Configuring 2 NICs for Load sharing

[sriharshasp]

I have 2 NICs installed in my desktop system. I need to establish a TCP/IP connection through one NIC With a server. At the same time I need to load balance the packets through both the NICs.

The above setup incolves coding in Windows. Also the implementation involves programming the dynamic routing table for packets to be distributed(for Load Balancing).

Also Wont there be any packet loss instances while drivin the packets through the NICs.

Any ideas and Suggestions on the above query is very much welcome.

Please elaborate the processes if possible.

Thank you.

[paddyxdoyle]

Hi,

I'm guessing that your network cards will use some kind of channelling to load balance at layer2 and both cards will be treated as one logical link to the network. In Cisco speak this is called Etherchannelling however in other vendors speak it can be called trunking.

You will have to find out if this is true and then set up channelling using the correct method between your PC and switch. Unless you are using 3750 switches in a stack, i think both NICs will have to be connected to the same switch, both these ports will have to be put into the same etherchannel.

Cisco switches support the dynamic creation of channels using PAgp or LACP, my guess is that your NICs will either support LACP as PAgp is Cisco proprietary or it won't support the dynamic creation of a channel at all.

Have a look through the documentation and see if i'm on the right track, if so report back and if you need further help i can show you how to configure this on the Cisco switch.

HTH

PJD

[sriharshasp]

Thanks a lot for your response.

You are right on the proprietery issues and I went through the documentation too.

However we are implementing load balancing techniques on this too.

Basically the three types are-

ip-out

mac out

standby.

Which would u suggest is better and why.

If possible please do let me know how to configure a cisco switch.

Thank you.

[paddyxdoyle]

Hi,

Its hard to say without looking at the documentation but i would guess that ip-out is based on the destination IP address so each packet sent to the same ip is sent via the same NIC, and similarly mac-out would be the same but based on the destination mac-address. standby will more than likely only use one NIC and failover to the other should the primary fail.

To set up and etherchannel on your switch it would be something like

catos switch:

Do this on both ports connecting to your PC

# set port channel mode on

IOS switch

Do this on both ports connecting to your PC

# interface Fast Ethernet

# channel-group 1 mode on

HTH

PJD