Does ethernet bonding work and which kernel is required?

[Thomas H Dr Pierce]

Dear Poweredge Users,

I have a PE2850 with dual Intel 1 Gbit ethernet interfaces which talk to 
the user network  and a PCI (32 bit) Intel Dual  1 Gbit  ethernet 
interfaces which talk to the private cluster network.  My question is 
"Should I "bond" the dual PCI interfaces into a virtual ethernet interface 
to improve thruput  and latency?"

I am not sure this can even work. I have Linux 2.4.21-4.ELsmp RedHat 
Enterprise Release 3 running on the Poweredge.  I have heard references to 
bonding being incorporated into a specific kernel as succeeding 
generations in 2004.  Is RedHat Rel 3 new enough?  Also this link says 
that bonding is not very effective ( 
http://www.clustermonkey.net//content/view/61/32/ ) . And I have not found 
any statistics or metrics on how much better is can be. 

To dispel a related issue, yes the 3Com 1 Gbit switch that I use, can 
support bonded ethernet, but does it improve the network? 
------
Sincerely,

   Tom Pierce
 
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