Link Aggregation in AIX or Network bonding

Link Aggregation in AIX or Network bonding

Link aggregation means you can give one IP address to two network cards and connect to two different switches for redundancy purpose. In this only one network card will be active in one time, and when it got failed the other network card goes active and let us continue our work.

It is better to use through SMIT.

#smit

then goto

Devices > Communication > EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation > Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation

here select the network card that you want to use, ie active.

Eg: select ent0

IMP : then select Mode as 8023ad

then select backup adapter for redundancy.(press F4 to show N/W adapters.)

Eg: ent1

press enter.

now ent0 and ent1 got bonded.

then automatically a virtual adapter will be created named ent2.

then put IP address and all to this virtual adapter.

#smit

Communications Applications and Services > TCP/IP > Minimum Configuration & Startup

here select ent2 ( new bonded virtual adapter )

put IP Address and all,

give start now option.

Now you are successfully completed Link aggregation and check whether it works or not by removing the 2nd cable to the network card and check ping, then put the 2nd cable and remove 1st cable. 2 - 3 drops normally occurs in my experience.

Example 

Question How do I setup Link Aggregation?

Answer

Question: How do I setup link aggregation? In order to get this to work correctly LACP must be enabled on the switch. Also make sure that the adapters do not have an ip address already configured on them because it will not work. Step 1: Type smitty etherchannel Step 2: Select Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Step 3: Select your primary adapters. In our example we will use ent1 and ent3. To select your primary adapters you will use F7 to select the adapters. Hit enter when done. Step 4: To use Link Aggregation you must change the mode to 8023ad for link aggregation. Scroll down where you see Mode and hit F4 where it will give you your options. Hit enter after you have selected 8023ad. Step 5: Your etherchannel should have been created in our example it created ent5. Now you can configure the new interface with an ip address and verify that all is working.  * Source Article from : Internet