3Com EtherLink 3C985B-SX User manual

http://www.3com.com/
http://www.3com.com/productreg
Gigabit EtherLink
®
Server NIC User Guide
3C985B-SX 1000 PCI server NIC with
Dynamic Access
®
technology
Part No. 09-1151-003
Published June 1999
Book Page 1 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

3Com Corporation
■
5400 Bayfront Plaza
■
Santa Clara, California
■
95052-8145
Copyright © 1999, 3Com Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this documentation may be
reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative work (such as translation,
transformation, or adaptation) without written permission from 3Com Corporation.
3Com Corporation reserves the right to revise this documentation and to make changes in content
from time to time without obligation on the part of 3Com Corporation to provide notification of such
revision or change.
3Com Corporation provides this documentation without warranty, term, or condition of any kind,
either implied or expressed, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties, terms or conditions
of merchantability, satisfactory quality, and fitness for a particular purpose. 3Com may make
improvements or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this documentation
at any time.
If there is any software on removable media described in this documentation, it is furnished under a
license agreement included with the product as a separate document, in the hard copy documentation,
or on the removable media in a directory file named LICENSE.TXT or !LICENSE.TXT. If you are unable to
locate a copy, please contact 3Com and a copy will be provided to you.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT LEGEND
If you are a United States government agency, then this documentation and the software described
herein are provided to you subject to the following:
All technical data and computer software are commercial in nature and developed solely at private
expense. Software is delivered as “Commercial Computer Software” as defined in DFARS 252.227-7014
(June 1995) or as a “commercial item” as defined in FAR 2.101(a) and as such is provided with only such
rights as are provided in 3Com’s standard commercial license for the Software. Technical data is provided
with limited rights only as provided in DFAR 252.227-7015 (Nov. 1995) or FAR 52.227-14 (June 1987),
whichever is applicable. You agree not to remove or deface any portion of any legend provided on any
licensed program or documentation contained in, or delivered to you in conjunction with, this User Guide.
3Com, the 3Com logo, Dynamic Access , EtherLink, and Parallel Tasking are registered trademarks of
3Com Corporation.
Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows
and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. NetWare and Novell are
registered trademarks of Novell, Inc. SCO and UnixWare are trademarks or registered trademarks
of The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they
are associated.
Guide written by Pauline Garzelli. Edited by Mike Brosius. Illustrated by Mary Inden. Produced by
Georgi Felix.
Book Page 2 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

C
ONTENTS
A BOUT T HIS G UIDE
Conventions 9
Year 2000 Compliance 10
I NTRODUCTION
Hardware Features 12
Software Features 13
I NSTALLING THE H ARDWARE
Safety Precautions 15
Installation Requirements 15
Installation Instructions 16
I NSTALLING AND C ONFIGURING THE
W
INDOWS NT D RIVER
Software Installation Requirements 19
Installation and Configuration Scenario 19
Getting Help 20
Installing the Software 20
Creating a Load Balancing/RSL and VLAN Configuration 22
Planning the Configuration 22
Starting Dynamic Access Software 23
Creating a Load Balancing/RSL Group 24
Adding NICs to a Group 26
Creating a VLAN 27
Specifying Traffic Priorities 29
Saving the Configuration 30
Book Page 3 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Other Procedures 30
Disabling Load Balancing for a Group 30
Changing the Primary NIC 31
Removing a NIC from a Group 32
Deleting or Editing a VLAN 32
Displaying NIC Properties 33
Displaying Group Properties 34
Specifying Failover to Fast EtherLink 35
About Flow Control 35
Pause Frames 35
Link Negotiation 36
I NSTALLING AND C ONFIGURING THE N ET W ARE D RIVER
Software Installation Requirements 37
Planning NIC Groups 38
Obtaining Slot Numbers 39
Installation and Configuration Scenario 40
Installing and Configuring the Software 40
Loading the 3Com EtherLink Server CD 41
NetWare 4.11 41
NetWare 5.0 41
Copying the Driver 41
Specifying the Slot Number 42
Loading the Driver 42
Setting Up Another NIC 42
Installing Load Balancing/RSL Software 43
Configuring Load Balancing/RSL Groups 43
Verifying the Load Balancing/RSL Configuration 45
Verifying the Installation and Configuration 45
Maintaining a Load Balancing/RSL Configuration 46
Adding a Secondary NIC to a Load Balancing/RSL Group 46
Adding a Load Balancing/RSL Group 47
Changing Driver Configuration Parameters 49
Load Balancing/RSL Commands 51
bind 51
display status 52
help 52
link tmo 52
Book Page 4 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

