VMware/Microsoft NLB and H3C Switches.

[L1nklight]

I had some questions based on Static ARP and Mac Address table setup for the HP 5800s. I have a Microsoft NLB cluster that I need to setup in a specific manner for multicast. 

• This article from VMware illustrates how the Microsoft NLB Multicast configuration is setup inside of Windows 2008 R2
• This article from VMware illustrates how to setup the Multicast settings on Cisco Switches

One of the problems I am having is that the "arp static" command keeps kicking back the following message:

[A3IDC_CORE_10.1]arp static 10.248.39.110 03bf-0af8-276e

 Error: Invalid MAC address.

I don't understand why that is an invalid mac address. The second problem I am having is that it appears like the "mac-address static" command will only take a single interface which won't due at all because at minimum the mac-address of the NLB virtual node will exist on 2 ports (active/passive VMware vSwitch NICs). 

How do I achieve what I am attempting to do? 

[Fredrik Lönnman]

This has been discussed, maybe this will help: http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Comware-Based/Microsoft-NLB-Support/td-p/5334135#.UIAeFsXMg_k

[PRCMIS]

We have been battling with this same issue on a5500 switches.  We can only see the Microsoft NLB work on layer 2 ,  on the same subnet as the NLB cluster.  The virtual IP cluster address will not route to other subnets.  These are layer three switches and should handle this.

[L1nklight]

I've engaged some various vendors to see if there is a solution to this. I looked at Fredrik's link and it doesn't seem to work/make sense to me. You still have to create a static association at some point with the mac-address and the IP address of the NLB virtual place holder. On top of that my configuration gets more complex because I am not using standard access ports I am using trunk ports for all my VMware links. 

[manuel.bitzi]

Hi all

MS NLB on the HP 5500 EI is supported since R2208. You only have to configure "undo arp check enable" and it works. If you would prevent to flood the packet over the hole vlan, configure "mac multicast ...". "arp static ..." is not needed because the entry is added dynamicly.

I installed a 5500 EI IRF Stack with MS NLB last week. The NLB-Server are on differenz ESX hosts.

br

Manuel

[L1nklight]

Will this work for an A5800 though? I am not sure where or when we switched from a 5800 to a 5500... 

[manuel.bitzi]

I'm sorry, my fault! :-)

But on the "Layer 3 - IP Services Configuration Guide" of the 5800 on Page 6, Chapter "Configuring multicast ARP for NLB" you can read, that it works:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/CoreRedirect.jsp?redirectReason=DocIndexPDF&prodSeriesId=4177501&targetPage=http%3A%2F%2Fbizsupport2.austin.hp.com%2Fbc%2Fdocs%2Fsupport%2FSupportManual%2Fc02648794%2Fc02648794.pdf

br

Manuel

[L1nklight]

Seems to be a broken link. Any chances you're around to update it?

[L1nklight]

Ok well I found the guide here: http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02648794/c02648794.pdf. I have configured the ARP stuff accordingly but it still doesn't seem to be working. I am having difficultly pinging the ip address.

Here is where I think this is getting complex. This entire setup exists inside of VMware. There are no physical access ports connected to the ESX servers. All of the ports are trunked and VLAN tagged. So for example, currently the mac and ip address exist on a vswitch on esxi server 1 on vlan 9. During DRS scenarios though, the NLB node could be migrated to esxi server 2 on vlan 9. The ports that are connected to both these switches are trunked and are permitting vlans 2 through 10 on those specific trunked ports. Also, each one of the vswitches has two NICs assigned to it in an active/standby configuration.

[L1nklight]

Just giving everyone a heads up. Right now, HP Support is leaning towards the fact that this is most likely because I am using this on a trunk port. They claim that they have a working demo on an access port. Unfortunately I cannot accomodate HP Support as my ESXi servers require the trunked ports.