What hardware consideration should a technician make when installing an additional NIC in a server?

When installing an additional Network Interface Card (NIC) in a server, the technician should consider the bus type and speed. This is crucial because the NIC needs to interface correctly with the motherboard and the existing system architecture. Each NIC fits into a specific type of bus (such as PCIe, PCI, or others), and the bus speed directly impacts the performance of the NIC. If the bus type is incompatible or if the speed is inadequate, it could lead to suboptimal performance or failure to function altogether.

For example, if a technician attempts to install a high-speed NIC into a bus slot that does not support its speed, the NIC may not operate at its full potential, resulting in slower data transfer rates and a possible bottleneck in network performance. Hence, ensuring compatibility with the bus type and speed is a key factor in a successful installation of additional NICs.