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Functionality and Features: Broadcom NetLink^®/NetXtreme^® 57XX User Guide

Functionality and Features

Supported Operating Systems

Network Link and Activity Indication

Functionality and Features

Functional Description

Broadcom NetXtreme^® Gigabit Ethernet adapters connect a PCI Express™ compliant computer to a Gigabit Ethernet network. The network adapter incorporate a technology that transfers data at a maximum rate of 1 gigabit per second—10 times the rate of Fast Ethernet adapters.

Features

The following is a list of the Broadcom network adapter features for all supported operating systems. For features specific to your NetLink/NetXtreme network adapter, see Table 1.

Power Management

Wake on LAN (Magic Packet, Wake Up Frame, specific pattern) is supported at 10/100 Mbps operation only.

Note: Adapter speed connection when the system is down waiting for a wake-up signal is either 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps, but can return to 1000 Mbps when the system is up and running if connected to a 1000 Mbps capable switch. Systems intending to use Wake on LAN (WOL) should be connected to a switch capable of both 1000 and 10/100 Mbps speeds.

Adaptive Interrupt Frequency

The adapter driver intelligently adjusts host interrupt frequency based on traffic conditions, to increase overall application throughput. When traffic is light, the adapter driver interrupts the host for each received packet, minimizing latency. When traffic is heavy, the adapter issues one host interrupt for multiple, back-to-back incoming packets, preserving host CPU cycles.

Dual DMA Channels

The PCI interface on Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapters contains two independent DMA channels for simultaneous read and write operations.

32-Bit or 64-Bit PCI Bus Master

Compliant with PCI Local Bus Rev 2.3, the PCI interface on Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapters is compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit PCI buses. As a bus master, the adapter requests access to the PCI bus, instead of waiting to be polled.

ASIC with Embedded RISC Processor

The core control for Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapters resides in a tightly integrated, high-performance ASIC. The ASIC includes a RISC processor. This provides the flexibility to add new features to the card and adapt it to future network requirements through software downloads. This also enables the adapter drivers to exploit the built-in host offload functions on the adapter as host operating systems are enhanced to take advantage of these functions.

Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 3

Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 3 (BACS 3) is an integrated utility that provides useful information about each network adapter that is installed in your system. The BACS 3 utility also enables you to perform detailed tests, diagnostics, and analysis on each adapter, as well as to modify property values and view traffic statistics for each adapter. See "Using Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 3 for detailed information and instructions.

Supported Operating Systems

Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapters have software support for the following operating systems:

Network Link and Activity Indication

The state of the network link and activity is indicated by the port LEDs adjacent to the RJ-45 connector, as described in Table 2. Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 3 also provides information about the status of the network link and activity (see "Vital Sign").

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