Port aggregation/trunking

[Niknok]

Hi!

Can you guys provide the steps on performing port aggregation/trunking on a VC Flex? I want to combine the other 3 ports so that we can lessen the bottleneck for the production uplink.

Thanks!

[Bart_Heungens]

Hi,

On VC side it is fairly simple... Just create a SUS or network port with multiple physical ports in it and that's it...

On switch side you have to create at least a LACP trunk (802.3ad)...

Find on this URL more info on this including a link to a great document specificaly for Cisco Admins...

http://www.bitcon.be/?p=801

Kr,

Bart

[Niknok]

Thanks for the reply!

For example, the virtual connect has 4 ports and i would like to link or trunk the 3 ports so that I can have a 3 GB port. I can do that right?

Can you provide the steps using the GUI on the VC?

How can I use the link if I'm using an hp product?

[Bart_Heungens]

Hi,

Much depends of which version of firmware that you are running on the VC modules... In the latest versions Flash functionality was added which makes the actions a little different...

Most important is if you want to put multiple VLANs on this trunk or not? If yes you have to create a SUS Smart Uplink Set, otherwise a Ethernet Network is sufficient.

When creating you are asked to add Ecternal Uplink ports... There you have to select the 3 ports you want to use...

What do you mean with :How can I use the link if I'm using an hp product? You mean a HP network switch? On my blog there is a sortlike document comparing Cisco and HP switches... It is Cisco that is using other names like Etherchannel while most of the others are using LACP or 802.1ad...

Kr,

Bart

[Niknok]

Thanks again for the fast reply!

I only want to link the ports since the first port has already become a bottleneck. I would like to combine the 3 remaining port so that we can use higher bandwith.

I haven't checked the firmware but can you provide steps?

[Bart_Heungens]

Hi,

This is really hard since sometimes you have to push a button and sometimes you have to rightclick depending of the software version...

If you have already an existing connection with 1 physical link in it, just go to the properties of it and where you see your physical uplinkm there should be an option to add additional NICs... Just select port 2, 3 and 4...

Shouldn't be that difficult...

Kr,

Bart

[Niknok]

Oh i see. About the existing connection, I'm afraid to touch it since were using it as a production. That is why I'm only allowed to configure the remaining ports.

[Bart_Heungens]

You can create a new second network with the 3 other cables but there will be no trafic on it since your blade profile is linked to the first connection... At 1 moment in time you will have to switch from the first network to the second network...

Best is to extend the existing network and add the 3 cables...

NORMALLY this can be done online but this depends of a lot of factors like firmware, switch at the outside, firmware and drivers of the blades, etc etc...

Kr,

Bart

[Niknok]

Yeah that's what were going to do. Were just going to test it by switching to the other network. I'm afraid that if I extend the existing one I might cause some problems.

[Niknok]

So that's it? All I have to do is to create an SUS and add ports and they are all linked? How will I know if they are working? Thanks so much!