EtherChannel and IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation are network port
aggregation technologies that allow several Ethernet adapters to be
aggregated together to form a single pseudo Ethernet device. For
example, ent0 and ent1 can be aggregated into an EtherChannel adapter
called ent2; interface ent2 would then be configured with an IP address.
The system considers these aggregated adapters as one adapter. The
switch side should be configured accordingly.
Considerations
> Switch side configuration should be done prior to the the AIX side etherchannel configuration
> All the adapters should have same speed and duplex settings
> The interfaces, which are going to be part of etherchannel should be in down and detached state.(smitty chinet)
Bring down the interfaces, if they are active, also the devices should be in detached state.
# ifconfig en0 down detach
# ifconfig en1 down detach
Creating new Etherchannel adapter with smitty
# smitty etherchannel
EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation
Move cursor to desired item and press Enter.
List All EtherChannels / Link Aggregations
Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation << SELECT, then Enter
Change/Show Characteristics of an EtherChannel/Link Aggregation
Remove An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
Force A Failover In An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
F5=Reset F6=Command F7=Edit F8=Image
F9=Shell F10=Exit Enter=Do
Now the EtherChannel creation screen, you have to enter the interfaces, which are going to be part of EtherChannel. In my case it is ent0 and ent1. If you want to provide an Backup adapter, you can. EtherChannel will be resilient enough, in case of ent0 or ent1. If both fails, that case the Backup adapter comes into picture.
Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Adapters ent0,ent1 +
Enable Alternate Address no +
Alternate Address [] +
Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames no +
Mode standard +
Hash Mode default +
Backup Adapter +
Automatically Recover to Main Channel yes +
Perform Lossless Failover After Ping Failure yes +
Internet Address to Ping []
Number of Retries [] +#
Retry Timeout (sec) [] +#
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
F5=Reset F6=Command F7=Edit F8=Image
F9=Shell F10=Exit Enter=Do
Press Enter
Find the newly created Etherchannel Adapter
# lsdev -Cc adapter -t ibm_ech
ent2 Available EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation
Setting IP Address for the newly created Etherchannel adapter
# smitty chinet
lqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqk
x Available Network Interfaces x
x x
x Move cursor to desired item and press Enter. x
x x
x en0 1L-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x
x en1 1j-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x
x en2 Standard Ethernet Network Interface << SELECT x
x et0 1L-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x et1 1j-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x et2 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x x
x F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel x
x Esc+8=Image Esc+0=Exit Enter=Do x
x /=Find n=Find Next x
mqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqj
Change / Show a Standard Ethernet Interface
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
Network Interface Name en2
INTERNET ADDRESS (dotted decimal) [192.168.1.100]
Network MASK (hexadecimal or dotted decimal) [255.255.255.0]
Current STATE up +
Use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)? yes +
BROADCAST ADDRESS (dotted decimal) []
Interface Specific Network Options
('NULL' will unset the option)
rfc1323 []
tcp_mssdflt []
tcp_nodelay []
tcp_recvspace []
tcp_sendspace []
Apply change to DATABASE only no +
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
Esc+5=Reset Esc+6=Command Esc+7=Edit Esc+8=Image
Esc+9=Shell Esc+0=Exit Enter=Do
Show the Etherchannel Adapter properties
# ifconfig -a
en2: flags=5e080863,c0<UP,BROADCAST,NOTRAILERS,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST,GROUPRT,64BIT,CHECKSUM_OFFLOAD(ACTIVE),PSEG,LARGESEND,CHAIN>
inet 192.168.1.100 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255
tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 65536 rfc1323 0
lo0: flags=e08084b<UP,BROADCAST,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST,GROUPRT,64BIT>
inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 127.255.255.255
inet6 ::1/0
tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 131072 rfc1323 1
# lsattr -El ent2
adapter_names ent0,ent1 EtherChannel Adapters True
alt_addr 0x000000000000 Alternate EtherChannel Address True
auto_recovery yes Enable automatic recovery after failover True
backup_adapter NONE Adapter used when whole channel fails True
hash_mode default Determines how outgoing adapter is chosen True
mode standard EtherChannel mode of operation True
netaddr 0 Address to ping True
noloss_failover yes Enable lossless failover after ping failure True
num_retries 3 Times to retry ping before failing True
retry_time 1 Wait time (in seconds) between pings True
use_alt_addr no Enable Alternate EtherChannel Address True
use_jumbo_frame no Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames True
Considerations
> Switch side configuration should be done prior to the the AIX side etherchannel configuration
> All the adapters should have same speed and duplex settings
> The interfaces, which are going to be part of etherchannel should be in down and detached state.(smitty chinet)
Bring down the interfaces, if they are active, also the devices should be in detached state.
