Intel X520-4, X520-Q1, CX4, X520-T2, I350-T2 User Manual
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Intel®Ethernet Adapters and Devices User Guide
Overview
Welcome to the User's Guide for Intel® Ethernet Adapters and devices. This guide covers hardware and
software installation, setup procedures, and troubleshooting tips for Intel network adapters, connections, and
other devices.
Installing the Network Adapter
If you are installing a network adapter, follow this procedure from step 1.
If you are upgrading the driver software, start with step 5 .
1. Make sure that you are installing the latest driver software for your adapter. Visit Intel's support web-
site to download the latest drivers.
2. Review system requirements.
3. Insert the adapter(s) in the computer.
4. Attach the copper or fiber network cable(s).
5. Install the driver.
6. For Windows systems, install the Intel® PROSet software.
If you have any problems with basic installation, see Troubleshooting.
You can now set up advanced features, if necessary. The available features and the configuration process
varies with the adapter and your operating system.
Supported Devices
For help identifying your network device and finding supported devices, click the link below:
http://www.intel.com/support
Compatibility Notes
In order for an adapter based on the XL710 controller to reach its full potential, you must install it in a PCIe
Gen3 x8 slot. Installing it in a shorter slot, or a Gen2 or Gen1 slot, will limit the throughput of the adapter.
Some older Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters do not have full software support for the most recent versions of
Microsoft Windows*. Many older Intel Ethernet Adapters have base drivers supplied by Microsoft Windows.
Lists of supported devices per OS are available at
http://www.intel.com/support/go/network/adapter/nicoscomp.htm
Some Intel® 10 Gigabit Network Adapters and Connections support SFP+ pluggable optical modules. Please
see SFP+ Devices with Pluggable Optics
System Requirements
Before installing the network adapter, check your system for the following minimum configuration
requirements.
Hardware Compatibility
l The latest BIOS for your computer
l One of the following slot types, depending on your adapter:
l One open PCI bus master slot, 32-bit or 64-bit, operating at 33 or 66 MHz
l One open PCI-X slot operating at 66, 100 or 133 MHz(recommended)
l One open PCI-Express slot (v1.0a or newer), 4x, 8x, or 16x.
NOTES:
l The PRO/1000 MT Quad Port Server adapter requires a 3.3 volt only slot. It
cannot be installed in a 5.0 volt or universal slot.
l The Intel® 10 Gigabit AT Server Adapter will only fit into x8 or larger PCI
Express slots. Some systems have physical x8 PCI Express slots that actually support lower speeds. Please check your system manual to identify the
slot.
Supported 32-bit Operating Systems
NOTE: Intel 10GbE Ethernet Adapters do not support Microsoft* Windows* 32-bit operating sys-
tems. They support 32-bit versions of Linux* and FreeBSD*.
Basic software and drivers are supported on the following operating systems:
l DOS
l SunSoft* Solaris* (drivers and support are provided by the operating system vendor)
Advanced software and drivers are supported on the following operating systems:
l Microsoft* Windows* 7
l Microsoft Windows 8
l Microsoft Windows 8.1
l Microsoft Windows 10
l Linux*, v2.4 kernel or higher
l FreeBSD*
Supported Intel® 64 Architecture Operating Systems
l Microsoft Windows 7
l Microsoft Windows 8
l Microsoft Windows 8.1
l Microsoft Windows 10
l Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
l Microsoft Windows Server 2012
l Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
l Red Hat Linux
l SUSE Linux
l FreeBSD
Supported Operating Systems for Itanium-based Systems
l Linux, v2.x kernel and higher, except v2.6
Some older Intel(R) Ethernet Adapters do not have full software support for the most recent versions of
Microsoft Windows*. Many older Intel Ethernet Adapters have base drivers supplied by Microsoft Windows.
Lists of supported devices per OS are available at
http://www.intel.com/support/go/network/adapter/nicoscomp.htm
Hardware Installation
Attaching the Low Profile Bracket (Optional)
Some adapter models come with a small bracket in the product package, to be used in a low profile slot. If you
need to install the adapter in a low-profile slot, follow these instructions.
1. Before handling the adapter, ground yourself to dissipate any static charge.
2. Remove the two screws securing the standard bracket to the back side of the adapter.
3. Slide the bracket away from the adapter.
4. Slide the low profile bracket onto the adapter.
5. Attach the low profile bracket to the adapter using the screws you removed in step 2.
6. Carefully tighten the screws until they are seated. Do not over tighten.
You may re-attach the standard sized bracket in the future if necessary.
Installing the Adapter
Selecting the Correct Slot
PCI-Express Adapters
l One open PCI-Express slot (v1.0a or newer), x4, x8, or x16.
NOTE: The Intel® 10 Gigabit AT Server Adapter will only fit into x8 or larger PCI Express slots.
Some systems have physical x8 PCI Express slots that actually support lower speeds. Please
check your system manual to identify the slot.
PCI and PCI-X Adapters
One of the following slot types, depending on your adapter:
l One open PCI bus master slot, 32-bit or 64-bit, operating at 33 or 66 MHz
l One open PCI-X slot operating at 66, 100 or 133 MHz(recommended)
NOTE: The PRO/1000 MT Quad Port Server adapter requires a 3.3 volt only slot. It cannot be
installed in a 5.0 volt or universal slot.
If you have configuration problems, see your computer's documentation to determine if the PCI slots are bus
master-enabled. If you get a PCI or PCI-X configuration error, select Troubleshooting in the Table of Contents.
Insert the Adapter into the Computer
1. If your computer supports PCI Hot Plug, see your computer documentation for special installation
instructions.
2. Shut down the operating system (if it's running).
3. Turn off and unplug your computer. Then remove the cover.
CAUTION: Turn off and unplug the power before removing the computer's cover. Failure to
do so could endanger you and may damage the adapter or computer.
4. Remove the cover bracket from an appropriate slot.
5. Insert the adapter, pushing it into the slot until the adapter is firmly seated.
l If you install a 64-bit PCI adapter in a 32-bit slot, the adapter will still function, but the end of the
edge connector will be exposed and not connected. If this is the case, make sure the exposed
contacts do not touch anything that would cause an electrical problem.
l If you are installing a PCI-Express adapter, be aware that you can install a smaller PCI-Express
adapter in a larger PCI-Express slot.
6. Secure the adapter bracket with a screw, if required.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for each additional adapter to be installed.
