Dell Emulex Family of Adapters - Manual (Page 1023)

Emulex Drivers Version 10.2 for VMware ESXi User Manual P010087-01A Rev. A
3. Configuration
NIC Driver Configuration
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Configuring ESXi 5.0 and 5.1 NIC Driver Parameters
The following table lists the user-configurable NIC driver parameters for ESXi 5.0 and
5.1. It includes a description of the parameter and its default value.
The following command line shows how to load the driver with the initial heap size set
to 40 MB:
# vmkload_mod be2net heap_initial=41943040
To configure the NIC driver to load with this value as the initial heap size after each
reboot, run the following command and reboot the system:
# esxcfg-module -s "heap_initial=41943040" be2net
Performance Tuning
Using vmxnet Emulation
Using vmxnet3 or vmxnet2 as the emulation driver in guest operating systems is crucial
for optimal network performance. To configure vmxnet3 as the emulation driver in
guest operating systems, you must install VMware Tools in the guest operating
systems. For information on installing VMware Tools in a guest operating system, refer
to the appropriate VMware ESXi Server documentation.
After VMware Tools are installed, when you add a network adapter for a guest
operating system, select vmxnet3 or vmxnet2 as the adapter type.
Enabling TSO
Some Emulex adapters support TSO, which is necessary to achieve optimal transmit
throughput performance with low CPU utilization with the adapter. TSO is enabled by
default in ESXi 5.0, 5.1, and 5.5 servers.
To view the current TSO configuration in the vSphere client:
1. Select the Configuration tab.
2. Under Software, click Advanced Settings.
3. Under Net Features, view the current value of Net.UseHwTSO.

If the value is 1, TSO is enabled.

If the value is 0, TSO is disabled.
Table 3-3 User-configurable NIC Driver Parameters
Parameter Default Value Description
heap_initial 32 MB The size of the memory heap, in bytes, that should be
initially allocated for the driver.
heap_max 38 MB The maximum possible size to which the driver heap is
allowed to grow.