topic Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration in Operating System - Linux

Linux bonding and Switch configuration

NIC bonding and switch — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:37:30 GMT

have configured linux bonding using mode 0 (rr) and working fine.Trying to connect each port to two different cisco switches for switch redundancy. May i know is there anything i need to configure at the switch level cos i am getting Mac address flapping.

OS is RHEL3.0 AS3.0x86_64 U6.

Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration

Ivan Ferreira — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:15:08 GMT

As far I know, round robin requires switch link aggregation. I think that this is not possible on independen switches, you should use mode 1 (failover).

Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration

NIC bonding and switch — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:21:06 GMT

Thanks. What about for other modes ? like 4,5 or 6 ? can i connect them to 2 different switches for redundancy. As far as i know, don't think RHEL3.0 support mode 4,5 and 6. Please correct me if i am wrong.
Cheers,

Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration

rick jones — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 21:08:04 GMT

can you define "fine" in this case? it has always been my understanding that round-robin apcket scheduling (on a packet by packet basis) is an invitation to getting TCP segments out of order.

TCP will "cope" but will not operate as efficiently. Particularly if the bond/trunk/aggregate starts to get above two links.

For official protocols, switches probably grok LACP. What mode number that happens to be escapes me presently - might be nice for thelinux bonding software to be enhanced to take human-meaningful names for the modes...

Ciscos also like Fast Etherchannel.

This last bit is stretching my dimm memory, but if you want "active-active" with multiple switches you need support for "meshing"

Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration

Steven E. Protter — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 22:44:08 GMT

Shalom,

For full functionality in modes other than 0 you need to configure the switch. A lot of Cisco admin's don't know how to do this.

Active-Active configuration freaks out the switch, for lack of a better term and you lose networking altogether.

SEP

Re: Linux bonding and Switch configuration

Sergejs Svitnevs — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:34:33 GMT

With the split-MLT in the Nortel switches, they appear as a single switch to the bond port and you configuration will be possible. AFAIK, Cisco switches do not have these features.

Regards