8. Replace the computer cover and plug in the power cord.
9. Turn the power on and start your operating system.
Attaching Cables
Intel® Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Network Adapters using copper connections automatically accommodate either
MDI or MDI-X connections. The auto-MDI-X feature of Intel Gigabit Network adapters allows you to directly
connect two adapters without using a cross-over cable.
To ensure compliance with CISPR 24 and the EU's EN55024, Intel® 10 Gigabit Server Adapters and
Connections should be used only with CAT 6a shielded cables that are properly terminated according to the
recommendations in EN50174-2.
Attach an RJ45 Network Cable
Cable types
Use one of the following types of network cabling, depending on your adapter and the intended use:
NOTE: If you are using this adapter in a residential environment (at any speed), use Category 5 or
better wiring. If the cable runs between rooms or through walls and/or ceilings, it should be
plenum-rated for fire safety.
l Maximum lengths for Intel® 10 Gigabit Server Adapters and Connections that use 10GBASE-T on Cat-
egory 6, Category 6a, or Category 7 wiring, twisted 4-pair copper:
l Maximum length for Category 6 is 55 meters.
l Maximum length for Category 6a is 100 meters.
l Maximum length for Category 7 is 100 meters.
l To ensure compliance with CISPR 24 and the EU's EN55024, Intel® 10 Gigabit Server
Adapters and Connections should be used only with CAT 6a shielded cables that are properly
terminated according to the recommendations in EN50174-2.
l For 1000 Mbps operation (1000BaseT), use Category 5 or better (must be 4-pair wiring). Make sure you
use Category 5 cable that complies with the TIA-568 wiring specification.
NOTE: To insure compliance with CISPR 24 and the EU’s EN55024, devices based on
the 82576 controller should be used only with CAT 5E shielded cables that are properly terminated according to the recommendations in EN50174-2.
l For 100 Mbps operation (100BaseTX), use Category 5 wiring or better.
l For 10 Mbps operation (10BaseT), use Category 3 wiring or better.
l In all cases:
l Segment length is limited to 100 meters (328 feet, 1 inch).
l The adapter must be connected to a compatible link partner, and may be set to auto-negotiate
speed and duplex.
l For more information on this specification, see the Telecommunications Industry Association's web-
site: www.tiaonline.org.
CAUTION: If using less than 4-pair cabling, you must manually configure the speed and
duplex setting of the adapter and the link partner. In addition, with 2- and 3-pair cabling the
adapter can only achieve speeds of up to 100Mbps.
Insert the twisted pair, RJ45 network cable as shown.
CX4
Physical cabling characteristics for the Intel® CX4 Dual Port Server Adapter must meet IEEE Std 802.3ak,
Clause 54 specifications. The required cable connector is an MDI latch-type receptacle, as defined by IEC
61076-3-113.
The IEEE standard defines a worst-case cable length of 15 meters, based on 100 O, twinaxial cable
characteristics. However, commercial cable manufacturers may offer enhanced products that will permit
successful operation over greater distances.
Fiber Optic Cabling
Remove and save the fiber optic connector cover. Insert a fiber optic cable into the ports on the network
adapter bracket as shown.
Most connectors and ports are keyed for proper orientation. If the cable you are using is not keyed, check to
be sure the connector is oriented properly (transmit port connected to receive port on the link partner, and vice
versa).
The adapter must be connected to a compatible link partner that is operating at the same laser wavelength as
the adapter.
CAUTION: The fiber optic ports contain a Class 1 laser device. When the ports are disconnected,
always cover them with the provided plug. If an abnormal fault occurs, skin or eye damage may result if in close proximity to the exposed ports.
Connecting Fiber Optic SC Cables
The connection requirements are as follows:
l Laser wavelength: 850 nanometer (not visible).
l SX Cable type:
l Multi-mode fiber with 50 micron core diameter; maximum length is 550 meters.
l Multi-mode fiber with 62.5 micron core diameter; maximum length is 275 meters.
l Connector type: SC.
Single-port fiber adapter with SC connector
Connecting Fiber Optic LC Cables
l Laser type: 850 nanometer wavelength (not visible).
l SX Cabling:
l Multi-mode fiber with 50 micron core diameter. Maximum length is 550 meters.
l Multi-mode fiber with 62.5 micron core diameter. Maximum length is 275 meters
l Connector type: LC.
"LX" Adapters
Adapters with an "LX" marking on the bracket support the 1000Base-LX connectivity standard. They are
designed for long-haul operation, and have different connectivity requirements:
l Laser type: 1310 nanometer wavelength (not visible).
l LX Cabling: single-mode fiber with 9.0 micron core diameter.
l Maximum length: 10 kilometers.
l Connector type: LC.
NOTES:
l Although LX adapters are designed for use with long-haul single-mode fiber, they can also
be used with short-haul multi-mode fiber. Maximum cable length is 550 meters. Must be
connected to compatible LX ports.
l If needed, an LC-to-SC adapter cable may be used to mate with SC connectors.
Single-port fiber adapter with LC connector
SFP+ Devices with Pluggable Optics
X710 and XL710-Based Adapters
NOTES:
l If your Intel(R) Network Adapter came with Intel SFP+ optics, or is an Intel(R) Ethernet
Converged Network Adapter X710 type of adapter, then it only supports Intel optics and/or
the direct attach cables listed below.
Supplier Type Part Numbers
SR Modules
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (bailed) FTLX8571D3BCV-
IT
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (bailed) AFBR-703SDDZ-
IN1
LR Modules
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (bailed) FTLX1471D3BCV-
IT
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (bailed) AFCT-701SDZ-
IN2
QSFP Modules
Intel TRIPLE RATE 1G/10G/40G QSFP+ SR (bailed) (1G not supported
E40GQSFPSR
on XL710)
Intel TRIPLE RATE 1G/10G/40G QSFP+ LR (bailed) (1G not supported
E40GQSFPLR
on XL710)
82599-Based Adapters
NOTES:
l If your 82599-based Intel® Network Adapter came with Intel optics, or is an Intel® Eth-
ernet Server Adapter X520-2, then it only supports Intel optics and/or the direct attach
cables listed below.
l 82599-Based adapters support all passive and active limiting direct attach cables that com-
ply with SFF-8431 v4.1 and SFF-8472 v10.4 specifications.
