Multiple Interface Cards?

[dayhox]

Anyone have an idea as to the best method for utilizing Multiple NIC cards. In the FMS Admin Guide it states: "FileMaker Server works with your network operating system's ability to utilize multiple network interface cards (NICs). You can use multiple NICs and IP address aliases to provide your clients better access to hosted databases."(pg 9)

Is this right?: So I've got two cards, with 2 public & static IP addresses, my DNS maps the same hostname "fmp.server.com" to both IP addresses 10.1.1.1 and 10.1.1.2. Does one of the NICs have to be set up so that it doesn't route traffic out? i.e. Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.255

Does my FMS have to have the Host Address as the hostname "fmp.server.com" or can it have one of the IP Addresses?

Thanks,

d

[dayhox]

Found an answer:

Bonding/Trunking is currently not available in Mac OS 10, yet (Tiger is reported to support it). However a company http://www.small-tree.com provides Link Aggregation Software (and some NIC cards too) that provides bonding $299. So the two NICs in my Xserve will both have the same IP address allowing 2 Gb/second transfer of my FileMaker Databases to my LAN. They offer a 30 day trial download.

[dayhox]

CAVEAT:

In order to use this software you'll need a switch that supports IEEE 802.3ad, which many/most/all off the shelf switches cannot handle. These switches range from $1000 and up depending on how many ports you'd like.