Alacritech 2000-100004 User manual

Alacritech

Accelerator Users Guide

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide i
Preface
Disclaimer
The information in this document is subject to change without
notice. Alacritech reserves the right to change any portion of these
products for reasons such as improving performance or enhancing
functionality. Alacritech assumes no liability arising out of the
application or use of these products for anything other than its
intended purpose.
Copyright
This document is copyrighted material. No part of this document
may be copied by any means without the written permission of
Alacritech, Inc.
This document describes Accelerators from Alacritech, Inc. This
document is the official reference source for all revisions/releases of
these products until rescinded by an update.
Copyright © 2000-2004 Alacritech, Inc. All rights reserved.
Alacritech, the Alacritech logo, SLIC Technology and the SLIC
Technology logo are registered trademarks of Alacritech, Inc. in the
United States. All other marks belong to their respective owners.
Patents
One or more United States and international patents apply to
Alacritech products, including without limitation: U.S. Patent Nos.
6,226,680, 6,247,060., 6,334,153, 6,389,479, 6,393,487, 6,427,171,
6,427,173, 6,434,620, 6,591,302, 6,470,415, 6,658,480, 6,687,758,
6,697,868.
Part Number: 900098 Rev 6 2/04

ii Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
Organization of This Guide
This guide is the primary reference and operation guide for the
Alacritech Accelerators and contains the following sections:
Chapter 1 - Introduction provides a general introduction to
Alacritech Accelerators and the SLIC Technology on which they are
based.
Chapter 2 - Software Installation includes the procedures required
to install the software components and configure the operating
system for correct operation.
Chapter 3 –Operations and Management provides the procedures
for monitoring and maintaining Alacritech Accelerators and
procedures for special circumstances.
Chapter 4 – Configuring Teaming and Failover supplies
instruction on how to set up EtherChannel or 802.3AD compatible
teams, send only load balancing and hot standby failover.
Chapter 5 – Alacritech Accelerator installation in Windows
Powered NAS Appliance outlines special procedures to be
followed to install an Alacritech Accelerator into a Windows
Powered NAS appliance.
Chapter 6 – Troubleshooting and Support provides a list of
possible problems and their solutions.
Appendix A - Network Software License Agreement and
Warranty provides the text of the License Agreement to use the
software component and the Limited Media Warranty for the
software media.

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide iii
Table of Contents
1Introduction 1-1
1.1 About this Guide 1-1
1.2 Description 1-2
2Software Installation 2-1
2.1 Software Installation Overview 2-1
2.2 Accelerator Software Installation 2-2
2.3 Accelerator Software and Hardware Removal 2-13
3Operations and Management 3-1
3.1 Overview of Performance Monitoring 3-1
3.2 Running Adapter Diagnostics 3-9
3.3 Disabling SLIC TCP/IP Offload on Select Interfaces 3-11
4Configuring Teaming and Failover 4-1
4.1 Overview of Teaming and Failover 4-1
4.2 Recommended Order of Implementation 4-4
4.3 Windows Teaming Configuration 4-5
5Alacritech Accelerator Installation in Windows
Powered NAS Appliance 5-1
5.1 Installation Overview 5-1
5.2 Adapter and Driver Installation 5-2
5.3 Performance Monitoring 5-5
5.4 Adapter Teaming 5-6
6Troubleshooting and Support 6-1
6.1 Alacritech Automated Customer Support 6-1
6.2 Release Notes Files on CD-ROM 6-1
6.3 Troubleshooting Overview 6-1
6.4 Installation Problems 6-2
6.5 Event Log Errors 6-3
6.6 Connectivity Problems 6-4
6.7 Performance Problems 6-10

iv Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
6.8 Miscellaneous Problems 6-11
Appendix A Network Software License Agreement
and Warranty A-1

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 1-1
1 Introduction
1.1 About this Guide
This guide describes how to install software and operate Alacritech
Accelerators on a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server
2003 system. Windows NT is not supported with this release, but
will continue to be supported under earlier releases with a major
number of 5.
1.1.1 Naming conventions
The general term Accelerator applies to all of the following
adapters, except where indicated:
•100x1 Single-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•100x2 Dual-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•100x4 Quad-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•Alacritech Single-Port Gigabit Accelerator
(10/100/1000BASE-T)
•Alacritech Single-Port Gigabit Accelerator (1000BASE-SX)
•Alacritech SES1001T iSCSI Accelerator
(10/100/1000BASE-T)
•Alacritech SES1001F iSCSI Accelerator (1000BASE-SX)