Supplier Type Part Numbers
SR Modules
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (bailed) AFBR-703SDZ-
IN2
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (bailed) FTLX8571D3BCV-
IT
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (bailed) AFBR-703SDDZ-
IN1
LR Modules
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (bailed) FTLX1471D3BCV-
IT
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (bailed) AFCT-701SDZ-
IN2
Intel DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (bailed) AFCT-701SDDZ-
IN1
QSFP Modules
Intel TRIPLE RATE 1G/10G/40G QSFP+ SR (bailed) (40G not sup-
E40GQSFPSR
ported on 82599)
The following is a list of 3rd party SFP+ modules that have received some testing. Not all modules are
applicable to all devices.
Supplier Type Part Numbers
Finisar SFP+ SR bailed, 10g single rate FTLX8571D3BCL
Avago SFP+ SR bailed, 10g single rate AFBR-700SDZ
Finisar SFP+ LR bailed, 10g single rate FTLX1471D3BCL
Finisar DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (No Bail) FTLX8571D3QCV-IT
Avago DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ SR (No Bail) AFBR-703SDZ-IN1
Finisar DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (No Bail) FTLX1471D3QCV-IT
Avago DUAL RATE 1G/10G SFP+ LR (No Bail) AFCT-701SDZ-IN1
Finisar 1000BASE-T SFP FCLF8522P2BTL
Avago 1000BASE-T SFP ABCU-5710RZ
HP 1000BASE-SX SFP 453153-001
82598-Based Adapters
NOTES:
l Intel® Network Adapters that support removable optical modules only support their original
module type (i.e., the Intel® 10 Gigabit SR Dual Port Express Module only supports SR
optical modules). If you plug in a different type of module, the driver will not load.
l 82598-Based adapters support all passive direct attach cables that comply with SFF-8431
v4.1 and SFF-8472 v10.4 specifications. Active direct attach cables are not supported.
l Hot Swapping/hot plugging optical modules is not supported.
l Only single speed, 10 gigabit modules are supported.
l LAN on Motherboard (LOMs) may support DA, SR, or LR modules. Other module types are
not supported. Please see your system documentation for details.
The following is a list of SFP+ modules and direct attach cables that have received some testing. Not all
modules are applicable to all devices.
Supplier Type Part Numbers
Finisar SFP+ SR bailed, 10g single rate FTLX8571D3BCL
Avago SFP+ SR bailed, 10g single rate AFBR-700SDZ
Finisar SFP+ LR bailed, 10g single rate FTLX1471D3BCL
Molex 1m - Twin-ax cable 74752-1101
Molex 3m - Twin-ax cable 74752-2301
Molex 5m - Twin-ax cable 74752-3501
Molex 10m - Twin-ax cable 74752-9004
Tyco 1m - Twin-ax cable 2032237-2
Tyco 3m - Twin-ax cable 2032237-4
Tyco 5m - Twin-ax cable 2032237-6
Tyco 10m - Twin-ax cable 1-2032237-1
THIRD PARTY OPTIC MODULES AND CABLES REFERRED TO ABOVE ARE LISTED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF HIGHLIGHTI NG THIRD
PARTY SPECIFICATIONS AND POTENTIAL COMPATIBILITY, AND ARE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS OR ENDORSEMENT OR SPONSORSHIP OF
ANY THIRD PARTY'S PRODUCT BY INTEL. INTEL IS NOT ENDORSING OR PROMOTING PRODUCTS MADE BY ANY THIRD PARTY AND THE
THIRD PARTY REFERENCE I S PROVIDED ONLY TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING CERTAIN OPTIC MODULES AND CABLES WI TH THE
ABOVE SPECIFICATIONS. THERE MAY BE OTHER MANUFACTURERS OR SUPPLIERS, PRODUCING OR SUPPLYING OPTIC MODULES AND
CABLES WITH SIMILAR OR MATCHING DESCRIPTIONS. CUSTOMERS MUST USE THEIR OWN DISCRETI ON AND DILIGENCE TO PURCHASE
OPTIC MODULES AND CABLES FROM ANY THI RD PARTY OF THEIR CHOICE. CUSTOMERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING
THE SUITABILIT Y OF THE PRODUCT AND/OR DEVICES AND FOR THE SELECTION OF THE VENDOR FOR PURCHASING ANY PRODUCT. THE
OPTIC MODULES AND CABLES REFERRED TO ABOVE ARE NOT WARRANTED OR SUPPORTED BY INTEL. INTEL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY
WHATSOEVER, AND I NTEL DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, RELATING TO SALE AND/OR USE OF SUCH THI RD PARTY
PRODUCTS OR SELECTION OF VENDOR BY CUSTOMERS.
PCI Hot Plug Support
Intel® PRO/100 Server Adapters and most Intel® Gigabit Server Adapters are enabled for use in selected
servers equipped with Hot Plug support.Exceptions: Intel Gigabit Quad Port Server adapters do not support
Hot Plug operations.
If you replace an adapter in a Hot Plug slot, do not place the removed adapter back into the same network until
the server has rebooted (unless you return it to the same slot and same team as before). This prevents a
conflict in having two of the same Ethernet addresses on the same network.
The system will require a reboot if you
l Change the primary adapter designator.
l Add a new adapter to an existing team and make the new adapter the primary adapter.
l Remove the primary adapter from the system and replace it with a different type of adapter.
NOTE: To replace an existing SLA-teamed adapter in a Hot Plug slot, first unplug the adapter
cable. When the adapter is replaced, reconnect the cable.
PCI Hot Plug Support for Microsoft* Windows* Operating Systems
Intel® network adapters are enabled for use in selected servers equipped with PCI Hot Plug support and
runningMicrosoft* Windows* operating systems. For more information on setting up and using PCI Hot Plug
support in your server, see your hardware and/or Hot Plug support documentation for details. PCI Hot Plug
only works when you hot plug an identical Intel network adapter.
NOTES:
l The MAC address and driver from the removed adapter will be used by the replacement
adapter unless you remove the adapter from the team and add it back in. If you do not
remove and restore the replacement adapter from the team, and the original adapter is used
elsewhere on your network, a MAC address conflict will occur.
l For SLA teams, ensure that the replacement NIC is a member of the team before con-
necting it to the switch.
Getting the Most From Your Intel® 10 Gigabit Server Adapter
NOTE:These adjustments should be performed by a highly skilled network administrator. They
are not guaranteed to improve performance. Not all settings shown here may be available through
your BIOS, operating system or network driver configuration.
