File:Virtual IO Server Shared Ethernet Adapter compared to Integrated Virtual Ethernet.jpg

The Integrated Virtual Ethernet adapter is a standard feature of every POWER6 processor-based 570, 560, 550, and 520 server. You can select from different offerings according to the specific IBM System p server. The IVE consists of a physical Ethernet adapter that is connected directly to the GX+ bus of a POWER6 processor-based server instead of being connected to a PCIe or PCI-X bus, either as an optional or integrated PCI adapter. This provides IVE with the high throughput and low latency of a bus imbedded in the I/O controller. IVE also includes special hardware features that provide logical Ethernet adapters. These adapters can communicate directly to logical partitions (LPARs), reducing the interaction with the POWER Hypervisor™ (PHYP).In addition to 10 Gbps speeds, the IVE can provide familiar 1 Gbps Ethernet connectivity common on POWER5 and POWER5+™ processor-based servers. Prior to IVE, virtual Ethernet provided a connection between LPARs. The use of an SEA and the Virtual I/O Server allowed connection to an external network. The IVE replaces the need for both the virtual Ethernet and the SEA. It provides most of the function of each. Therefore, this eliminates the need to move packets (using virtual Ethernet) between partitions and then through a shared Ethernet adapter (SEA) to an Ethernet port. LPARs can share IVE ports with improved performance. The figure shows a Virtual I/O Server configuration on the left, and IVE on the right. The figure shows Virtual I/O Server Shared Ethernet Adapter compared to Integrated Virtual Ethernet The IVE feature offers a choice of two or four Ethernet ports running at 1 Gbps and two ports running at 10 Gbps depending on the feature selected. In the case of an IBM System p 570 server, clients that are using 1 Gbps connection bandwidth in their IT infrastructure could move up to 10 Gbps infrastructure by adding a new System p 570 enclosure with the Integrated 2-port 10 Gbps virtual Ethernet. A MES upgrade from one IVE feature code to another for single-CEC systems is not supported at the time of writing. In the case of a one or two-CEC 9117-MMA configuration, an MES of an additional CEC may contain any available IVE feature code as part of the updated configuration.

Source: redp-4340-00 Integrated Virtual Ethernet Adapter Technical Overview and Introduction