This guide describes the Network Load Balancing Software 2.2 release that lets you consolidate Ethernet ports into a single IP address. It also optimizes performance by determining and setting the load balance for input and output packets. The Network Load Balancing Software runs on CHALLENGE, SGI Origin 200, SGI Origin 2000, Silicon Graphics Onyx2, SGI Origin 300, Origin 350, and SGI Origin 3000 system, and SGI Origin 3900 systems running IRIX 6.5 or later.
This manual is your guide to configuring, testing, and monitoring your Network Load Balancing Software network connection. This guide has been written so you can perform all the basic Network Load Balancing Software administration tasks.
This guide is written for network system administrators. It presumes general knowledge of the Ethernet and of the Silicon Graphics system in which it is installed.
 | Note: This guide is not an in-depth network administration guide; it does not provide information for planning, managing, and maintaining an Ethernet network. |
This guide consists of the following chapters and appendixes:
Chapter 1, “Network Load Balancing Software and the Ethernet”, describes the software's features.
Chapter 2, “Network Load Balancing Software Installation and Configuration”, explains how to install the software and how to associate Ethernet ports with it.
Chapter 3, “Performance Tuning”, explains how to tune parameters to control how the Network Load Balancing Software distributes outbound packets, and how it balances inbound packets.
Chapter 4, “Troubleshooting”, describes what to do when your network connection has problems.
Appendix A, “Validated Ethernet Switches”, summarizes Ethernet switches for which the Network Load Balancing Software has been validated.
Appendix B, “Error Messages”, lists Network Load Balancing Software error messages and gives suggestions for remedies.
For instructions on configuring a system for networking, see the latest version of IRIX Admin: Networking and Mail.
For general information about your Silicon Graphics system, see its owner's guide.
If you do not have your owner's guide handy, you can get it and other Silicon Graphics documentation online in the following locations:
If you have installed the guide on your system, or if it is installed on a server on the network, you can use the IRIS InSight Library: from the Toolchest, choose Help > Online Books > SGI EndUser or SGI Admin, and select the applicable owner's or hardware guide.
If you have access to the Internet, you can use the Technical Publications Library. Enter the following URL in your Web browser location window:
http://docs.sgi.comOnce you are in the library, choose Catalogs > Hardware Catalog > and look under the Owner's Guides for the applicable owner's guide.
The following conventions are used throughout this document:
| Convention | Meaning | |
| command | This fixed-space font denotes literal items such as commands, files, routines, path names, signals, messages, and programming language structures. | |
| variable | Italic typeface denotes variable entries and words or concepts being defined. | |
| user input | This bold, fixed-space font denotes literal items that the user enters in interactive sessions. Output is shown in nonbold, fixed-space font. | |
| [] | Brackets enclose optional portions of a command or directive line. | |
| ... | Ellipses indicate that a preceding element can be repeated. | |
| manpage(x) | Man page section identifiers appear in parentheses after man page names. |
You can obtain SGI documentation in the following ways:
See the SGI Technical Publications Library at http://docs.sgi.com . Various formats are available. This library contains the most recent and most comprehensive set of online books, release notes, man pages, and other information.
If it is installed on your SGI system, you can use InfoSearch, an online tool that provides a more limited set of online books, release notes, and man pages. With an IRIX system, select Help from the Toolchest, and then select InfoSearch. Or you can type infosearch on a command line.
You can also view release notes by typing either grelnotes or relnotes on a command line.
You can also view man pages by typing man <title> on a command line.
If you have comments about the technical accuracy, content, or organization of this document, contact SGI. Be sure to include the title and document number of the manual with your comments. (Online, the document number is located in the front matter of the manual. In printed manuals, the document number is located at the bottom of each page.).
You can contact SGI in any of the following ways:
Send e-mail to the following address:
techpubs@sgi.com Use the Feedback option on the Technical Publications Library web page:
Contact your customer service representative and ask that an incident be filed in the SGI incident tracking system.
Send mail to the following address:
Technical Publications
SGI
1500 Crittenden Lane, M/S 535
Mountain View, California 94043-1351
SGI values your comments and will respond to them promptly.