HP ProLiant ML310 G3 Data Protection Storage Server administration guide (June 2006)

A Network adapter teaming

Network adapter teaming is software-based technology used to increase a server’s network availability

and performance. Teaming enables the logical grouping of physical adapters in the same server

(regardless of whether they are embedded devices or Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) adapters)

into a virtual adapter. This virtual adapter is seen by the network and server-resident network-aware

applications as a single network connection.

HP Network Conﬁgura tion Utilit y

Most HP ProLiant Storage Servers are e quipped with the HP Net work Conﬁguration Utility (NCU). The

utility allows administrators to conﬁgure and monitor Ethernet net work interface controller (NIC) teams

in a Windows-based operating system. These team s provide options for incre asing fault tolerance and

throughput. The NCU is also used for conﬁguring and m onitoring individual network adapters.

Fault tolerance provides automatic redundancy. If the primary N IC fails, the secondary NIC takes over.

Load Balan

cing provides the ability to balance transmissions across N ICs.

Opening the HP Net work Conﬁguration Utility

The HP Network Conﬁguration Utility is n ow accessible from the Windows system tray at the bottom of

the storage ser ver desktop. To open the utility, click the HP Network Conﬁguration Utility icon

Adding and c onﬁguring NICs in a team

Before a NIC is teamed, verify the following:

• You have at least two NICs installed. Some storage servers only ship with one NIC installed.

• TheNICsmustbeonthesamenetwork.

• The NICs must be DHC P enabled and the DNS server address must be left blank.

IMPORTANT:

The teaming utility becomes unstable if static IP addresses, subnets, and DNS addresses are set

before teaming.

• Duplex and speed settings must be set to use the default values.

To team the NICs:

1. Open the HP Network Conﬁguration Utility.

The HP Network Conﬁguration Utility P roperties dialog box is displayed. The type of NIC and the

slot and p ort used is shown.

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