HP Virtual Connect for c-Class BladeSystem Version 3.30 User Guide

Virtual Connect server profiles 120
of the HP BladeSystem Technical Resources website
(http://www.hp.com/go/bladesystem/documentation).
Connected to
Number of
NICs enumerated to the
host
HP Virtual Connect FlexFabric
10Gb/24-port Module
8
HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 Module
8
HP 1/10Gb-F VC-Enet Module
2
HP GbE2c Ethernet Blade Switch
2
Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3120
2
HP 10GbE Pass-Thru Module
2
Empty interconnect bay
2
Flex-10 configuration
Network administrator
For each Virtual Connect network, the network administrator can set a "Preferred" and "Maximum" speed for
FlexNICs that connect to that network. FlexNICs cannot connect to a network at a speed higher than the
maximum speed set by the network administrator for that network. The "preferred" speed setting is the speed
recommended by the network administrator for any FlexNIC that attaches to that network. The server
administrator can choose to follow or disregard this recommendation.
The network administrator can change these two settings by clicking the Advanced button on the create/edit
network screen. For more information, see "Multiple Networks Link Speed Settings (on page 83)."
Server administrator
The server administrator can configure a requested bandwidth for every connection in a server profile. Virtual
Connect can control the link speed of FlexNICs but cannot control the link speed of traditional NICs.
The server administrator has three choices for Requested Bandwidth for each connection:
1. Preferred. Choosing "Preferred" sets the requested bandwidth equal to the bandwidth recommended
by the network administrator's "Preferred" speed setting for that network. If the administrator has not
configured a preferred bandwidth for the network, this setting is treated the same as "Auto".
2. Custom. Choosing "Custom" enables you to specify a number between 100Mb and 10Gb (in
increments of 100Mb) for requested bandwidth.
3. Auto. Choosing "Auto" evenly distributes the available bandwidth between all connections assigned to
"auto".
For more information, see "Bandwidth assignment (on page 126)."
Although the Port Speed Setting is available for all network connections in a profile, Virtual Connect can only
control link speed for Flex-10 NICs when they are connected to an HP Virtual Connect Flex-10 Module.
Virtual Connect cannot control the link speed of traditional NICs. Enabling specification of port speed
regardless of the underlying NIC allows the profile to configure the connection automatically when moved to
or from Flex-10 enabled servers and NICs.
Even though the system might not prompt for a server reboot, a server reboot is required after the server is
upgraded successfully with the latest firmware and drivers for HP Dual Port Flex-10 10GbE Multifunctional
BL-c Adapters, NC532i adapters, or NC532m adapters. The reboot enables the newly upgraded drivers