load sharing 53
namebind 53
receive tmo 54
retry count 54
send tmo 55
set probe interval 55
unbind 55
wait tmo 56
D IAGNOSTICS AND T ROUBLESHOOTING
LED Operation 57
Using the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program 58
Starting the 3Com NIC Diagnostics Program 58
Accessing the 3Com Help System 59
Using the General Window 59
Displaying the General Window 59
Selecting a NIC 59
Viewing NIC Details 60
Using the Diagnostics Window 60
Running the NIC Self-Test 61
Running the Packet Tests 62
Running the Internal Loopback Test 63
Running the External Loopback Test 64
Running the Transmit/Receive Test 65
Running the Echo Test 67
Using the Support Window 70
Accessing Support Services 70
Generating a Problem Report 71
Using the 3Com DOS Diagnostics Program 72
Copying the Program 73
Starting the Program 74
Navigating Within the Program 74
Running the Group 1 Tests 75
Running the Group 2 Tests 76
Running the Group 3 Tests 77
Running the Transmit/Receive Test 77
Running the Echo Server Test 78
Viewing Test Results and NIC Information 80
Exiting the Program 80
Book Page 5 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Uninstalling 3Com Software 80
Windows NT Software Removal 80
NetWare Software Removal 81
Dynamic Access Software for Servers Removal 81
Troubleshooting Tips 82
Constructing Loopback Plugs 83
D YNAMIC Access T ECHNOLOGY S ERVER F EATURES
About Load Balancing 85
About Resilient Server Links 85
About Failover 86
Specifying a Dedicated IP Address 87
Changing an IP Address 87
Changing the Other Device's IP Address 87
Changing the Group's Dedicated IP Address 88
Troubleshooting a Load Balancing Configuration 88
About VLANs 89
I NSTALLING 3C OM S OFTWARE D URING N ET W ARE
I
NSTALLATION
Software Installation Requirements 91
Installation Instructions 91
S PECIFICATIONS
T ECHNICAL S UPPORT
Online Technical Services 95
World Wide Web Site 95
3Com Knowledgebase Web Services 96
3Com FTP Site 96
3Com Bulletin Board Service 96
Access by Analog Modem 96
Access by Digital Modem 97
3Com Facts Automated Fax Service 97
Support from Your Network Supplier 97
Support from 3Com 98
Returning Products for Repair 99
Book Page 6 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

I NDEX
3C OM C ORPORATION L IMITED W ARRANTY
FCC C LASS B S TATEMENT
FCC D ECLARATION OF C ONFORMITY
3C OM E ND U SER S OFTWARE L ICENSE A GREEMENT
P RODUCT R EGISTRATION
Book Page 7 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Book Page 8 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

A
BOUT
T
HIS
G
UIDE
This guide describes the installation and configuration
of the 3Com
®
Gigabit EtherLink
®
1000 PCI server
network interface card (3C985B-SX server NIC).
This guide is intended for the network administrator,
network operator, or network hardware installer.
Knowledge of Gigabit Ethernet and the server network
operating system is required.
If release notes are shipped with your product and the
information there differs from the information in this
guide, follow the instructions in the release notes.
Most user guides and release notes are available in
Adobe Acrobat Reader Portable Document Format (PDF)
or HTML on the 3Com World Wide Web site:
http://www.3com.com/
Conventions
Table 1 and Table 2 list conventions that are used throughout
this guide.
Table 1 Notice Icons
Icon Notice Type Description
Information note Information that describes important features
or instructions
Caution Information that alerts you to potential loss of data or
potential damage to an application, system, or device
Warning Information that alerts you to potential personal injury
Book Page 9 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

10 A BOUT T HIS G UIDE
Year 2000 Compliance
For information on Year 2000 compliance and
3Com products, visit the 3Com Year 2000 Web page:
http://www.3com.com/products/yr2000.html
Table 2 Text Conventions
Convention Description
Screen displays
This typeface represents information as it appears on
the screen.
Syntax
The word “syntax” means that you must evaluate the
syntax provided and then supply the appropriate values
for the placeholders that appear in angle brackets.
Example:
To enable RIPIP, use the following syntax:
SETDefault !<port> -RIPIP CONTrol =
Listen
In this example, you must supply a port number
for <port>.
Commands
The word “command” means that you must enter the
command exactly as shown and then press Return or
Enter. Commands appear in bold. Example:
To remove the IP address, enter the following command:
SETDefault !0 -IP NETaddr = 0.0.0.0
The words “enter”
and “type”
When you see the word “enter” in this guide, you
must type something, and then press Return or Enter.
Do not press Return or Enter when an instruction simply
says “type.”
Keyboard key names If you must press two or more keys simultaneously, the
key names are linked with a plus sign (+). Example:
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del
Words in italics Italics are used to:
■Emphasize a point.
■Denote a new term at the place where it is defined in
the text.
■Identify menu names, menu commands, and software
button names. Examples:
From the Help menu, select Contents.
Click OK.
Book Page 10 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

