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What are the main functions and property settings of the network card?

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Author : CETUS INTL
Update time : 2024-06-20 10:43:11
We have briefly introduced what a network card is before. This article will focus on the main functions of the network card and its settings.

Main functions
1. Data Encapsulation and Decapsulation
When you send data, include a header and footer, this will connect the information from the previous layer. Also, an Ethernet frame will be created. Upon reception, remove the header and footer from the Ethernet frame before forwarding it to the preceding layer.

2. Link management
The CSMA/CD protocol mainly implements it.

3. Processing of Data Encoding and Decoding
Specifically, the Manchester encoding and decoding process. In tech communication, it represents the code that mixes data and timing signals in a bit stream before sending. People frequently use it in areas such as Ethernet communication, train bus management, industrial bus, and various other sectors.

What are the main functions and property settings of the network card?

Property settings
Advanced network card options can improve network performance:
Effective use of CPU: jumbo frames vs. offload function
If the server performance is poor, it may be because of heavy network load. Most files are split into many packets or frames, ranging from hundreds to millions. The standard size for an Ethernet packet is 1518 bytes.
Jumbo frames carry more data per packet, thus reducing the number of packets needed for network transmission.
Administrators must set up all nodes on the network to accommodate jumbo frames. This means that Network Interface Cards (NICs) can support different sizes of jumbo frames.
Bandwidth delays experienced by nodes can cause delays in sending packets, which may result in lost or damaged packets. When nodes have to wait for bandwidth, they may experience delays in sending packets that could be lost or damaged.

Throughput: Adjustable Gap vs. Ethernet Upgrades
Ethernet waits for a period after sending each packet, known as the gap. This gives other network nodes a chance to grab bandwidth and send packets. The gap is equal to the time it takes to send 96 bits of data.
Sending packets at the same interval may not always be effective. This can lead to reduced network efficiency, especially during busy times. NICs with adaptive frame spacing can change frame spacing based on network load, potentially boosting network performance. Modifying the frame spacing typically won't enhance network performance unless you're nearing the network bandwidth limit.
Thorough network performance evaluations can reveal patterns in network usage. If your Ethernet connection is slow, consider upgrading to a faster Ethernet or using NIC bonding. This can help improve network performance. Instead of adjusting frame spacing, try these alternatives.

Limit CPU interrupts to improve CPU performance
As packets travel across the network, the NIC generates CPU interrupts. Faster Ethernet requires more CPU power to handle network tasks like processing packets and managing driver interrupts. If the traffic is fluctuating, the CPU performance may become unstable.
NICs that support artificial interrupt throttling can reduce the frequency of CPU interrupts. Taking the CPU off the NIC may improve CPU performance.
High interrupt throttling can slow down CPU responsiveness, causing delays in processing all generated interrupts. When small, high-speed packets arrive in near real time, limiting interrupts will reduce performance. Test your network and CPU performance in various modes. Keep testing until you have a system that responds smoothly to CPU interrupts.
Also consider NICs that support TCP/IP offload. These NICs can handle many CPU-intensive tasks in-line while reducing interrupt requests to the CPU.

Prioritize time-sensitive data types: Enable packet marking
Usually, systems regard data types that are sensitive to events as high-priority traffic. Nonetheless, the network processes all packets uniformly. Packet marking enables the operating system to categorize marked packets into traffic queues. The system prioritizes the processing of high-priority VoIP and video packets over other packets with lower priority.
If network performance is below a defined baseline, you can adjust the NIC. But be sure to benchmark the server and NIC before making configuration changes.
The suggested changes to the NIC won't lead to substantial performance enhancements, but they are not constrained by budget. Evaluate and track network performance over time to spot any unexpected results.

That's it for the main features and property settings of NICs.