Best way of changing from ALB to LACP

[CRiiser]

SO Im going to change from ALB on an live system to run LACP.

Ive got the 9.5 SAN/IQ running P4500G2 (8 of them) and Im running also HP 8212 switches. Now ALB - that just works. But I've changed on some of our prod nodes into LACP and it was an proper mess to be honest.

So instead of rebooting - cursing etc etc - I was thinking - MAYBE someone here has done this before me and have some DOs and DON'Ts...

The initial steps Ive come to is:

1) Break ALB.

2) Assign IP adresses to BOTH NICs.

3) Make sure all  settings are the same on the nics. Flow control / 1000 Speed / Full Duplex.

4) Logon to the switch.

5) Prep the commands for creating an LACP trunk and also prep the command for assiging the Untagged iSCSI VLAN to the LACP trunk.

6) Enable the LACP Bond in the CMC.

7) Fast as HELL. Enable the LACP in the switch and assign it to the iSCSI Vlan.

8) Hope that it will work.....

9) DO show lacp - MANY times......

10) Somethims this works.. Sometimes one needs to restart the node using iLO2.. :(

So - How would you do ??? Any more creative way?!

/Christian

[Northwoods]

When making the changes I would down one of the ports on the 8212 until everything configured and live then bring it up at the end.

[CRiiser]

For me, it would be helpful if you chould share why this would be your plan of action.

Br, Christian

[Gediminas Vilutis]

Interesting problem, so I tested it on my labs' P4300 G2. Proper way seems to be:

1. Delete ALB bond. CMC assigns bonds' IP address to one NIC of bond (no communications breaked during this step).

2. Now all traffic flows through one switch port, second port is inactive (you can see which port is active by checking mac addresses on ports). Create LACP trunk with only this inactive NIC and place it in iSCSI vlan

3. Create LACP bond on storage system with two NICs. In my case manager on storage system disconnected from quorum for 4 seconds and returned, no other consequences. Now storage system runs on LACP trunk with only active NIC in it.

4. On switch - add inactive port to trunk and bingo.

Gedas

[CRiiser]

Sounds like an GREAT plan!. I will test this and come back to you :)

/Christian