# ifconfig en0 down detach
# ifconfig en1 down detach
Creating new Etherchannel adapter with smitty
# smitty etherchannel
EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation
Move cursor to desired item and press Enter.
List All EtherChannels / Link Aggregations
Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation << SELECT, then Enter
Change/Show Characteristics of an EtherChannel/Link Aggregation
Remove An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
Force A Failover In An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
F5=Reset F6=Command F7=Edit F8=Image
F9=Shell F10=Exit Enter=Do
Now the EtherChannel creation screen, you have to enter the interfaces, which are going to be part of EtherChannel. In my case it is ent0 and ent1. If you want to provide an Backup adapter, you can. EtherChannel will be resilient enough, in case of ent0 or ent1. If both fails, that case the Backup adapter comes into picture.
Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Adapters ent0,ent1 +
Enable Alternate Address no +
Alternate Address [] +
Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames no +
Mode standard +
Hash Mode default +
Backup Adapter +
Automatically Recover to Main Channel yes +
Perform Lossless Failover After Ping Failure yes +
Internet Address to Ping []
Number of Retries [] +#
Retry Timeout (sec) [] +#
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
F5=Reset F6=Command F7=Edit F8=Image
F9=Shell F10=Exit Enter=Do
Press Enter
Find the newly created Etherchannel Adapter
# lsdev -Cc adapter -t ibm_ech
ent2 Available EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation
Setting IP Address for the newly created Etherchannel adapter
# smitty chinet
lqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqk
x Available Network Interfaces x
x x
x Move cursor to desired item and press Enter. x
x x
x en0 1L-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x
x en1 1j-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x
x en2 Standard Ethernet Network Interface << SELECT x
x et0 1L-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x et1 1j-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x et2 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x
x x
x F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel x
x Esc+8=Image Esc+0=Exit Enter=Do x
x /=Find n=Find Next x
mqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqj
Change / Show a Standard Ethernet Interface
Type or select values in entry fields.
Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes.
[Entry Fields]
Network Interface Name en2
INTERNET ADDRESS (dotted decimal) [192.168.1.100]
Network MASK (hexadecimal or dotted decimal) [255.255.255.0]
Current STATE up +
Use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)? yes +
BROADCAST ADDRESS (dotted decimal) []
Interface Specific Network Options
('NULL' will unset the option)
rfc1323 []
tcp_mssdflt []
tcp_nodelay []
tcp_recvspace []
tcp_sendspace []
Apply change to DATABASE only no +
F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel F4=List
Esc+5=Reset Esc+6=Command Esc+7=Edit Esc+8=Image
Esc+9=Shell Esc+0=Exit Enter=Do
Show the Etherchannel Adapter properties
# ifconfig -a
en2: flags=5e080863,c0<UP,BROADCAST,NOTRAILERS,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST,GROUPRT,64BIT,CHECKSUM_OFFLOAD(ACTIVE),PSEG,LARGESEND,CHAIN>
inet 192.168.1.100 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255
tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 65536 rfc1323 0
lo0: flags=e08084b<UP,BROADCAST,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST,GROUPRT,64BIT>
inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 127.255.255.255
inet6 ::1/0
tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 131072 rfc1323 1
# lsattr -El ent2
adapter_names ent0,ent1 EtherChannel Adapters True
alt_addr 0x000000000000 Alternate EtherChannel Address True
auto_recovery yes Enable automatic recovery after failover True
backup_adapter NONE Adapter used when whole channel fails True
hash_mode default Determines how outgoing adapter is chosen True
mode standard EtherChannel mode of operation True
netaddr 0 Address to ping True
noloss_failover yes Enable lossless failover after ping failure True
num_retries 3 Times to retry ping before failing True
retry_time 1 Wait time (in seconds) between pings True
use_alt_addr no Enable Alternate EtherChannel Address True
use_jumbo_frame no Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames True
