I am using an Intel "Sossaman" Dual processer Dual Core 2GHz server platform based on Intel e7520 chipset and there are two Gigabit Ethernet ports integrated via PCI-X. The system comes with an Intel Boot Agent GE v1.2.28 and with a Bios v02.53. The OS is Linux Fedora Core 4 - Kernel 2.6.18.

I am testing routing and forwarding capabilities of the above mentioned system, and I would see if assigning different interrupts to the two network ports (by default they share the same IRQ 16), could improve the overall performance. Changing them in the traditional way through the OS (e.g. change network module options, change linux boot options) did not succeed, as they are controlled by the Intel Boot Agent. The Boot Agent is controlled by the Bios, as the Intel IBAUtil tool suggested me. Therefore I tried to change the Boot order in the Bios by disabling also the Boot Agent, but still the two network IRQs are the same and fixed. How can I disable the Boot Agent in order to change the IRQs or is there another way around to achieve this? Hope to hear soon from you!

Best regards,