1. Install the adapter in a PCIe x8 slot.
NOTE: Some PCIe x8 slots are actually configured as x4 slots. These slots have
insufficient bandwidth for full 10Gbe line rate with dual port 10GbE devices. The driver can
detect this situation and will write the following message in the system log: “PCI-Express
bandwidth available for this card is not sufficient for optimal performance. For optimal
performance a x8 PCI-Express slot is required.”
If this error occurs, moving your adapter to a true x8 slot will resolve the issue.
2. Use the proper cabling for the adapter you have. See Attach the Network Cable for details.
3. Enable Jumbo Frames, if your other network components can also be configured for it.
4. If your BIOS has an MMRBC (Maximum Memory Read Byte Count) adjustment, change it from its
default (usually 512) to 4096 (maximum).
NOTE: Some systems may set the adapter's MMRBC to 4096 by default.
5. Increase the number of TCP and Socket resources from the default value.
6. Increase the allocation size of Driver Resources (transmit/receive buffers). However, most TCP traffic
patterns work best with the transmit buffer set to its default value, and the receive buffer set to its
minimum value.
Advanced Features
NOTE:The options available on the Advanced tab are adapter and system dependent. Not all
adapters will display all options.
Jumbo Frames
Jumbo Frames are Ethernet frames that are larger than 1518 bytes. You can use Jumbo Frames to reduce
server CPU utilization and increase throughput. However, additional latency may be introduced.
NOTES:
l Jumbo Frames are supported at 1000 Mbps and higher. Using Jumbo Frames at 10 or 100
Mbps is not supported and may result in poor performance or loss of link.
l End-to-end network hardware must support this capability; otherwise, packets will be
dropped.
Jumbo Frames can be implemented simultaneously with VLANs and teaming.
To configure Jumbo Frames at the switch, consult your network administrator or switch user's guide.
Jumbo Frame Restrictions:
l Jumbo Frames are not supported in multi-vendor team configurations.
l Supported protocols are limited to IP (TCP, UDP).
l Jumbo Frames require compatible switch connections that forward Jumbo Frames. Contact your
switch vendor for more information.
l The Jumbo Frame setting inside a virtual machine must be the same, or lower than, the setting on the
physical port.
l When standard sized Ethernet frames (64 to 1518 bytes) are used, there is no benefit to configuring
Jumbo Frames.
l The Jumbo Frames setting on the switch must be set to at least 8 bytes larger than the adapter setting
for Microsoft* Windows* operating systems, and at least 22 bytes larger for all other operating systems.
l The Intel® PRO/1000 PL Network Connection supports Jumbo Frames in Microsoft* Windows* oper-
ating systems only when Intel® PROSet for Windows Device Manager is installed.
l The following devices do not support Jumbo Frames larger than 4096 bytes:
l Intel® 82577LM Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82578DM Gigabit Network Connection.
l The following devices do not support Jumbo Frames:
l Intel® 82567V-4 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82578DC Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82577LC Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82567LF-3 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82567V-2 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82567LF-2 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82567V Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82567LF Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® PRO/1000 Gigabit Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PM Network Connection
l Intel® PRO/1000 PM Network Connection
l Intel® 82562V 10/100 Network Connection
l Intel® 82562GT 10/100 Network Connection
l Intel® 82566DM Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82566DC Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82566DC-2 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82562V-2 10/100 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82562G-2 10/100 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82562GT-2 10/100 Gigabit Network Connection
l Intel® 82552 10/100 Network Connection
Setting Up Jumbo Frames in Microsoft* Windows*
NOTE: Jumbo Frames are not supported in multi-vendor team configurations.
1. Open Microsoft* Windows* Device Manager.
2. Open Properties on your adapter.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Select Jumbo Frames from the list of advanced features.
5. Set your desired packet size (based on network capability).
6. Click OK to apply the changes.
All equipment on the network must also support the larger frame size. When setting up Jumbo Frames on
other network devices, be aware that different network devices calculate Jumbo Frame size differently. Some
devices include the header information in the frame size while others do not. Intel adapters do not include
header information in the frame size. When configuring Jumbo Frames on a switch, set the frame size four
bytes higher for CRC, plus four bytes if you are using VLANs or QoS packet tagging.
Advanced Network Services Teaming
Advanced Network Services (ANS) Teaming, a feature of the Advanced Network Services component, lets
you take advantage of multiple adapters in a system by grouping them together. ANS teaming can use
features like fault tolerance and load balancing to increase throughput and reliability. Before you can set up
ANS teaming in Microsoft* Windows*, you must install Intel® PROSet software. For more information, select
Intel PROSet in the Table of Contents (left pane) of this window.
NOTES:
l Be sure to use the latest available drivers on all adapters.
l NDIS 6.2 introduced new RSS data structures and interfaces. Because of this, you cannot
enable RSS on teams that contain a mix of adapters that support NDIS 6.2 RSS and
adapters that do not.
l If a team is bound to a Hyper-V virtual NIC, you cannot change the Primary or Secondary
adapter.
l Intel adapters that do not support Intel PROSet may still be included in a team. However,
they are restricted in the same way non-Intel adapters are. See Multi-Vendor Teaming for
more information.
l To assure a common feature set, some advanced features, including hardware offloading,
are automatically disabled when an adapter that does not support Intel PROSet is added to
a team.
l Hot Plug operations in a Multi-Vendor Team may cause system instability. We recom-
mended that you restart the system or reload the team after performing Hot Plug operations
with a Multi-Vendor Team.
l Spanning tree protocol (STP) should be disabled on switch ports connected to teamed
adapters in order to prevent data loss when the primary adapter is returned to service (failback). Alternatively, an activation delay may be configured on the adapters to prevent data
loss when spanning tree is used. Set the Activation Delay on the advanced tab of team
properties.
l ANS teaming of Virtual Function devices inside a Windows 2008 R2 guest running on an
open source hypervisor is supported.
l Fibre Channel over Ethernet/Data Center Bridging will be automatically disabled when an
adapter is added to a team with non-FCoE/DCB capable adapters.
Supported Adapters
Teaming options are supported on Intel® PRO/100, Intel® Gigabit, and Intel® 10GbE adapters. Selected
adapters from other manufacturers are also supported.
