Ethernet controller. This controller provides an
interface for connecting to 10-Mbps or 100-Mbps networks and provides full-duplex
(FDX) capability, which enables simultaneous transmission and reception of data on
the Ethernet local area network (LAN).
To access the Ethernet port, connect a Category 3, 4 or 5 unshielded twisted-pair
(UTP) cable to the RJ-45 connector on the rear of the server.
Note: The 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet standard requires that the cabling in the
network be Category 5 or higher.
Configuring the Ethernet controller: When you connect the server to the
network, the Ethernet controller automatically detects the data-transfer rate
(10 Mbps or 100 Mbps) on the network and then sets the controller to operate at
the appropriate rate. That is, the Ethernet controller will adjust to the network data
rate, whether the data rate is standard Ethernet (10BASE-T), Fast Ethernet
(100BASE-TX), half duplex (HDX), or full duplex (FDX). The controller supports
half-duplex (HDX) and full-duplex (FDX) modes at both speeds.
The Ethernet controller is a PCI Plug and Play device. You do not need to set any
jumpers or configure the controller for your operating system before you use the
Ethernet controller. However, you must install a device driver to enable your
operating system to address the Ethernet controller. The device drivers are provided
on the ServerGuide CDs.
Failover for redundant Ethernet: The IBM Netfinity 10/100 Fault Tolerant Adapter
is an optional redundant network interface card (NIC adapter) that you can install in
the server. If you install this NIC adapter and connect it to the same logical segment
as the primary Ethernet controller, you can configure the server to support a failover
function. You can configure either the integrated Ethernet controller or the NIC
adapter as the primary Ethernet controller. In failover mode, if the primary Ethernet
controller detects a link failure, all Ethernet traffic associated with it is switched to
the redundant (secondary) controller. This switching occurs without any user
intervention. When the primary link is restored to an operational state, the Ethernet
traffic switches back to the primary Ethernet controller. The switch back to the
primary Ethernet controller can be automatic or manually controlled, depending on
the setup and operating system.
Note that only one controller in the redundant pair is active at any given time. For
example, if the primary Ethernet controller is active, then the secondary Ethernet
controller cannot be used for any other network operation.
Note: Your operating system determines the maximum number of IBM Netfinity
10/100 Fault Tolerant Adapters that you can install in the server. See the
documentation that comes with the adapter for more information.
Considerations when combining failover and hot-plug functions: If your operating
system supports hot-plug PCI adapters and the optional redundant NIC adapter is
installed in a hot-plug PCI slot (this system does not have a hot-plug PCI), you can
replace the NIC adapter without powering off the server — even if it is the primary
Ethernet controller. Disconnecting the Ethernet cable from the primary Ethernet
controller will cause the Ethernet traffic to switch automatically to the secondary
Ethernet controller. This can be very useful if a faulty adapter causes a network
problem, or if you want to upgrade the primary adapter hardware.
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Installing options