1-2 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
At times it will be necessary to differentiate between Network
Accelerators and Storage Accelerators. The specific term Network
Accelerator for this release applies to all of the following adapters:
•100x1 Single-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•100x2 Dual-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•100x4 Quad-Port Server and Storage Accelerator
(10/100BASE-T)
•Alacritech Single-Port Gigabit Accelerator
(10/100/1000BASE-T)
•Alacritech Single-Port Gigabit Accelerator (1000BASE-SX)
The specific term Storage Accelerator for this release applies to all
of the following adapters:
•Alacritech SES1001T iSCSI Accelerator
(10/100/1000BASE-T)
•Alacritech SES1001F iSCSI Accelerator (1000BASE-SX)
1.2 Description
Alacritech Accelerators are 10/100 or 10/100/1000 Mbps TCP
Offload Engine (TOE) network interface cards (TNICs) that employ
Alacritech’s SLIC (Session-Layer Interface Card) Technology.
Each Accelerator uses an innovative application-specific integrated
circuit (ASIC) for protocol processing. Alacritech Accelerators
operate with Windows 2000, Windows XP and all Windows Server
2003 operating systems.
SLIC Technologyincreases server performance and efficiency in
two specific ways:

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 1-3
■TCP/IP Protocol processing is offloaded onto the
Accelerator, freeing the CPU for application processing and
maximizing throughput.
■A unique ASIC utilizes an Internet Protocol Processor
(IPP), optimized for TCP/IP protocol processing, which
delivers faster performance than general purpose CPUs.
SLIC Technology eliminates the burden of TCP/IP protocol
processing and data delivery on the host CPU. By offloading
protocol processing, SLIC Technology frees the CPU for
application processing, boosting both network and server
performance.
Alacritech Network Accelerators, offload TCP/IP protocol
processing and data delivery of all network traffic, including iSCSI.
Alacritech Storage Accelerators are designed for dedicated iSCSI
SANs, offloading TCP/IP protocol processing and data delivery of
iSCSI traffic exclusively, and providing standard NIC functionality
for all other network traffic through its interface.

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-1
2 Software Installation
2.1 Software Installation Overview
This chapter covers the installation of the software required for an
Alacritech Accelerator under Windows 2000, Windows XP and
Windows Server 2003. There may be different steps for each
Windows operating system, so follow each instruction carefully.
The following types of situations are covered during installation and
removal of Alacritech software:
■Installation of an Alacritech Accelerator during the
installation of the Windows operating system
■Installation of an Alacritech Accelerator into an existing
Windows system
■Updating the software for an existing Alacritech
Accelerator installation
■Uninstalling the Alacritech Accelerator software and
hardware
Note: Alacritech’s SLIC Technology requires the
installation of additional components not typically
required by a network adapter to support the TCP
offload capabilities of the Accelerator. All
installations must be done with the Alacritech
Setup utility.

2-2 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
2.2 Accelerator Software Installation
This section covers the procedures for installing the software
required for Alacritech Accelerators. Follow the appropriate
procedure for your type of installation.
Note: Running the Alacritech Setup program is the only
way to correctly initially install Alacritech
Accelerator drivers for Windows. Following initial
installation, the automated Add/Remove Hardware
Wizard will discover additional Accelerators.
Note: Alacritech Accelerator drivers cannot be installed
during the initial installation of Windows. If you
leave an Accelerator in your system through the
entire Windows installation process, the
automated Add/Remove Hardware Wizard will not
discover the Accelerator in your system on
subsequent reboots, since Alacritech drivers do
not ship with Windows.
2.2.1 Installation of an Accelerator without Port Aggregation
1. Insert your Alacritech Driver Installation CD into the
system.
2. In the Alacritech Accelerator Setup – Software
License Agreement window, click the Yes button if
you accept the license agreement.

