HPUX nic back-up configuration

[Maurizio_5]

Hi,
I've an hpux server with two NICs.
I'd like that one NIC is the back-up for the other one.
So both NICs should have the same IP address, but only one should work, the other NIC is in stand-by mode (no traffic routed) until the fault of the first.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Maurizio

[Steven E. Protter]

There is a file called /etc/rc.config.d/netconf

The backup card can be commented out in that file, though I don't think thats a good idea.

Better, keep a copy of /etc/rc.config.d in say the /root/ directory. You can NOT keep a copy in /etc/rc.config.d because it will be read when the machine starts.

in the backup file where it says lan1 you can change it to lan1

In most cases you are done. You may need to hardcode both configurations, commented into /etc/rc.config.d/hpbtlanconf with the second cards ideal duplex state commented out.

SEP

[Christopher Caldwell]

HP's MC/Serviceguard performs that function.

[Christopher Caldwell]

Serviceguard will transparently fail the primary interface to the backup (no loss of session).

[Bruno Vidal]

Hi,
If you want only stand-by lan card, a good choice can be also APA, it will do load balancing, and in case of lan failure, all traffic go throught the other one, and no specific configuration to do (and you have the load balancing for performance).

Cheers.

[Paula J Frazer-Campbell]

HI

If the server is on site just configure both cards the same - but only have one plugged in - in the event of a failure unplug the failed card and plug in the backup.


Paula

[Zafar A. Mohammed_1]

Check this link:
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x7093ee3e323bd5118fef0090279cd0f9,00.html

Thanks
Zafar

[Maurizio_5]

Hi,
1. On board we don't have any SW like Service guard.
I don't know APA, is it an HPUX application, and is it free?

2. Is it possible configure two nics with the same address but only one is working? If yes, is it possible to implement a shell script that pings the working NIC each one minute and if the ping doesn't go well the script starts up the other stand-by interface.

Maurizio

[Steven E. Protter]

Service Guard cost big bucks.

APA costs some money too.

Both are HP-UX add ins.

SEP

[Bruno Vidal]

Hi,
APA and MC/SG are not free. And no it is not possible to configure two lan with the same IP.
But I think that what you are looking for can be implemented by script on the same maner than MC/SG. You can configure a virtual IP that can be change from on lan to the other one, just by doing a polling on the subnet every 10/20 secondes, and if no answer, do an "ifconfig lanX:1 my_ip". But you will have to build the deamon that do the polling.

Cheers.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Maurizio:

'APA' stands for Auto-Port Aggregation. The product provides load-balancing and failover capabilities for LAN connections. See here (and the links therein) for more information:

http://www.hp.com/products1/unixserverconnectivity/adapters/apa_overview.html

Regards!

...JRF...