Asset ID: |
1-79-1400522.1 |
Update Date: | 2012-05-18 |
Keywords: | |
Solution Type
Predictive Self-Healing Sure
Solution
1400522.1
:
Virtualized 40 GbE Network Express Module Product Page
Related Categories |
- PLA-Support>Sun Systems>SAND>Network>SN-SND: Sun Network Interfaces
- .Old GCS Categories>Sun Microsystems>Operating Systems>Solaris Network
|
In this Document
Oracle Confidential (PARTNER). Do not distribute to customers.
Reason: Solaris and Network Domain (SaND) Product Page, internal content
Applies to:
Sun Blade 6000 System Information in this document applies to any platform.
Purpose
This document contains the Virtualized 40 GbE Network Express Module (sxge) Product Page
Details
Product Support Team
PLA: SN-SND: Sun Network Interfaces (L2)
Alerts
Description

- The Sun Blade 6000 Virtualized 40 GbE Network Express Module (NEM) is a multi-purpose connectivity module for the Sun Blade 6000 modular system.
- The NEM supports connection to external devices through four 10 Gigabit Ethernet small form-factor pluggable (SFP)+ ports and connects server modules (blades) in a Sun Blade 6000 modular system chassis.
- The SFP+ ports can be used in 1x 10GBE, 2x10GBE or 1x 40GBE configuration
- The NEM's interface is visible on the blade system via the sxge driver.
- The NEM is also known as "SOL NEM" (project name).
- sxge is a multithreaded, loadable, clonable, GLDv3-based STREAMS driver.
- GLD is a multithreaded, clonable Generic LAN Driver support module which resides in a loadable kernel module, /kernel/misc/gld. It implements most of the STREAMS functions and DLPI(7P) functionality required of a LAN driver. Several Solaris network drivers are implemented using GLD.
- The NEM also provides the magnetics and RJ-45 connectors for the ten 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet interfaces that come from server modules through the midplane. There is no active circuitry on the NEM for these GbE ports.
- The total number of Ethernet ports is 14.
Abbreviations/Acronyms
- 10GBE - 10 Gigabit Ethernet (according to IEEE 802.3ae)
- 40GBE - 40 Gigabit Ethernet (according to IEEE 802.3ba)
- FDX - Full Duplex: Capability to send and receive frames at the same time.
- HDX - Half Duplex: Either send or receive frames at given time.
- IEEE - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., standardizes Ethernet
- Jumbo Frame - An Ethernet frame which is larger than 1518 bytes (typical 9000 bytes).
- NIC - Network Interface Card
- VLAN - Virtual LAN, the ability to have several independent net segments within one hardware.
- LAN - Local Area Network, network which is geographically limited (typically to a 1 km radius, e.g. within a building)
- IEEE 802.3ae - 10 Gigabit Ethernet Standard
Versions
Hardware Versions
Software Versions
- unbundled sxge driver for older Solaris, Linux, Windows - obtain via MOS Patches and Updates
- Solaris bundled sxge driver startin with Solaris 10 U11
Note - do not overwrite the Solaris bundled version with downloaded unbundled version
Compatibility/Patches
Hardware Compatibility Matrix
Software Compatibility Matrix
|
|
b6k SOL NEM - sxge |
|
SPARC | x86 |
Solaris
Release | 10 up to U8 |
N/S |
N/S |
10 U9
142909-17 142910-17 |
144488 (ip and kernel patch) (1) |
144489 (ip and kernel patch) (1) |
10 U10
144500-19 144501-19 |
147440 (ip and kernel patch) (1) |
147441 (ip and kernel patch) (1) |
10 U11
|
N/P, sxge is bundled |
N/P, sxge is bundled |
11 |
recent SRU, sxge is bundled |
recent SRU, sxge is bundled |
Linux
Release | Oracle Linux (OEL) 5.3 - 6.1 (64-bit), 6.2 |
N/S |
(1) |
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.3 - 6.1 (64-bit), 6.2 |
N/S |
(1) |
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 10SP3 - 11SP1 (64-bit), 11SP2 |
N/S |
(1) |
Windows
Release | Windows 2008 R2 (64-bit), SP2 (64-bit) |
N/S |
(1) |
Virtualizer
Release | VMware ESX 4.0 U1+U2, ESXi 4.0 U1+U2 |
N/S |
(1) |
Oracle VM 3.0.1+3.0.2 |
N/S |
(1) |
Key:
N/S - Product not supported on this OS
N/P - No patch needed for this OS
N/A - Not Available
(1) - Download sxge via MOS Patches and Updates (patch p12918641_100_Generic.zip or newer) |
Configuration
-
Pathes/Packages
- SUNWcarx - Core Architecture Root (64-bit), contains gld (SPARC)
- SUNWcsr - Core Solaris Root, contains gld (x86)
- SUNWdsxge - Contains the sxge driver
- 5.11 pkg : driver/network/ethernet/sxge
- Path:
- Manual search path: /usr/man
-
Configuration Files Location
- /etc/hostname.sxge<instance>
- sxge.conf, e.g. /kernel/drv/sxge.conf
-
Important configuration commands
- Configure Jumbo Frames
Edit /kernel/drv/sxge.conf, remove comment before accept-jumbo = 1; and reboot :
...
