Q-Logic 3200, 8200 manual Switch-Independent Load Balancing Mode, Link Aggregation Mode

2–Configuring NIC Teaming/Bonding

Switch-Independent Load Balancing Mode

Switch-independent load balancing mode provides a failsafe feature and supports transmit load balancing. For receive load balancing, use the 802.3ad modes.

In this mode, the outbound traffic is efficiently distributed across the member adapters to increase the transmit bandwidth. Traffic load balancing is connection-based to avoid out-of-order packet delivery. The administrator can select one of the following load distribution types:

Auto Select indicates that the load is distributed based on the target IP address (IPv4 or IPv6) and port number. This option ensures a one-to-one correspondence between a traffic flow and a team adapter.

MAC address based indicates that the load is distributed based on the target MAC address.

In switch-independent load balancing, a team receives the traffic on the preferred primary adapter. If the preferred primary adapter fails, the receive load switches to a secondary adapter (failover operation). If the preferred primary adapter becomes operational again, the receive load fails back to the preferred primary adapter (failback operation). Thus, a switch-independent load balancing team also behaves like a failsafe team. Each time the preferred primary changes due to failover or failback, other network elements are notified of the change in the primary adapter through team gratuitous ARPs.

Link Aggregation Mode

Link aggregation provides increased bandwidth and high reliability by combining several NICs into a single, logical, network interface called a link aggregation group (LAG). The link aggregation is scalable, meaning an adapter can be added or deleted either statically or dynamically from a team.

Traffic from all the team ports that form a LAG have the same MAC address, which is the MAC address of the team. If a new adapter joins the LAG, or an adapter forming the LAG fails, the LAG becomes operational again after a brief exchange of protocols between the switch and the server. QLogic adapters are rapidly aggregated, with a latency of one to two seconds.

Two options are available in the link aggregation mode:

Static link aggregation

Dynamic link aggregation

NOTE:

The switch must support the IEEE 802.3ad standard for the preceding two link aggregation modes to work.

SN0054671-00 A 2-17