Asset ID:	1-72-1006615.1
Update Date:	2008-10-22
Keywords:

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Solution Type  Problem Resolution Sure

Solution  1006615.1 :   Sun[TM] GigaSwift Ethernet (ce) performance slow.  


PreviouslyPublishedAs
209229

Symptoms
Recently installed a Quad GigaSwift Ethernet pci card (501-6522) in SF v880. The performance appears to be slower than other SF v880's with the same card. Both the ce card and link partner (switch) are auto negotiating with a link speed of 1000Mbps.



Resolution
This problem maybe the result of installing the Quad Gigaswift Ethernet (ce) card in a slower 33MHz pci slot when the card is capable of 66MHz. A bus speed of 33MHz may not be sufficient to sustain the 1000Mbps capabilities of the GigaSwift ethernet card. The inbound packets are arriving faster than the bus can process the packets.

Run the following kstat command to identify the bus speed where the GigaSwift pci card is installed. The 2nd column represents the instance number of the GigaSwift card.

 # kstat -p ce:::"/bus/"

Example.

 # kstat -p ce:::"/bus/"
ce:0:ce0:pci_bus_speed  33
ce:1:ce1:pci_bus_speed  33

If the ce card is installed in a 33MHz PCI slot check if the counter 'rx_ov_flow' is incrementing. If incrementing but 'rx_no_buf or 'rx_no_comp_wb' isn't there's a good chance the ce card being in the slower 33MHz pci slot is the problem.

 # kstat -p ce:::"/rx_ov_flow/"
ce:0:ce0:rx_ov_flow     387   <--- incrementing

 # kstat -p ce:::"/rx_no_buf/"
ce:0:ce0:rx_no_buf      0   <-- not incrementing

 # kstat -p ce:::"/rx_no_comp_wb/"
ce:0:ce0:rx_no_comp_wb  0   <-- not incrementing

If the above kstat outputs match your kstat outputs you might consider moving the ce card from the 33MHz PCI slot to a vacant 66MHz PCI slot.

Refer to SF V880 Server Service Manual, 806-6597 to identify which PCI slots provide 66MHz capabilities.

Relief/Workaround



Additional Information
Also see Related SunSolve[TM] document:

 <Document: 1005843.1> Sun[TM] GigaSwift Gigabit Ethernet Adapters First Checks

Product
Sun Fire V880 Server
Sun Quad GigaSwift Ethernet UTP Adapter

Internal Comments
This solution is intended for use by Sun IT and Sun IT Partner Engineers only.

ce PTS Product Page http://pts.emea/comms/products/ce/

network, gigaswift, ethernet, slow, performance, 33, 66, pci, slot, rx_ov_flow
Previously Published As
81991

Change History
Date: 2005-07-05
User Name: 25440
Action: Approved
Comment: Corrected capitalisation ("MHz", not "Mhz"; "PCI", not "pci"). Publishing.
Version: 4
Date: 2005-07-05
User Name: 25440
Action: Accept
Comment:
Version: 0
Date: 2005-07-05
User Name: 35541
Action: Approved
Comment: - Quad Ethernet -> Quad GigaSwift Ethernet
- CE -> ce

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