Conditions that may prevent you from teaming a device
During team creation or modification, the list of available team types or list of available devices may not
include all team types or devices. This may be caused by any of several conditions, including:
l The operating system does not support the desired team type.
l The device does not support the desired team type or does not support teaming at all.
l The devices you want to team together use different driver versions.
l You are trying to team an Intel PRO/100 device with an Intel 10GbE device.
l TOE (TCP Offload Engine) enabled devices cannot be added to an ANS team and will not appear in the
list of available adapters.
l You can add Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT) enabled devices to Adapter Fault
Tolerance (AFT), Switch Fault Tolerance (SFT), and Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB) teams. All other
team types are not supported. The Intel AMT enabled device must be designated as the primary
adapter for the team.
l The device's MAC address is overridden by the Locally Administered Address advanced setting.
l Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) Boot has been enabled on the device.
l The device has “OS Controlled” selected on the Data Center tab.
l The device has a virtual NIC bound to it.
l The device is part of a Microsoft* Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) team.
Microsoft* Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO) teams
Intel ANS teaming and VLANs are not compatible with Microsoft's LBFO teams. Intel® PROSet will block a
member of an LBFO team from being added to an Intel ANS team or VLAN. You should not add a port that is
already part of an Intel ANS team or VLAN to an LBFO team, as this may cause system instability. If you use
an ANS team member or VLAN in an LBFO team, perform the following procedure to restore your
configuration:
1. Reboot the machine
2. Remove LBFO team. Even though LBFO team creation failed, after a reboot Server Manager will report
that LBFO is Enabled, and the LBFO interface is present in the ‘NIC Teaming’ GUI.
3. Remove the ANS teams and VLANS involved in the LBFO team and recreate them. This is an optional
(all bindings are restored when the LBFO team is removed ), but strongly recommended step
NOTE: If you add an Intel AMT enabled port to an LBFO team, do not set the port to Standby in
the LBFO team. If you set the port to Standby you may lose AMT functionality.
ANS Teaming Types
l Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT) - provides automatic redundancy for a server's network connection. If
the primary adapter fails, the secondary adapter takes over. Adapter Fault Tolerance supports two to
eight adapters per team. This teaming type works with any hub or switch. All team members must be
connected to the same subnet.
l Switch Fault Tolerance (SFT) - provides failover between two adapters connected to separate
switches. Switch Fault Tolerance supports two adapters per team. Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) must
be enabled on the switch when you create an SFT team. When SFT teams are created, the Activation
Delay is automatically set to 60 seconds. This teaming type works with any switch or hub. All team
members must be connected to the same subnet.
l Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB) - provides load balancing of transmit traffic and adapter fault tolerance.
In Microsoft* Windows* operating systems, you can also enable or disable receive load balancing
(RLB) in ALB teams (by default, RLB is enabled).
l Virtual Machine Load Balancing (VMLB) - provides transmit and receive traffic load balancing across
Virtual Machines bound to the team interface, as well as fault tolerance in the event of switch port,
cable, or adapter failure. This teaming type works with anyswitch.
l Static Link Aggregation (SLA) - provides increased transmission and reception throughput in a team of
two to eight adapters. This team type replaces the following team types from prior software releases:
Fast EtherChannel*/Link Aggregation (FEC) and Gigabit EtherChannel*/Link Aggregation (GEC). This
type also includes adapter fault tolerance and load balancing (only routed protocols). This teaming type
requires a switch with Intel Link Aggregation, Cisco* FEC or GEC, or IEEE 802.3ad Static Link Aggregation capability.
All adapters in a Link Aggregation team running in static mode must run at the same speed and must be
connected to a Static Link Aggregation capable switch. If the speed capability of adapters in a Static
Link Aggregation team are different, the speed of the team is dependent on the lowest common
denominator.
l IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic Link Aggregation - creates one or more teams using Dynamic Link Aggregation
with mixed-speed adapters. Like the Static Link Aggregation teams, Dynamic 802.3ad teams increase
transmission and reception throughput and provide fault tolerance. This teaming type requires a switch
that fully supports the IEEE 802.3ad standard.
l Multi-Vendor Teaming (MVT) -adds the capability to include adapters from selected other vendors in a
team. If you are using a Windows-based computer, you can team adapters that appear in the Intel
PROSet teaming wizard.
IMPORTANT:
l Be sure to use the latest available drivers on all adapters.
l Before creating a team, adding or removing team members, or changing advanced settings
of a team member, make sure each team member has been configured similarly. Settings
to check include VLANs and QoS Packet Tagging, Jumbo Frames, and the various offloads. These settings are available in Intel PROSet's Advanced tab. Pay particular atten-
tion when using different adapter models or adapter versions, as adapter capabilities vary.
l If team members implement Advanced features differently, failover and team functionality
will be affected. To avoid team implementation issues:
l Create teams that use similar adapter types and models.
l Reload the team after adding an adapter or changing any Advanced features. One
way to reload the team is to select a new preferred primary adapter. Although there
will be a temporary loss of network connectivity as the team reconfigures, the team
will maintain its network addressing schema.
NOTES:
l Hot Plug operations for an adapter that is part of a team are only available in Windows
Server.
l For SLA teams, all team members must be connected to the same switch. For AFT, ALB,
and RLB teams, all team members must belong to the same subnet. The members of an
SFT team must be connected to a different switch.
l Teaming only one adapter port is possible, but provides no benefit.
Primary and Secondary Adapters
If the primary adapter fails, another adapter will take over its duties. If you are using more than two adapters,
and you want a specific adapter to take over if the primary fails, you must specify a secondary adapter. If an
Intel AMT enabled device is part of a team, it must be designated as the primary adapter for the team.
There are two types of primary and secondary adapters:
l Default primary adapter: If you do not specify a preferred primary adapter, the software will choose
an adapter of the highest capability (model and speed) to act as the default primary. If a failover occurs,
another adapter becomes the primary. The adapter will, however, rejoin the team as a non-primary.
l Preferred Primary/Secondary adapters: You can specify a preferred adapter in Intel PROSet. Under
normal conditions, the Primary adapter handles all non-TCP/IP traffic. The Secondary adapter will
receive fallback traffic if the primary fails. If the Preferred Primary adapter fails, but is later restored to
an active status, control is automatically switched back to the Preferred Primary adapter.
To specify a preferred primary or secondary adapter
1. From Device Manager, open the properties of a team.
2. Click the Settings tab.
3. Click the Modify Team button.
4. Select the adapter you want to be the primary adapter and click the Set Primary button.
The adapter's preferred setting appears in the Priority column.
