[SUMMARY] Additional ethernet card options for Sparcblade 100

Hello,

Here is a summary for my original question, posted below.  I wanted
to wait before posting the summary as I wanted to try out the choice
that I made before I posted.  I also want to qualify that this was
needed for a low end solution (10Mb shared ethernet) on both ends
and the new nic card would not be heavily stressed.

I also want to thank

Mike Horton
Jed Dobson
Kevin Colagio
John Sullivan

for their help.


  I ultimately ended up going with the Znyx network card at $99.00.
For my application, this was perfect.  The only negative that I
have seen from this card has been limited output from netstat -k.

Thank you again,

Jerry Kemp
++++++++++++++++++++++++++


EXAMPLES SHOWN HERE:

==================
ORIGINAL ERI0 CARD
==================

netstat -k eri0
eri0:
ipackets 525571 ierrors 365 opackets 8446 oerrors 0 collisions 85
ifspeed 10000000 rbytes 73324309 obytes 1118022 multircv 99205 multixmt 
6 brdcstrcv 415863
brdcstxmt 10 norcvbuf 0 noxmtbuf 0 inits 4 rx_inits 8 tx_inits 1
nocarrier 1 nocanput 0 allocbfail 0 drop 321 pasue_rcv_cnt 0
pasue_on_cnt 0 pasue_off_cnt 0 pasue_time_cnt 0 txmac_urun 0
txmac_maxpkt_err 0 excessive_coll 0 late_coll 0 first_coll 35
defer_timer_exp 0 peak_attempt_cnt 0 jabber 0 no_tmds 0
tx_hang 0 rx_corr 0 no_free_rx_desc 0 rx_overflow 0 rx_hang 0
rx_align_err 64 rx_crc_err 19 rx_length_err 0 rx_code_viol_err 0
bad_pkts 321 runt 40 toolong_pkts 279 rxtag_error 0 parity_error 0
pci_error_interrupt 0 unknown_fatal 0 pci_data_parity_err 0
pci_signal_target_abort 0 pci_rcvd_target_abort 0 pci_rcvd_master_abort 0
pci_signal_system_err 0 pci_det_parity_err 0 ipackets64 525571
opackets64 8446 rbytes64 73324309 obytes64 1118022 pmcap 4

=====================
NEW ZNYX NETWORK CARD
=====================

netstat -k znb0
znb0:
opackets 164848 oerrors 0 collisions 0   retry_error 0 late_collisions 0
nocarrier 0   uflo 0   defer 351 ipackets 164359 ierrors 0
crc 0         oflo 0

==========================
ORIGINAL QUESTION
==========================

> Hello,
>
> I have a SparcBlade 100 that I need to add an additional ethernet
> card to.  Looking over at the Sun store I see a part number X1033A
> which looks what I might need but the SparcBlade 100 is not listed
> as a platform for which it is compatible for.  Is this the card I
> need?
>
> Are there other options also??  This card list for $695.00.
>
> TIA.  I will summarize.
>
> Jerry

=======
REPLIES
=======

You might want to call the SunStore @ 800-SUN-0404.
Sun does not list all the compatibility information on
the web site.  They will give you specific information
if you call them.

(I don't have access to the sales/"X" numbers and just
called with the same type of question this morning and
they answered it for me.)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


This works....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That is, in fact, the card that Sun recommends.  I told them that the
price is ridiculous.

Here is where they referred me for 3rd party options:
	www.solutionssite.com

Haven't had a chance to check there yet....will be doing so shortly.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

   Unfortunately, there are no "standard" PC ethernet cards that
have drivers for SPARC Solaris (3Com, Intel, etc.)  You'll need to
get a PCI card with a Solaris driver, and that tends to cost quite
a bit more than PC-type cards.  Fortunately, Sun is not your only
solution.
      Cards based on Sun's "hme" chipset tend to work best
because you won't need any add-on drivers; you can find such
cards manufactured by Sun (at http://www.sun.com, of course),
IntraServer (http://www.intraserver.com), and Antares Microsystems
(http://www.antares.com), among others.  A company called Entrada
Networks (http://www.entradanet.com, formerly OSICOM) makes cards
based on DEC tulip chips and Intel 82559 chips with SPARC drivers
available; so does Znyx Networks (http://www.znyx.com).  Both
have single, dual, and quad port cards available; Znyx now has
some with 64-bit PCI support for servers.  Zynx's online order
page has their single-port ZX345Q-D1 for $99.00 - far less than
Sun's price.