Network redundancy situation on Server with two ethernet cards.

[Anu Mathew]

I have an L3000 server with 2 ethernet cards. I wanted to know the possibility of implementing the following.

Both the cards are configured in the kernel and only one card is assigned an IP address, eventhough both are connected to the network device (hub). If the card with IP address fails, the system should bring the other card on to job with the same IP address. This will provide redundancy from the network point of view.

Is such a solution possible in HP-UX? I dont have MC-Service Guard installed.

Thanks a lot for your time.


Anu Mathew

[Patrick Wallek]

I don't think it is possible to do what you want without MC/SG. This will work with MC/SG.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Anu:

If you are running on 11.x you could look at AUTO PORT AGGREGATION (product #J4240AA). This software allows multiple lan cards to be configured on the same subnet/network for load balancing and redundancy.

For more information, see:

http://www.hp.com/products1/unixserverconnectivity/software/index.html

...JRF...

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Guys, I suppose if I were challenged to make this work I could come up with a scheme that would work (APA or MC/SG is much easier and more robust but Anu asked)
Suppose lan0 periodically pings a remote device
(probably a switch) and it fails. It really doesn't matter if the local NIC is down, the cable, or the switch - it's down and we need to do something.) After a few failed ping attempts we then do an ifconfig on lan0 and mark it down. We then do an ifconfig on lan1 setting ip address, subnet, etc. and marking it up. Hopefully lan1 is even connected to an alternate switch for added redundancy. We might have to clean up some routing tables and caches but I think it could be made to work. I didn't say it was easy. I do assume the lanadmin stuff was done at boot.
Note: I do not assert that this is a wise plan only that I think I could pull it off.
Clay

[Kristopher March]

Clay,

Did you ever do anything with this?

I'm looking for a use out of my second NIC on a V-class without adding addtional software, etc.