Multiple NIC setup in server

[ROGER_10]

We would like to increase our server/client throughput performance. We got the idea of adding more NIC to the server to share the traffic. Do we just add more NIC and it will split the traffics or do we need to use/buy other hardware/software to do so?
Please help! Thank you so much.

[Victor BERRIDGE]

Hi,
The best deal would be to change and upgrade to Gigabit...

All the best

Victor

[Victor BERRIDGE]

Hi again,
Were you thinking of load balancing?
Have a look at AutoPortAggregation:
http://docs.hp.com/hpux/onlinedocs/J4240-90016/J4240-90016.html

All the best
Victor

[Karthik S S]

You can consider buying HP APA (Auto Port Aggregation). Just by adding NICs you can still share the load but you will end up having multiple IPs to the same server. And you will have to manually configure the load balencing for applications (like NFS, database, webserver) in such a ways that each of them use different NICs).

APA:
http://www.software.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=J4240AA

-Karthik S S

[Victor BERRIDGE]

It can also be configured to make 2 lan cards look like a single IP....

[ROGER_10]

Thank you for the suggestions.

Upgrading to Gigabit is not an option for this company...yet!

I will take a look at AutoPortAggregation.

Does "It can also be configured to make 2 lan cards look like a single IP.... " distributes the traffics well? And how to set this up?


Thank you.

[Sundar_7]

Roger,

Remember, APA can only load balance the outbound traffic - It cannot and wont load balance the incoming traffic.

-- Sundar.

[Steven E. Protter]

APA will make two lan cards use the same IP. Assuming they have the same speed, this will immediately double your throughput.

In your project plan, allocate some time so your switch, CISCO or otherwise can be adapted to having the same ip addy on two different ports.

SEP