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-3
3. If you accept the license agreement, the Alacritech
Accelerator Setup window will appear:

2-4 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
Click the View Readme button if you wish to read the
latest product information. Otherwise, click the
Continue button.
4. If a Reinstall Driver dialog box appears, click the Yes
button:
5. A dialog box titled Digital Signature Not Found for
Windows 2000 or Hardware Installation for Windows
XP or Windows Server 2003 may appear. This should
only occur when using drivers that are not certified
through the Microsoft WHQL process. Most official
drivers released by Alacritech have appropriate digital
signatures, while others, including beta drivers, do not.
A missing digital signature does not prevent the
Alacritech drivers from working properly on your
system.
Click the button titled Yes for Windows 2000 or
Continue Anyway for Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 to install the driver without a digital
signature. This dialog box will appear each time the
driver is installed for an Accelerator port. Be sure to
click the Yes or Continue Anyway button each time:

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-5
6. Click Exit to end the installation process. The user will
be prompted to reboot the system.
2.2.2 Installation of an Accelerator with Port Aggregation
1. Insert your Alacritech Driver Installation CD into the
system.
2. In the Alacritech Accelerator Setup – Software
License Agreement window, click the Yes button if
you accept the license agreement.

2-6 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
3. If you accept the license agreement, the Alacritech
Accelerator Setup window will appear:

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-7
Click the View Readme button if you wish to read the
latest product information. Otherwise, check the Port
Aggregation Driver box in the Alacritech Accelerator
Setup window, and click the Continue button.
4. In the Reinstall Driver dialog box click the Yes button:
5. A dialog box titled Digital Signature Not Found for
Windows 2000 or Hardware Installation for Windows
XP or Windows Server 2003 may appear. This should
only occur when using drivers that are not certified
through the Microsoft WHQL process. Most official
drivers released by Alacritech have appropriate digital
signatures, while others, including beta drivers, do not.
A missing digital signature does not prevent the
Alacritech drivers from working properly on your
system.
Click the button titled Yes for Windows 2000 or
Continue Anyway for Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 to install the driver without a digital
signature. This dialog box will appear each time the
driver is installed for an adapter port. Be sure to click
the Yes or Continue Anyway button each time:

2-8 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
6. The Alacritech Accelerator Team Configurator
Properties window will appear. If you wish to
configure teaming now, consult Chapter 4; otherwise,
select Cancel in the teaming window:

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-9
7. When installation completes, you will be asked to
restart your system. If you wish to assign IP addresses
before rebooting, click No. Otherwise, click the Yes
button. The user will be prompted to reboot the system.
2.2.3 Installation of an Accelerator with the Microsoft iSCSI
Software Initiator
1. Insert your Alacritech Driver Installation CD into
the system.
2. In the Alacritech Accelerator Setup – Software
License Agreement window, click the Yes button
if you accept the license agreement.

2-10 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
3. If you accept the license agreement, the Alacritech
Accelerator Setup window will appear:

Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide 2-11
Click the View Readme button if you wish to read the
latest product information. Otherwise, check the
Download iSCSI initiator box in the Alacritech
Accelerator Setup window. If you also wish to install
Failover/Link Aggregation, then you may also check
the Port Aggregation Driver box in the Alacritech
Accelerator Setup window. Once done checking
boxes, click the Continue button.
4. In the Reinstall Driver dialog box click the Yes
button:
5. A dialog box titled Digital Signature Not Found
for Windows 2000 or Hardware Installation for
Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 may appear.
This should only occur when using drivers that are
not certified through the Microsoft WHQL process.
Most official drivers released by Alacritech have
appropriate digital signatures, while others,
including beta drivers, do not. A missing digital
signature does not prevent the Alacritech drivers
from working properly on your system.
Click the button titled Yes for Windows 2000 or
Continue Anyway for Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 to install the driver without a digital
signature. This dialog box will appear each time the
driver is installed for an adapter port. Be sure to click
the Yes or Continue Anyway button each time:

2-12 Alacritech Accelerator Users Guide
6. If you selected Port Aggregation Driver, the
Alacritech Accelerator Team Configurator
Properties window will appear. If you wish to
configure teaming now, consult Chapter 4;
otherwise, select Cancel in the teaming window: