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Connecting Intel TEAM and Catalyst 2950

olehamarxy
Level 1
Level 1

The scenario is:

1. Intel XEON server with two NICs (100 and 1000Mbit)

2. Catalyst 2950 iwth 48FEs, 2GBics and IOS 12.1(12c)EA1

Issue to discuss: we need to connect server and swith onto AFT IEEE 802.3ad dynamic link aggregation (FE and GBic both) as described in Intel documentation.

What the missing in the Intel's docs is how to set up cisco switch, for example. As I found in cisco manuals only ports with THE SAME speed and duplex could be joined EtherChannel group.

Does anybody has an expirience with a scenatio like this bove? Can anybody helps?

---

Oleg

4 Replies 4

tsettle
Level 3
Level 3

The IEEE 802.3ad standard states that link aggregation is done with like speed links (eg, FE&FE, GE&GE, etc). This is the same restriction for Cisco proprietary Port Aggregation Protocol used for FastEtherchannel and GigabitEtherchannel. The 2950 is compliant with both PAgP and 802.3ad, thus requires the links in a port channel to be of the same speed/full duplex and feature configuration.

Can you provide the Intel.com URL that states otherwise? All docs at Intel that I have reviewed indicate that links in a team must be configured the same.

Thank you for reply,

You can review these links for that:

1. http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/solutions/server_bottlenecks/dwn_sol.htm

2. http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/solutions/server_bottlenecks/dwn_sol2.htm

3. http://www.intel.com/support/network/adapter/ans/teaming.htm

In the 3rd link You can see that Intel introduce at least 3 team modes that support mixed speed. These are in the chart : AFT, ALB and dynamic IEEE 802.3ad.

And at last, this is cut from Intel PDF manuals for Intel PRO server NICs:

---

IEEE 802.3ad dynamic link aggregation. This mode creates one or more teams using dynamic link aggregation with mixed-speed

adapters. Like the static link aggregation modes, dynamic 802.3ad teams increase transmission and reception throughput and provide

fault tolerance. Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) provides dynamic link aggregation capability. This protocol can automatically

detect the presence and capabilities of other aggregation-capable devices; that is, LACP enables administrators to specify which links

in a system can be aggregated.

If the link partner is not correctly configured for 802.3ad link aggregation,errors are detected and noted. When using this mode, administrators

configure all team members to receive packets for the same Media Access Control (MAC) address. The Intel ANS driver determines

the outbound load-balancing scheme, while the team’s link partner determines the load-balancing scheme for inbound packets. This

mode requires a switch that fully supports the IEEE 802.3ad standard.

With Best Regards,

---

Oleg

I have no experience with LACP but will comment anyway:

From reading the links you provided mys understanding is as follows:

AFT - Only one adapter (primary) is active at any one time and your secondary sits 'idle' until such time as you primary fails. NO load balancing. Switch independant

ALB - Only the primary receives incoming traffic. Only the primary transmits broadcasts/multicasts and non routed protocols. Load balancing is determined by destination address. Switch independant

802.3ad Dynamic - Allows teaming of mixed speed adapters. I verified this on http://ftp.us.dell.com/app/1q03-Bhu.pdf and http://www.mdgroup.ru/mdnet/html/3_41.php?page=teamopts.htm#Dynamic.

Cisco still states that only ports with similair properties will form an etherchannel (speed/duplex etc)

Configuring Dynamic 802.ad Links, you will find all the information you need below. Ensure your IOS version is up to date to support these commands.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_command_reference_chapter09186a0080150b68.html

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_command_reference_chapter09186a0080150b7b.html#3010959

The best you can do is try and configure it and see what happens.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers

mips

Yes, I set up LACP as You refered right after first test (a week ago).

! P-C for g0/2 & f0/8

interface Port-channel2

no ip address

flowcontrol send off

! g0/2

interface GigabitEthernet0/2

no ip address

flowcontrol send off

channel-group 2 mode active

channel-protocol lacp

! f0/8

interface GigabitEthernet0/8

no ip address

flowcontrol send off

channel-group 2 mode active

channel-protocol lacp

And I got this:

%EC-5-CANNOT_BUNDLE_LACP: Gi0/2 is not compatible with aggregators in channel 2 and cannot attach to them (speed of Gi0/2 is 1000M, Fa0/8 is 100M)

So, what's because I'm here with my questions.

WBR,

---

Oleg.

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