  Seeking Additional Gigabit Ethernet NICs? 
 The Question is:
 
Question is based on a four node cluster using DS25 AlphaServers. The common
 storage is via a SAN. The cluster interconnect (CI) is via Gigabit ethernet.
 To acheive redundant paths for the CI we would use two DEGPA-SA fibre Gigabit
 ethernet modules, probl
em is the DS25 supports only one of these cards. The second option was to use
 two 3X-DEGXA-SA cards, the DS25 supports four , but no support for VMS cluster
 interconnect. The third option is to use one DEGPA-SA and the integrated
 10/100/1000 UTP port foun
d on the DS25, but in this case there is no documentation to confirm if this is
 supported as a cluster interconnect. We also planned to use a DS10 as a quorum
 node but again we have the same restrictions, in this case can the two
 integrated 10/100 ports b
e used for both CI and LAN traffic and are they both supported for CI.
Any suggestions?
 
Thanks....
 
BH
 
 
 
 The Answer is :
 
  Please see topic (8435), among other discussions.
 
  Please contact your hardware services organization for assistance in
  choosing the appropriate (supported) hardware for your configuration.
  Hardware-level configuration support -- which is the larger part of
  this question -- is detailed at the AlphaServer website.
 
  In terms of software support, OpenVMS supports various DEGXA Gigabit
  Ethernet configurations, with configurations typically limited by the
  hardware-level controller support.  (The DEGXA is a Broadcom 5703
  series Tigon3-based GbE NIC; only the DEGXA variant is supported.)
 
  OpenVMS Cluster configurations will generally support all Ethernet
  controllers found, though there may be restrictions and ECOs that
  are required.  In this case, check the console EG*0_MODE setting,
  and ensure that the EV7 V1.0 (or later) and LAN V6.0 (or later) ECO
  kits are installed, or that the OpenVMS Alpha V7.3-1 UPDATE V1.0 kit
  is installed.  (All mandatory kits should be installed, and V7.3-1
  UPDATE V1.0 is such a kit.)
 
  The Cluster Interconnect (CI) is not Gigabit Ethernet.  The Cluster
  Interconnect is the full name of the CI hardware, and this hardware
  is quite separate from Ethernet hardware.
 
 
 
 Answer written or last revised on  7-JUL-2003 
