NIC Question for BL495c G6

[Michael A. McKenney]

In the configuration.  Shut command under interface. 

[Koopa]

I'm sorry, do you mean i log on a cisco 3020 switch and select shut in there? or do you mean through the OA? or can you do in the RBSU for the blade?

Thanks

[Michael A. McKenney]

It would would be on the blade center configuration for the Flex-10 module itself.   If you have IRF configured, you would probably also need to disable those ports under IRF at the interface level. 

[Koopa]

I appreciate you trying to help but .....

by the flex 10 module, do you mean the switch that should be in a interconnect bay, if so we have no modules installed in this rack, we only have 2 x cisco 3020 and 4 x 8gb brocade fibre switches.

what is IRF? Incase you didn't guess i'm a hardware engineer and don't get involved in the software side, but i'm trying to help out with my limited knowledge.

Thanks

[Michael A. McKenney]

I am an electrical engineer, B.EE.   I designed hardware and built it.  How do you design hardware without knowing the software programming for it?   You are configuring switches and Flex-10 in a device, you need to understand the configuration of the hardware to get it to function properly.   I would suggest drawing up the configuration on paper and determine how you want it to work before configuring the hardware.  

You are configuring Flex-10 module.  What is it installed in?  What protocols are you using? 

How do you want the Flex-10 ports to interact with your switches?  This will determine the protocols and configuration. 

We went with VMWare on the C7000.  it adds a layer of complexity to the design but it adds features.  

[Koopa]

Its not my job to configure this rack, I work for  a3rd party that just replace faield hardware. So the config is not something I get involved in.

As i've said, the blade has the built in flex 10 nic card, but we don't need the flex 10 adavantages. the customer literally just wants the NIC to act as a dual port NIC. So the question is where on the blade or on the OA how do tell the system to ignore the extra Flex 10 nics? When this rack does not have a VMwae switch installed?

Thanks

[Michael A. McKenney]

I see now, you are stuck in the middle.   You will need to learn how to configure the switches. 

You have one flex-10.   The blade can use one internal port of the Flex-10.   You need to match the mezzanine module to the interconnect on the blade center that the Flex-10 is in.   Do you have room on the switch to connect more of the external ports of the Flex-10 to the switches?   Not sure why you would install a $11,000 Flex-10 and not use the 10 Gbps ports.  Seems like a waste of money when you can get a $3000 pass-through 1 Gbps module. 

 I would just leave the other ports alone for now.   You don't want any advanced programming done.   You are not using IRF or NPIV.   If no cable is in the external port, it will act like its disconnected.   Just not formally shutdown. 

You would need to trunk the external ports of the Flex-10 together and then trunk the switch ports together to get 2 Gbps team.   Then apply teaming drivers on the OS and set them up.   My current HP ML 350 with Windows 2003 R2 x64 using switch assisted load balancing for teaming mode.   I would have to look at the manual for a trunk configuration without IRF installed.  

[Koopa]

Thanks for helping, but i don't have any flex 10 module interconnects.

we only have 2 x cisco 3020 switches installed, do these support flex 10?

and we have 4 x 8gb brocade switches

and the remaining 2 slots are blank.

[MBSNL]

The amount of NIC adapters in the RBSU, is that really an issue?

I see 4 NIC adapters in my RBSU (IRQ Pane), while there are actually 2 NIC adapters in the server and the OS is also seeing 2 NIC adapters.

I don't have a BL490G6, so maybe you can't compare it.

But I have similair results, but I don't have a technical issue.

[Michael A. McKenney]

Your jpg had Flex-10 modules.   How many blades do you have?   Do you blades have Flex-10 mezzanine modules installed?  Which Brocade switches do you have installed?   Do you have any 1 Gbps interconnect modules installed?