Failover and Failback
When a link fails, either because of port or cable failure, team types that provide fault tolerance will continue to
send and receive traffic. Failover is the initial transfer of traffic from the failed link to a good link. Failback
occurs when the original adapter regains link. You can use the Activation Delay setting (located on the
Advanced tab of the team's properties in Device Manager) to specify a how long the failover adapter waits
before becoming active. If you don't want your team to failback when the original adapter gets link back, you
can set the Allow Failback setting to disabled (located on the Advanced tab of the team's properties in Device
Manager).
Adapter Fault Tolerance
Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT) provides the safety of an additional backup link between the server and switch.
In the case of switch port, cable, or adapter failure, network connectivity is maintained.
Adapter Fault Tolerance is implemented with a primary adapter and one or more backup, or secondary
adapters. During normal operation, the backup adapters are in standby. If the link to the primary adapter fails,
the link to the secondary adapter automatically takes over. For more information, see Primary and Secondary
Adapters.
To use Adapter Fault Tolerance all adapters must be connected to the same subnet.
Switch Fault Tolerance
Switch Fault Tolerance (SFT) teaming allows you to connect each of two teamed adapters to a separate
switch.
Switch Fault Tolerance can detect failures when they occur:
l on either teamed adapter
l on either cable connecting the teamed adapter to its switch
l on switch ports connected to the adapters, if link is lost
In SFT teams, one adapter is the primary adapter and one adapter is the secondary adapter. During normal
operation, the secondary adapter is in standby. In standby, the adapter is inactive and waiting for failover to
occur. It does not transmit or receive other network traffic. If the primary adapter loses connectivity, the
secondary adapter automatically takes over.
In SFT teams, each adapter in the team can operate at a different speed than the other.
Configuration Monitoring
You can set up monitoring between an SFT team and up to five IP addresses. This allows you to detectlink
failure beyond the switch. You can ensure connection availability for several clients that you consider critical.
If the connection between the primary adapter and all of the monitored IP addresses is lost, the team will
failover to the secondary adapter.
Adaptive Load Balancing
Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB) uses software to balance routable traffic among a team of two to eight
adapters or LOMs (the team must include at least one server adapter) connected to the same subnet. The
software analyzes the send and transmit loading on each adapter and balances the rate across the adapters
based on destination address. Adapter teams configured for ALB also provide the benefits of fault tolerance.
NOTES:
l ALB does not load balance non-routed protocols such as NetBEUI and some IPX* traffic.
l You can create an ALB team with mixed speed adapters. The load is balanced according to
the lowest common denominator of adapter capabilities and the bandwidth of the channel.
l On Windows systems, Receive Load Balancing is enabled by default.
l Receive Load Balancing is not supported on Microsoft Hyper-V*.
Virtual Machine Load Balancing
Virtual Machine Load Balancing (VMLB) provides transmit and receive traffic load balancing across Virtual
Machines bound to the team interface, as well as fault tolerance in the event of switch port, cable, or adapter
failure.
The driver analyzes the transmit and receive load on each member adapter and balances the traffic across
member adapters. In a VMLB team, each Virtual Machine is associated with one team member for its TX and
RX traffic.
If only one virtual NIC is bound to the team, or if Hyper-V is removed, then the VMLB team will act like an ALB
team.
NOTES:
l VMLB does not load balance non-routed protocols such as NetBEUI and some IPX* traffic.
l VMLB supports from two to eight adapter ports per team.
l You can create an VMLB team with mixed speed adapters. The load is balanced according
to the lowest common denominator of adapter capabilities and the bandwidth of the channel.
l You cannot use an Intel AMT enabled adapter in a VMLB team.
Static Link Aggregation
Static Link Aggregation (SLA) is a performance technology developed by Cisco to increase throughput
between switches. This team type works with:
l Cisco EtherChannel-capable switches with channeling mode set to 'ON'
l Intel switches capable of Link Aggregation
l Other switches capable of static 802.3ad
The transmission speed will never exceed the adapter base speed to any single address (per specification).
Teams can contain two to eight adapters, but must match the capability of the switch. Adapter teams
configured for Static Link Aggregation also provide the benefits of fault tolerance and load balancing.
NOTE: You cannot use an Intel AMT enabled adapter in an SLA team
IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic Link Aggregation
802.3ad is an adopted IEEE standard.Teams can contain two to eight adapters, and you can have a
maximum of two IEEE 802.3ad dynamic teams per server. You must use 802.3ad switches (in dynamic
mode, aggregation can go across switches). Adapter teams configured for IEEE 802.3ad also provide the
benefits of fault tolerance and load balancing. Under 802.3ad, all protocols can be load balanced.
Dynamic mode supports multiple aggregators. Aggregators are formed by port speed connected to a switch.
For example, a team can contain adapters running at 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps, but two aggregators will be formed,
one for each speed. Also, if a team contains 1 Gbps ports connected to one switch, and a combination of
1Gbps and 10Gbps ports connected to a second switch, three aggregators would be formed. One containing
all the ports connected to the first switch, one containing the 1Gbps ports connected to the second switch,
and the third containing the 10Gbps ports connected to the second switch.
NOTES:
l Once you choose an aggregator, it remains in force until all adapters in that aggregator lose
link.
l In some switches, copper and fiber adapters cannot belong to the same aggregator in an
IEEE 802.3ad configuration. If there are copper and fiber adapters installed in a system,
the switch might configure the copper adapters in one aggregator and the fiber-based
adapters in another. If you experience this behavior, for best performance you should use
either copper or fiber-based adapters in a system.
l If multiple switches are used, all team members connected to the same switch must oper-
ate at the same speed.
l You cannot use an Intel AMT enabled adapter in a DLA team.
Before you begin
l Verify that the switch fully supports the IEEE 802.3ad standard.
l Check your switch documentation for port dependencies. Some switches require pairing to start on a
primary port.
l Check your speed and duplex settings to ensure the adapter and switch are running at full duplex,
either forced or set to auto-negotiate. Both the adapter and the switch must have the same speed and
duplex configuration.The full duplex requirement is part of the IEEE 802.3ad specification: http://stand-
ards.ieee.org/
If needed, change your speed or duplex setting beforeyou link the adapter to the switch. Although you
can change speed and duplex settings after the team is created,Intel recommends you disconnect the
cables until settings are in effect. In some cases, switches or servers might not appropriately
recognize modified speed or duplex settings if settings are changed when there is an active link to the
network.
l If you are configuring a VLAN, check your switch documentation for VLAN compatibility notes. Not all
switches support simultaneous dynamic 802.3ad teams and VLANs. If you choose to set up VLANs,
configure teaming and VLAN settings on the adapter before you link the adapter to the switch. Setting
up VLANs after the switch has created an active aggregator affects VLAN functionality.
