User Manual

2 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Each NIC supports these features:
■ Advanced Server Features—Improve network performance, management, and
control.
■ Hot Plug NIC Installation—Lets you add a new NIC or remove and replace a NIC
without turning off power to the computer.
■ Remote Wake-Up (Single Port Models Only)—Lets you power-on a computer
remotely for after-hours administration.
■ Integrated boot ROM (through port A on 3C982-TXM) with Managed PC Boot
Agent (MBA) Software—Adds management capabilities by enabling the
computer to boot from another computer, rather than from its local drive.
■ Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0—Enables managed computers and
net computers to report details about themselves and their peripheral devices
across the network to a DMI 2.0-compliant management application.
■ Remote System Alerts (heartbeat packets)—Can signal a possible computer
power loss or theft.
Advanced Server
Features
3Com DynamicAccess technology advanced network software adds intelligence to
the NIC to improve network performance, management, and control.
DynamicAccess server features relieve network congestion and ensure high
performance and maximum bandwidth availability.
■ Self-healing drivers (SHDs) detect common error conditions and correct them
while maintaining server link performance.
■ Bidirectional load balancing groups share the network load over resilient server
links (RSLs) that keep traffic flowing both into a server and out of a server even
if a NIC in a group is temporarily disconnected.
■ VLANs (IEEE 802.1Q multiple virtual LANs) let you divide network segments
into logical partitions that simplify configuration changes, organize work
groups efficiently, help to control traffic, and provide extra security.
■ Traffic prioritization (IEEE 802.1p/Q)—Ensures that business-critical and
delay-sensitive traffic (such as multimedia applications) has priority over normal
data.
For detailed information on DynamicAccess technology products, go to:
http://www.3com.com/dynamicaccess
Bidirectional
Load Balancing
Bidirectional load balancing maximizes bandwidth at the server through the use of
multiple parallel resilient server links (RSLs) that share the network load.
An RSL consists of two or more NICs that form a virtual NIC. Each virtual NIC has
multiple physical NICs bound to it, forming a group. Each NIC in a group uses the
same protocols and frame types. One NIC is designated the primary NIC and the
others secondary NICs.