Server virtualization technologies for x86-based HP BladeSystem and HP ProLiant servers, 3rd edition

Flex-10 for Virtual Connect

Flex-10 technology is the newest extension of HP Virtual Connect technology. It is a hardware-based,

I/O abstraction solution that allows customers to partition a 10 gigabit (Gb) Ethernet connection, to

regulate the size and data speed of each partition, and to prioritize each of those partitions.

Customers can configure a single 10Gb network port to represent up to four physical NIC devices, or

FlexNICs, for a total bandwidth of 10Gbps.

Flex-10 hardware consists of two components: a 10Gb Flex-10 LAN-on-motherboard (LOM) device or

10 Gb Flex-10 mezzanine card; and the HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 10Gb Ethernet Module. The

10Gb Flex-10 LOM or mezzanine card connects to a 10Gb server port on select BladeSystem

servers.

To the server OS (bare-metal OS), each of the four FlexNICs appears as a discrete NIC, with its own

driver. The administrator defines the bandwidth available to each FlexNIC—from 100Mb to 10Gb—

through the Virtual Connect interface. While the FlexNICs share the same physical port, traffic flow

for each FlexNIC is isolated with its own MAC address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tags

(see Figure 5). The Virtual Connect Flex-10 Ethernet Module recognizes Flex-10 connections from the

server as part of a Virtual Connect server profile.

Figure 5. FlexNics share a physical link.

VC Flex-10 Enet Module

BladeSystem Server

Flex10 LOM or Mezz Card

Flex10 NIC (port 1)

FlexNIC FlexNIC FlexNIC FlexNIC

vNet 2 vNet 3 vNet 4vNet 1

Flex10 NIC (port 2)

FlexNIC FlexNIC FlexNIC FlexNIC

Single lane of

10Gb/s Ethernet

for each Port

Flex-10 technology complements virtual machine technology by providing a large I/O bandwidth,

multiple hardware-virtualized NICs, and the ability to change the bandwidth allocated to each

FlexNIC.

Flex-10 is currently available with supported HP BladeSystem servers (for supported servers, see

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/blades/components/ethernet/10-10gb-

f/questionsanswers.html#c1). For more information about Flex-10 technology, see the technology

brief ―HP Flex-10 technology‖ at

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01608922/c01608922.pdf.