Configuration of GbE2

[Stefan Hellman]

The server staff are going to buy bladesystems with BL20p G3 servers and asked me to recomend GbE2 or Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (CGESM). How do you configure the two GbE2 to load balance with the 4 NIC´s on the servers? Switch assisted load balancing I guess can send on all 4 NIC´s but recieve on only 2, that are connected to the same switch? Do I configure a Gigabit etherchannel on each switch for every server? Are there any extras that are missing on GbE2 that I get with CGESM

[Connery]

The GbE2 will be able to do Layer 3 switching in the near future. The CGESM will never be able to. That's the biggest difference.

As far as integration goes, the CGESM will integrate easier into an all Cisco shop since there won't be any learning curve. There will be a slight learning curve for the GbE2.

Also, the GbE2 is cheaper.

As far as Teaming is concerned, your options are identical whether you use the GbE2 or CGESM.

I recommend using the whitepaper below on Teaming for reference. I also highly recommend purchasing the ProLiant Essentials Intelligent Networking Pack (INP) upgrade for HP Network Adapter Teaming. INP provides server network redundancy and load balancing options that you won't find in any other product - Teaming product or switch product.

The whitepaper also discusses INP.

Whitepaper:
ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/products/servers/networking/TeamingWP.pdf

INP:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantessentials/inp/index.html