NIC Teaming

[jilahbg]

Hi

Using an Compaq Proliant server with dual NIC:s I have the ability to configure "Teaming". Is this the same thing as EtherChannel in Cisco Switching-terms?

If I configure teaming on the server, I give the "Team" an IP-adress instead of individual addresses per NIC. When sending packets, are the NIC:s using 1 common och 2 individual MAC-addresses?

What happend if I configure teaming and connects the 2 NICs to 2 ports on the same Cisco (ie 2950) switch? I guess I have to configure those two ports as an EtherChannel to make it work?

I am a bit confused. Can someone please help me? :-)

Thanks in advance!

Regards Jimmt Larsson

[jolmo]

Hi Jimmt

Yes, you can connect Teaming NICs and Cisco Switch with Fast Etherchannel and if you configure them carefully, it will work well.

There is a very very useful web page at microsoft site when you can read about it:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnexnt01/html/ewn0183.asp

This page includes configuration for Teaming NICs (in a Compaq sever), for the Cisco switch, troubleshooting tips and some useful links

I also recommend you to check this page for Cisco switches capabilities and software bugs when connecting Teaming NICs to the switch:

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/473/46.html

HTH

[rjackson]

Yes it will work, but if you set it up worng it will still work, just not as efficiently as it should. You can configure teaming and not tell the switch. The server will use a hash that uses the destination address to determine which port to use. As it rotates through the interfaces the switch will see the mac address moving back and forth between the ports and report a flapping address. If you configure it as a channel the switch will understand what is going on.

[fletchmi]

Is there a possibility of creating STP loops in a network if NIC Teaming is not configured correctly?

Has anybody seen a case where NIC Teaming casued a STP loop?