myrinet backwards compatibility

Hi, we sent this message to [email protected], but thought we'd post it here 
in case any users can chime in on their experience/attempts.

Thanks.

> Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2006 15:39:41 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: compatibility of older cards
> 
> 
> Hi --
> 
> This is a question about whether older cards will work with
> newer cards in the same network:
> 
> We have a setup consisting of
> 
> (25)    M3F-PCI64B-2    fiber 2000 cards
> (25)    M3F-CB-*M       fiber cables
> (4)     M3-SW16-8F      8 port fiber line cards
> (4)     M3-BLANK        blank line card
> (1)     M3-E64          5U enclosure
> (1)     M3-M            monitoring line card
> 
> being used in Tyan Tiger MPX motherboards with Althon MP2000
> processors.
> 
> 
> We recently obtained extra NIC cards and switch cards
> from another lab:
> 
> 
> 3rd-generation, Myrinet-2000, serial-port (M3S) components:
> 
> (17)    M3S-PCI64B-2    cards, round cable 2001
> (16)    round cables
> (1)     M3-SW16-8S      switch module, round cables, 8 ports
> (1)     M3-SPINE-8S     switch module, round cables, 8 ports
> (1)     M3-E16          2 module switch chassis  $1600
> 
> 
> 2nd-generation, Myrinet-1280, SAN (M2M) components:
> 
> (4)     M3M-PCI64B-2    cards, ribbon cable, 2000
> (10)    M2M-PCI64A-2    cards, ribbon cable
> (17)    flat ribbon cables
> (1)     M2M-SW16 16     port switch, flat ribbon, not modular
> 
> 
> We would like to move our fiber based network to a new cluster
> with PCI-X slots, and hopefully integrate the equipment we
> obtained from the other lab into this new network.
> 
> So here are the questions:
> 
> 1. Can we move M3F-PCI64B-2 NICs to a new cluster with PCI-X
> slots and AMD opteron processors?
> 
> 2. Which of the equipment listed above, that we obtained from
> the other lab, can we integrate into this network, based on the
> M3-E64 chassis?  i.e., can we mix M3F and M3S in the same
> network?  How about adding in M3M-PCI64B-2 or M2M cards?
> 
> 3. Can we use the most recent gm drivers, which have dynamic
> mapping, with all of the cards?  Are any of the older cards
> restricted to using older drivers?
> 
> 4. Can you send us detailed information on the older cards
> and line cards?
> 
> 5. Do you have any type of trade-in upgrade program?


Darin Ernst and John Wright