Multi-Vendor Teaming
MVT allows teaming with a combination of Intel adapters that support Intel PROSet, Intel adapters that do not
support Intel PROSet, and non-Intel adapters. This feature is currently available under Windows Server.All
adapters that appear in the Intel PROSet teaming wizard can be included in a team.
MVT Design Considerations
l In order to activate MVT, you must have at least one Intel adapter or integrated connection that sup-
ports Intel PROSet in the team. That adapter or connection must be designated as the primary
adapter.
l A multi-vendor team can be created for any team type.
l All members in a MVT must operate on a common feature set (lowest common denominator).
l Manually verify that the frame setting for all adapters in the team is the same.
l Verify that the RSS settings for all adapters in the team are the same.
Virtual LANs
The term VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) refers to a collection of devices that communicate as if they
were on the same physical LAN. Any set of ports (including all ports on the switch) can be considered a
VLAN. LAN segments are not restricted by the hardware that physically connects them.
VLANs offer the ability to group computers together
into logical workgroups. This can simplify network
administration when connecting clients to servers
that are geographically dispersed across the
building, campus, or enterprise network.
Typically, VLANs consist of co-workers within the
same department but in different locations, groups
of users running the same network protocol, or a
cross-functional team working on a joint project.
By using VLANs on your network, you can:
l Improve network performance
l Limit broadcast storms
l Improve LAN configuration updates (adds, moves, and changes)
l Minimize security problems
l Ease your management task
Other Considerations
l To set up IEEE VLAN membership (multiple VLANs), the adapter must be attached to a switch with
IEEE 802.1Q VLAN capability.
l A maximum of 64 VLANs per network port or team are supported by Intel software.
l VLANs can co-exist with teaming (if the adapter supports both). If you do this, the team must be
defined first, then you can set up your VLAN.
l The Intel PRO/100 VE and VM Desktop Adapters and Network Connections can be used in a switch
based VLAN but do not support IEEE Tagging.
l You can set up only one untagged VLAN per adapter or team. You must have at least one tagged
VLAN before you can set up an untagged VLAN.
CAUTION: When using IEEE 802 VLANs, settings must match between the switch and those
adapters using the VLANs.
NOTE: Intel ANS VLANs are not compatible with Microsoft's Load Balancing and Failover (LBFO)
teams. Intel® PROSet will block a member of an LBFO team from being added to an Intel ANS
VLAN. You should not add a port that is already part of an Intel ANS VLAN to an LBFO team, as
this may cause system instability.
Configuring VLANs in Microsoft* Windows*
In Microsoft* Windows*, you must use Intel® PROSet to set up and configure VLANs. For more information,
select Intel PROSet in the Table of Contents (left pane) of this window.
NOTES:
l If you change a setting under the Advanced tab for one VLAN, it changes the settings for
all VLANS using that port.
l In most environments, a maximum of 64 VLANs per network port or team are supported by
Intel PROSet.
l ANS VLANs are not supported on adapters and teams that have VMQ enabled. However,
VLAN filtering with VMQ is supported via the Microsoft Hyper-V VLAN interface. For more
information see Microsoft Hyper-V virtual NICs on teams and VLANs.
l You can have different VLAN tags on a child partition and its parent. Those settings are
separate from one another, and can be different or the same. The only instance where the
VLAN tag on the parent and child MUST be the same is if you want the parent and child partitions to be able to communicate with each other through that VLAN. For more information
see Microsoft Hyper-V virtual NICs on teams and VLANs.
Power Management
The Intel® PROSet Power Management tab replaces the standard Microsoft* Windows* Power Management
tab in Device Manager. It includes the Power Saver and Wake on LAN* (WoL*) options that were previously
included on the Advanced tab. The standard Windows power management functionality is incorporated on the
Intel PROSet tab.
NOTES:
l The options available on the Power Management tab are adapter and system dependent.
Not all adapters will display all options.
l The following adapters support WoL only on Port A:
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter I350-T2
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter I350-T4
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter I340-T2
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter I340-T4
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter I340-F4
l Intel® Gigabit ET2 Quad Port Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PF Quad Port Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PT Quad Port LP Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PT Quad Port Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Network Connection
l Intel® PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Server Connection
l Intel® PRO/1000 PT Dual Port Server Adapter
l Intel® PRO/1000 PF Dual Port Server Adapter
l Intel® Gigabit PT Quad Port Server ExpressModule
l The following adapters do not support WoL:
l Intel® PRO/1000 MT Quad Port Server adapter
l Intel® Gigabit VT Quad Port Server Adapter
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter X520-2
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter X520-1
l Intel® Ethernet Server Adapter X540-T1
l Intel® Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X540-T2
l Intel® Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X540-T1
NOTE: If your system has a Manageability Engine, the Link LED may stay lit even if WoL is
disabled.
Power Options
The Intel PROSet Power Management tab includes several settings that control the adapter's power
consumption. For example, you can set the adapter to reduce its power consumption if the cable is
disconnected.
If Reduce speed during standby is enabled, then Wake on Magic Packet and/or Wake on directed
packet must be enabled. If both of these options are disabled, power is removed from the adapter during
standby. Wake on Magic Packet from power off state has no effect on this option.
Energy Efficient Ethernet
The Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) feature allows a capable device to enter Low Power Idle between bursts
of network traffic. Both ends of a link must have EEE enabled for any power to be saved. Both ends of the link
will resume full power when data needs to be transmitted. This transition may introduce a small amount of
network latency.
NOTES:
l Both ends of the EEE link must automatically negotiate link
speed.
l EEE is not supported at 10Mbps.
Intel® Auto Connect Battery Saver
The Intel® Auto Connect Battery Saver (ACBS) feature turns off the adapter when link is down or the network
cable is disconnected. After a timeout period, the adapter will power off. When the network cable is
reconnected and link is restored, the NIC powers up and functionality is fully restored.
ACBS only functions when the system is on battery power. If the power cable is connected, ACBS will be
automatically disabled. If ACBS is active, the adapter will appear to be powered off. If you have Intel®
PROSet installed, on the Link Speed tab, the Link Status will indicate Speed: Not connected. Power off.
NOTE: ACBS will not function on an adapter if the adapter has forced speed or duplex settings.
