Netapp LACP with NIC Teaming

[anthonykahwati]

Hi all

I have a setup at the moment with NetApp filers connected to 2 x Nexus 3K.

The plan is to move to VPC but internal process means that we can't do this too soon and the end users need better resilience now.

The setup currently consists of 2 x NetApp. One goes to switch 1 and the other to switch 2. They want to use 2 x 10Gb connectivity in LACP to increase the bandwidth and to build in a little resilience. This first step is fine. The second step is something that I am struggling to find a definitive answer for and wonder if someone can help.

They want VPC... as I said, this will come later. In the meantime, does anyone know if the NetApp will support 2 x LACP port channels on the same NetApp but in a NIC team style deployment, so, they both belong to the same NIC team on the filer but one is active, the other is standby. This way, they can have a port channel to switch 1 and a port channel to switch 2 and if one fails for any reason the other will activate.

Just wondering if anyone has knowledge of this being a possible deployment until I can deploy VPC?

As an aside... I am also trying some forum with NetApp but not getting much of a concrete answer... hence asking here in case anyone has experience of this.

Many thanks

[balaji.bandi]

Look at the config guide recommended by netapp with vpc :

https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/flexpod/express/express-c-series-c190-deploy_deploy_cisco_nexus_31108pc-v.html#configure-the-storage-port-channels

[anthonykahwati]

Hi

Thanks for commenting and suggesting. As I mentioned though, I am looking for active / standby teaming of the port channels as I can't deploy VPC immediately. This is an interim solution hence the strange request that is to not use VPC at the moment.

Thanks

[balaji.bandi]

i understand what you looking, may be never tried

but try below option should work technically

you can bundle all 4 links in vpc, and maximum bundle ports can restrict to 2 only.

or you can try lacp priority, again not sure how netapp side works.

[anthonykahwati]

I see what you are saying. I suppose the risk there is that if one link goes down it will bring up one of the spares but that will be on another switch and will end up suspending one of the ports in the bundle. I will suggest to the NetApp guys though and see what they say. I am also think of 2 x port channels but at L3 and have one PC floating. Meeting with them in a couple of hours, will see what they are willing to try.

My hope was that you can NIC team a pair of LACP PC's on the NetApp but I am not sure it's possible.