Linux Enterprise Cluster: Build a Highly Available Cluster with Commodity Hardware and Free Software

Before installing the new NIC into your system, enter the following commands:

#lspci -v

and

#ifconfig -a | more

Note from the output of these commands which NIC's base addresses are already in use on your system and write them down (assuming it is a PCI NIC). You can also enter the command:

#lsmod

This will display the currently loaded modules your kernel is using (if you are using a modular kernel). On a standard Red Hat installation (which uses a modular kernel), this command will show you the network driver module the system has loaded to support your existing NIC(s).