# To enable jumbo support,
accept-jumbo = 1;
#
# To disable jumbo support,
# accept-jumbo = 0;
#
# Default is 0.
...
- Configure VLAN tagging (802.1q)
- VLAN tags get enabled by using "magic instance numbers", consisting of the original instance and the VLAN tag.
- boot persistant config: create /etc/hostname.hcge<vlan-tag><instance number>
- The hostname in this file should be found in /etc/hosts
- The VLAN tag must be the same on the switch the Hydra NEM is connected to
instance # (last 3 digits, value=0 -> uses sxge0 interface)
|||
/etc/hostname.sxge123000
|||
VLAN tag (digit 4 and higher, value=123)
# cat /etc/hostname.sxge123000
va64-x6440b-gmp03
# grep va64-x6440b-gmp03 /etc/hosts
129.156.213.163 va64-x6440b-gmp03
# ifconfig sxge123000
sxge123000: flags=sxge123000 mtu 1500 index 2
inet 129.156.213.163 netmask fffff800 broadcast 129.156.215.255
ether 0:21:28:29:90:69
FAQ
Can we use Link Aggregation with sxge ?
Answer:
As the switch port of the external connection will not accept several Aggregations per port, Link Aggregation can not be used.
Information Gathering
Things to get: | Comment: |
Do you suspect a problem concerning 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet or IP ? |
If IP, the 10GBE part may not be relevant, use standard IP problem resolution expertise |
network topology plan |
What is connected to what? (cable vendors and exact types, connections) |
explorer output of all involved systems |
get hw/sw versions and error statistics |
Things to try: | Comment: |
See Troubleshooting section |
|
- Information needed to assign to an other support group or level:
- Short failure description including error or warning messages
- Short customer situation including timeframes and business impact
- Platform, part# and revision of NIC and PCI slot (if obtainable)
- Explorer output (or path to it's location)
- Network overview (detailed sketch, cable lengths, networking hardware)
- Where is a test system connected (e.g. a "slow" client)
- Short description of your measures to find and solve the problem before the handover
Installation
- See User's Guide- it contains a section per supported OS.
De-installation
Troubleshooting
Performance
- See Relase Notes of Chassis, NEM and Blade Version for Hardware Requirements.
- Ensure CPU capacity (cycles and cores) for sending and receiving frames. Recommendation: 2 CPUs per 10GBE NIC.
- Use latest Solaris version for improved TCP/IP stack.
- Use the Uperf traffic generator to measure throughput, start with a low thread number and increase as long as a performance gain is observed.
Lab
Use Global Lab / jsc
Contacts
Proactive
Further Reading
References<NOTE:1400605.1> - TSC Network Product Home <NOTE:1397771.1> - Virtualized Multi-Fabric 10GbE Network Express Module Product Page <NOTE:1399483.1> - 10-Gigabit Ethernet Switches (Opus) Product Page <NOTE:1400599.1> - Ethernet Product Page
Attachments
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