1INTRODUCTION
The 3C985B-SX server NIC connects a PCI-compliant
server computer to a Gigabit Ethernet network. It is fully
interoperable with existing Ethernet equipment and
operates at 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) in full-duplex
mode when connected to a Gigabit Ethernet port.
The NIC is compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit PCI bus
standards and supports standard Ethernet minimum and
maximum frame sizes (64 to 1518 bytes), frame format,
and IEEE 802.2 LLC specifications.
Powerful DynamicAccess® technology ensures high
performance and maximum bandwidth availability to
relieve server congestion.
Figure 1 3C985B-SX Server NIC
TX
RX
DATA
LINK
1000
BASE-SX
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12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Hardware Features
Interoperability Operates with existing Ethernet equipment
Compliance with PCI Local
Bus Specification Version 2.0
and 2.1
Compatible with a 32- or 64-bit, 33/66 MHz
PCI bus master slot. As a bus master NIC, the NIC
requests access to the PCI bus instead of waiting to
be polled by the host. An innovative DMA algorithm
enables the 3C985B-SX server NIC to automatically
learn and conform to a particular host’s PCI bus
and memory system requirements, maximizing
performance and host efficiency.
Full-duplex Gigabit Ethernet
interface
IEEE 802.3z
Frame-based flow control IEEE 802.3x
Gigabit Ethernet
fiber interface
62.5/125 µm or 50/125 µm multimode fiber, using a
duplex SC connector
Adaptive interrupt frequency The 3C985B-SX server NIC driver intelligently adjusts
host interrupt frequency based on traffic conditions
to increase overall application throughput. In light
traffic, the NIC driver interrupts the host for each
received packet, minimizing latency. When traffic is
heavy, the NIC issues one host interrupt for multiple,
back-to-back incoming packets, preserving host
CPU cycles.
Dual DMA channels The PCI interface on the 3C985B-SX server NIC
contains two independent DMA channels for
simultaneous read and write operations.
ASIC with on-chip MAC
and RISC processor
The core control for the 3C985B-SX server NIC
resides in a tightly integrated, high-performance
ASIC. Embedded RISC processors in the ASIC provide
the flexibility to add new features to the NIC and
adapt it to future changes in network requirements
through software downloads. This embedded RISC
processor enables NIC drivers to exploit built-in
functions on the NIC that offload operations
from the host to the NIC.
Universal dual-voltage
signaling
3.3 V and 5 V
Status LEDs LINK and DATA
Diagnostic support Diagnostics programs run under DOS or Windows NT.
Book Page 12 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Software Features 13
Software Features
Windows
NT 4.0
NetWare
4.11 and 5.0 UnixWare 7*
DynamicAccess technology provides
powerful server features
x
DynamicAccess technology also
provides performance optimization
features (IEEE 802.1P traffic
prioritization, fast IP, multicast control)
x
Load balancing spreads transmission
over several NICs, thereby increasing
outbound bandwidth.
x x
Resilient server links (RSLs) keep
traffic flowing if a server link fails
x x x
IEEE 802.1Q multiple virtual LANs
(VLANs) divide network segments
into logical partitions that simplify
changes or additions to the network.
x x
Failover to 3Com EtherLink 10/100
PCI NIC (3C980B-TX server NIC)
provides cost-effective fault tolerance.
x
* The UnixWare 7 driver is available from the software downloads page at the
3Com web site (www.3com.com).
Book Page 13 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Book Page 14 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

