# Transport Adapters

> Actions
> Adding an Adapter
> Removing an Adapter
> Replacing an Adapter
> Enabling an Adapter
> Disabling an Adapter

## Adding an Adapter

You might need to add an adapter for one of the following reasons:

- To upgrade hardware

- To add redundant hardware

  By adding redundant hardware to the cluster interconnect, you can improve performance and increase availability.

To add an adapter, complete the following steps:

| Recommended step. Ensure that your adapter is physically connected before you add it to your configuration. SunPlexTM Manager enables you to add an adapter to the configuration file without physically attaching the adapter to your cluster. If the adapter is configured and not attached, the cluster tries to use the adapter. If the cluster cannot use the adapter, the cluster generates error messages.

1. From the navigation frame in SunPlex Manager, choose Transports.

   If Transports is open, you can click Nodes/Adapters. If Nodes/Adapters is open, you can click a specific node or adapter.

2. From the Action Menu, choose Add Adapter.

   The Add Adapter window appears. You use this window to specify the name of the adapter that you want to add.

3. Choose the node that is to receive the new adapter.

4. Type the name of the adapter.

   You construct the name of the adapter by specifying a device name and a physical unit number. The following device names are supported:

   - bge
   - ce
   - eri
   - ge
   - hme
   - qfe
   - sci
   - wrsm

   An example of an adapter name is
   qfe3
   .

5. Click Add Transport Adapter.

   SunPlex Manager displays a confirmation message, including the command that is used to complete the task. Write down or copy this command for future use in scripts and other automated tasks.

When you add the adapter to the configuration, the adapter is displayed in the Adapter Properties table as "Disabled". Enable the adapter by using one of these two methods

- Manually enable the adapter by choosing Enable Adapter on the Action Menu. Enabling an Adapter describes how to enable an adapter.

- Create a complete transport segment by connecting and configuring a cable and its two endpoints, two adapters, or an adapter and a junction. All elements of the transport are enabled automatically when a complete segment is configured.

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## Removing an Adapter

You need to remove an adapter when you upgrade the adapter hardware.

| By performing this task you permanently remove the selected adapter from the cluster transport configuration. Ensure that the adapter is redundant. Also, ensure that the adapter does not isolate the cluster node from the rest of the cluster. Isolating the node renders the node inoperable as a cluster node. See the Sun Cluster 3.1 System Administration Guide for the command-line interface procedure to remove the last adapter from a complete transport path.

To remove an adapter, complete the following steps:

1. From the Transports section in the navigation frame in SunPlex Manager, choose Transports or Nodes/Adapters.

   The Transports window appears.

2. If you have not already, remove the cable that is connected to the adapter.

   When a cable is disabled, the two endpoints of the cable remain configured. You cannot remove an adapter if that adapter is still in use as an endpoint for a transport cable. See Removing a Cable.

3. From the Action Menu, choose Remove Adapter.

   A task window appears. This window prompts you to provide additional information.

4. Choose the node of the adapter to be removed.

5. Choose the adapter to be removed.

6. Click Remove Transport Adapter.

   SunPlex Manager displays a confirmation message, including the command that is used to complete the task. Write down or copy this command for future use in scripts and other automated tasks.

7. Physically remove the adapter.

   "Installing and Maintaining Cluster Interconnect Hardware" in the Sun Cluster 3.1 Hardware Administration Manual describes how to physically remove a cluster transport adapter.

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## Replacing an Adapter

You need to replace an adapter if your adapter fails. You can replace an adapter in one of two ways:

- Physically remove the old adapter and add a new adapter.

- Recommended procedure. Disable the old adapter and then enable the replacement adapter.
  By disabling the adapter first, you consequently prevent numerous error messages from appearing on the console.

To replace an adapter, complete the following steps:

1. Disable the adapter.
2. Replace the adapter, as described in the Sun Cluster 3.1 Hardware Administration Manual.
3. Enable the adapter.

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## Enabling an Adapter

To bring a replacement adapter online, you need to enable the adapter. This task is only necessary when the adapter is disabled. Enabling an adapter is the last task to replace an adapter.

1. From the Transports section in the navigation frame in SunPlex Manager, choose Transports or Nodes/Adapters.

   The Transports window appears.

2. From the Action Menu, choose Enable Adapter.

   A task window appears. This window prompts you to provide additional information.

3. Choose the node on which the adapter is located.

4. Choose the adapter to enable.

5. Click Enable Transport Adapter.

   SunPlex Manager displays a confirmation message, including the command that is used to complete the task. Write down or copy this command for future use in scripts and other automated tasks.

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## Disabling an Adapter

When an adapter fails, disable the adapter first. You consequently prevent numerous error messages from appearing on the console.

| By performing this task you disable the selected adapter, preventing the node from using the adapter for transport communication. SunPlex Manager does not disable the last interconnect from the configuration. Disabling the last adapter renders the cluster node inoperable.

To disable an adapter, complete the following steps:

1. From the Transports section in the navigation frame in SunPlex Manager, choose Transports or Nodes/Adapters.

   The Transports window appears.

2. From the Action Menu, choose Disable Adapter.

   A task window appears. This window prompts you to provide additional information.

3. Choose the node on which the adapter is located.

4. Choose the adapter to disable.

5. Click Disable Transport Adapter.

   SunPlex Manager displays a confirmation message, including the command that is used to complete the task. Write down or copy this command for future use in scripts and other automated tasks.

6. Physically remove the adapter.

   "Installing and Maintaining Cluster Interconnect Hardware" in the Sun Cluster 3.1 Hardware Administration Manual describes how to physically remove a cluster transport adapter.

7. Enable the replacement adapter.

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