Product Overview

Gigabit Ethernet is a high-performance Ethernet networking solution for HP servers and workstations.

The LAN adapters are data link adapters that support the IEEE 802.3z standard for 1000Base-SX operation over multimode fiber, and the IEEE 802.3ab standard for 1000Base-T operation over 4-pair Cat-5 or Cat-5E UTP copper wiring.

The Gigabit Ethernet intelligent adapters are designed to maximize host CPU efficiency by performing functions such as TCP/IP checksum, interrupt coalescing, and byte swapping. Bulk data transfers can be optimized with the use of Jumbo Frames; the large 9000 byte maximum transfer unit (MTU) improves system efficiency.

1000Base-T brings high bandwidth with 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps speeds, whch makes more processing power available for applications. The tri-speed adapter supports autonegotiation and autosensing. It operates in full-duplex mode at 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps or in half-duplex mode at 10 and 100 Mbps.

1000Base-SX supports full-duplex point-to-point or back-to-back (via switch to adapter or adapter to adapter) operations only. The adapters do not support half-duplex and do not speed negotiate (1000 Mbps operation only), but do perform autonegotiation for other link parameters.

A6847A supports PCI only. Older 1000Base-SX adapters support HSC/PCI. 1000Base-T supports PCI only.

The PCI adapters require a single slot in the host system and support all PCI bus configurations: 32-bit, 33/66 MHz and 64-bit, 33/66 MHz. (Note: A6794A, A6847A, and A6825A support 64-bit only.)

Features

Features of Gigabit Ethernet include:

• 1000Base-T features:

  • Triple speed 10/100/1000 Mbps

  • Full duplex operation at 10/100/1000 Mbps and half-duplex operation at 10/100 Mbps (no half-duplex support for 1000 Mbps)

  • Autonegotiation and autosensing to the highest available link speed

• 1000Base-SX features:

  • 1000 Mbps

  • Full-duplex operation

• Supports IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and IEEE 802.1p Priority Queuing (HP-UX 11i)

• Minimized host CPU utilization

  • Protocol offloading through on-board TCP, UDP, and IP checksum calculations

  • Adaptive interrupt coalescence based on traffic load

• Jumbo Frame support

  • Large 9000 byte maximum transfer unit (MTU) for improved efficiency and performance with bulk data transfer

  • Supported only at 1000Mbps interface (link partner must also support Jumbo Frames)

• SNMP (MIB-II) support

• MC/ServiceGuard and Auto-Port Aggregation (APA) support for high availability

  Note: MC/ServiceGuard is not supported on HP-UX 11iv1.5. APA is not supported on HP-UX 11i v1.5 and 11i v1.6.

• Configuration support through SAM

• Promiscuous mode (link and SAP) inbound and outbound support

• Supports TCP/IP, NFS, and DLPI applications. Ethernet and SNAP encapsulations are supported.

• Supports OLA/R (Online Addition and Replacement) (HP-UX 11i)

  Note that SX and T cards are not considered to be like cards for OLA/R, that is, you cannot replace an SX card with a T card, and vice versa.

  HP does not support OLA/R on A6794A although HP-UX tools will allow the device to be suspended and resumed.
  

Performance on A6794A, A6847A, and A6825A

TCP performance is improved with better throughput on inbound and bidirectional traffic and better request/response rate.

Differences Between gelan and igelan

The differences between gelan and igelan are:

• Supported platforms - see Table 1-1 “List of Gigabit Ethernet Products”.

• LED behavior - see Table C-1 “LED Description and Status for 1000Base-SX” and Table C-2 “LED Description and Status for 1000Base-T”.