ACBS will only function if the adapter is set to auto-detect or auto-negotiate.
Intel® System Idle Power Saver
The Intel® System Idle Power Saver feature sets the adapter to negotiate the lowest possible speed setting
when the system and network are idle. When the system activity is detected, the link will be negotiated to a
higher speed.
To support this feature, the adapter must be
l configured to Auto Detect speed and
l connected to a link partner that can auto-negotiate speed
Remote Wake-Up and Wake on LAN*
Microsoft Windows and Windows Server do not support wake from a power-off (S5) state, only from standby
(S3) or hibernate (S4). When shutting down the system, they shutdown ACPI devices, including Intel
adapters. This disarms the adapters remote wake up capability. However, in some ACPI-capable computers,
the BIOS may have a setting that allows you to override the operating system and wake from an S5 state
anyway. If there is no support for wake from S5 state in your BIOS settings, you are limited to Wake From
Standby when using these operating systems.
Wake on Intel® Ready Access
Intel® Ready Access keeps your network connection active when the rest of your system is in sleep or
standby mode, so that content on your system is readily accessible. Requests from other computers will
wake up your computer.
Quality of Service
Quality of Service (QoS) allows the adapter to send and receive IEEE 802.3ac tagged frames. 802.3ac tagged
frames include 802.1p priority-tagged frames and 802.1Q VLAN-tagged frames. In order to implement QoS,
the adapter must be connected to a switch that supports and is configured for QoS. Priority-tagged frames
allow programs that deal with real-time events to make the most efficient use of network bandwidth. High
priority packets are processed before lower priority packets.
Tagging is enabled and disabled in Microsoft* Windows* Server* using the "QoS Packet Tagging" field in the
Advanced tab in Intel® PROSet. For other versions of the Windows operating system, tagging is enabled
using the "Priority/VLAN Tagging" setting on the Advanced tab in Intel® PROSet.
Once QoS is enabled in Intel PROSet, you can specify levels of priority based on IEEE 802.1p/802.1Q frame
tagging.
The supported operating systems, including Microsoft* Windows Server*, have a utility for 802.1p packet
prioritization. For more information, see the Windows system help and Microsoft's knowledge base.
NOTE: The first generation Intel® PRO/1000 Gigabit Server Adapter (PWLA 8490) does not
support QoS frame tagging.
Data Center Bridging
Data Center Bridging (DCB) is a collection of standards-based extensions to classical Ethernet. It provides a
lossless data center transport layer that enables the convergence of LANs and SANs onto a single unified
fabric.
Furthermore, DCB is a configuration Quality of Service implementation in hardware. It uses the VLAN priority
tag (802.1p) to filter traffic. That means that there are 8 different priorities that traffic can be filtered into. It also
enables priority flow control (802.1Qbb) which can limit or eliminate the number of dropped packets during
network stress. Bandwidth can be allocated to each of these priorities, which is enforced at the hardware level
(802.1Qaz).
Adapter firmware implements LLDP and DCBX protocol agents as per 802.1AB and 802.1Qaz respectively.
The firmware based DCBX agent runs in willing mode only and can accept settings from a DCBX capable
peer. Software configuration of DCBX parameters via dcbtool/lldptool are not supported.
NOTE: On Microsoft Windows, Data Center Bridging (DCB) is only supported on NVM version
4.52 and newer. Older NVM versions must be updated before the adapter is capable of DCB
support in Windows.
Microsoft* Hyper-V* Overview
Microsoft* Hyper-V* makes it possible for one or more operating systems to run simultaneously on the same
physical system as virtual machines. This allows you to consolidate several servers onto one system, even if
they are running different operating systems. Intel® Network Adapters work with, and within, Microsoft
Hyper-V virtual machines with their standard drivers and software.
NOTES:
l Some virtualization options are not available on some adapter/operating system com-
binations.
l The jumbo frame setting inside a virtual machine must be the same, or lower than, the set-
ting on the physical port.
l See http://www.intel.com/technology/advanced_comm/virtualization.htm for more inform-
ation on using Intel Network Adapters in virtualized environments.
Using Intel®Network Adapters in a Hyper-V Environment
When a Hyper-V Virtual NIC (VNIC) interface is created in the parent partition, the VNIC takes on the MAC
address of the underlying physical NIC. The same is true when a VNIC is created on a team or VLAN. Since
the VNIC uses the MAC address of the underlying interface, any operation that changes the MAC address of
the interface (for example, setting LAA on the interface, changing the primary adapter on a team, etc.), will
cause the VNIC to lose connectivity. In order to prevent this loss of connectivity, Intel® PROSet will not allow
you to change settings that change the MAC address.
NOTES:
l If Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)/Data Center Bridging (DCB) is present on the port,
configuring the device in Virtual Machine Queue (VMQ) + DCB mode reduces the number
of VMQ VPorts available for guest OSes. This does not apply to Intel® Ethernet Controller
X710 based devices.
l When sent from inside a virtual machine, LLDP and LACP packets may be a security risk.
The Intel® Virtual Function driver blocks the transmission of such packets.
l The Virtualization setting on the Advanced tab of the adapter's Device Manager property
sheet is not available if the Hyper-V role is not installed.
l While Microsoft supports Hyper-V on the Windows* 8 client OS, Intel® Ethernet adapters
do not support virtualization settings (VMQ, SR-IOV) on Windows 8 client.
l ANS teaming of VF devices inside a Windows 2008 R2 guest running on an open source
hypervisor is supported.
The Virtual Machine Switch
The virtual machine switch is part of the network I/O data path. It sits between the physical NIC and the
virtual machine NICs and routes packets to the correct MAC address. Enabling Virtual Machine Queue (VMQ)
offloading in Intel(R) ProSet will automatically enable VMQ in the virtual machine switch. For driver-only
installations, you must manually enable VMQ in the virtual machine switch.
Using ANS VLANs
If you create ANS VLANs in the parent partition, and you then create a Hyper-V Virtual NIC interface on an
ANS VLAN, then the Virtual NIC interface *must* have the same VLAN ID as the ANS VLAN. Using a
different VLAN ID or not setting a VLAN ID on the Virtual NIC interface will result in loss of communication on
that interface.
Virtual Switches bound to an ANS VLAN will have the same MAC address as the VLAN, which will have the
same address as the underlying NIC or team. If you have several VLANs bound to a team and bind a virtual
switch to each VLAN, all of the virtual switches will have the same MAC address. Clustering the virtual
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