APA Question

[KPS]

I'm in the process of setting up an APA LAN Failover Group on my HP-UX 11.23 (ia64) system. This system currently has active users on it. I've run all the steps up until the lanapplyconf. All looks good with my setup and config.

My question:

Can I run lanapplyconf with a live system with users on it. Is it going to take the single interface off the network temporarily while it activates that lan900 failover group that I'm setting up? I would prefer to do this online if possible if there's no risk. Any recommendations/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
KPS

[Dave Olker]

I'm not sure I understand. Are you re-assigning an active NIC into an APA group or are you asking about active connections on, say, lan0 but the interfaces in the APA group are lan1 and lan2?

Please give a specific example about which interfaces will be in the APA group, which are already in use, and which interfaces you're concerned about disrupting?

Thanks,

Dave

[KPS]

We will be taking an active NIC (lan0) and adding it to a Failover Group of lan900. While we apply the lan900, we're wondering if traffic going to the active NIC will hang or be disrupted?

[KPS]

I forgot one detail....

After we enable the lan900 Failover Group, it will be made up of interfaces lan0 and lan1.

[Dave Olker · Accepted solution]

I've never tried this before but I have to imagine things will get disrupted when a live NIC gets added to a trunk. I've always created APA trunks using spare NICs, never live NICs, because usually the trunks have to be configured on the switch to match the APA configuration and if you start changing the switch configuration with live connections who knows what will happen.

So, my advice would be to schedule this change during a maintenance window or when traffic is light. Again, never tried it but my guess is it will be disruptive.

Dave

[rick jones]

I am reasonably certain you have to "down" an interface before you can add it to an aggregate. So, unless you have an alternative path to replace the NIC you will be bringing down, yes, you should assume there will be some disruption.

I do not know if one can actively add an additional interface to the aggregate, without the aggregate itself being down. If you can, they in _theory_ if both interfaces (your current lan0) and the lan900 you are trying to create could be ifconfig'ed at the same time in the same subnet (but with different specific IP's) and you _might_ minimize the distruption.

[KPS]

Thanks everyone,

We'll tread on the side of caution and expect that there could be some sort of disruption while forming this new Failover Group.

Thanks,
/KPS