[CentOS] Linux Kernel Physical Interface Limit

[Tim Nelson]

----- "Brian T. Brunner" <BBrunner at gai-tronics.com> wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: centos-bounces at centos.org 
> > [mailto:centos-bounces at centos.org] On Behalf Of Eero Volotinen
> > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 8:58 PM
> > To: CentOS mailing list
> > Subject: Re: [CentOS] Linux Kernel Physical Interface Limit
> > 
> > 2010/7/14 William Warren 
> > <hescominsoon at emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com>:
> > >  I think it's baloney mainly because i can't find a mention of it
> 
> > > anywhere.  Is there REALLY a limit on the number of 
> > physical network 
> > > interfaces in the Kernel?
> > 
> > can you really create hardware with huge number or real 
> > ethernet controllers?
> 
> 13x4 = 52 ether chips is possible with COTS hardware.

Even if the limit were lower, such as 10 physical interfaces as mentioned before, I have to imagine that the host system would have issues dealing with the number of interrupts needed to *PROPERLY* service all of those interfaces in addition to the other system hardware. They may all work, but your performance may be horrible. In that case, I would think one or two 10Gbe interfaces to a nice switch and the necessary VLANs would perform nicely.

Just my $0.02 USD.

--Tim