2INSTALLING THE HARDWARE
Follow these instructions to install the NIC hardware.
Safety Precautions
Observe the following safety precautions.
WARNING: Server computers operate with voltages
that can be lethal. Before removing the cover, turn off
the computer and unplug it. Disconnect all cables that are
connected to the main system unit. Remove jewelry from
your hands and wrists. Use insulated or nonconductive tools.
CAUTION: The NIC is packed in an antistatic container to
protect it during shipment. Do not touch the components
or any metal parts on the NIC, except for the backplate. To
avoid damaging the NIC or the PC, reduce static electricity
on your body by wearing an electrostatic discharge wrist
strap attached to the chassis or by touching an unpainted
metal part of the chassis before unplugging the computer
and before handling the NIC.
CAUTION: Install the NIC in a PCI slot that conforms to
PCI 2.0 or higher specifications. Do not attempt to install
the NIC in an ISA or EISA slot. Doing so may damage the
NIC and the computer.
Installation Requirements
The following items are required for hardware and
software installation.
■Processor — Pentium-class or higher.
■Server RAM — 64 megabytes minimum.
■PCI slot — For each NIC, one bus master slot that
conforms to PCI 32-bit or 64-bit specifications,
revision 2.0 or higher.
■Drive — CD-ROM.
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16 CHAPTER 2: INSTALLING THE HARDWARE
■Cable — 62.5/125 µm or 50/125 µm multimode
fiber-optic.
■Connector — SC duplex.
■Software — One 3Com EtherLink Server CD with
DynamicAccess software for servers and network drivers.
■Operating system — One of the following:
■Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0 with the most
recent Service Pack available from Microsoft technical
support (www.microsoft.com).
■Novell NetWare version 4.11 or 5.0 with the
most recent patches and updates available from
Novell technical support (www.novell.com).
■SCO UnixWare 7
■Server BIOS — Latest version. Contact the PC
manufacturer to verify.
Installation Instructions
1 Prepare the NIC and the server:
aUnpack and inspect the NIC for damage.
bRemove the optical dust cap from the NIC port.
TX
RX
DATA
LINK
1000
BASE-SX
Book Page 16 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

Installation Instructions 17
cExit all open applications and user processes.
dTurn off the power to the server and attached devices.
eUnplug the power cables from the power source.
fRemove the computer cover from the server.
gLocate an empty bus master PCI-bus expansion slot.
hWrite down the MAC address of the NIC and note the
relative position of the intended PCI slot.
This information is helpful when you are installing the
network drivers and connecting the cables to the hub or
switch. The MAC address is the 12-digit hexadecimal
number printed on the small bar code label on the
component side of the NIC.
2 Follow these steps to install the NIC (see Figure 2):
aRemove the metal expansion slot cover from the chassis.
Save the screw for step c.
bInsert the NIC in the PCI-bus expansion slot.
Press down gently and firmly on the NIC to seat
it properly.
cUse the screw removed in step a to secure the NIC
backplate to the system chassis.
dReplace the computer cover.
eConnect the power cables and turn on the power to
the server.
fConnect the NIC to the network.
Use 62.5/125 µm or 50/125 µm multimode fiber-optic
cable with SC duplex connectors. (Refer to Appendix C
for cabling details.)
If your site’s network installation procedures require
you to verify that installed hardware is functional before
you install software, run the DOS Configuration and
Diagnostics Program before installing the driver. See
Chapter 5.
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18 CHAPTER 2: INSTALLING THE HARDWARE
Figure 2 Installing the NIC
1Remove slot cover
2Insert NIC
PCI slots
0354
RX
TX
SC connector
To switch
DATA
LINK
1000
BASE-SX
3Connect to the network
Book Page 18 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM

3INSTALLING AND
CONFIGURING THE
WINDOWS NT DRIVER
Follow the instructions in this chapter to install the NIC
driver and DynamicAccess software on a server running
Windows NT 4.0.
Software Installation Requirements
■NIC — At least one 3Com 3C985B-SX server NIC
must be installed in a PCI bus master slot.
■Operating system — Microsoft Windows NT
version 4.0 must be installed with the most recent
Service Pack and patches available from Microsoft
technical support (www.microsoft.com).
Installation and Configuration Scenario
The instructions in this guide follow a simple scenario that
demonstrates the fundamentals of setting up a sample
configuration. Setting up your own configuration may
require a slightly different sequence of tasks and different
numbers of NICs. The Windows NT scenario described here
illustrates a server on which no other NICs are installed and
follows this sequence:
1Installing the Software
This includes installing the driver and installing
DynamicAccess software for servers.
2Creating a Load Balancing/RSL Group
3Adding NICs to a Group
4Creating a VLAN
5Specifying Traffic Priorities
Book Page 19 Monday, June 7, 1999 2:14 PM