Tru64 Managers:
Thanks for the replies regarding the use of multiple ethernet interfaces on
the ES40 systems.
Here is a summary of the replies I received:
1) Use NetRAIN -- Redundant Array of Independent Network adapters. It is
for high-availability/failover -- but not a performance enhancing feature.
With NetRAIN, the 2 interfaces would appear as one IP address and would
provide protection in case of a cable failure.
2) Possibly, Tru64 5.1A will support something called "trunking" [no more
details available]
3) On Cisco switching equipment, see if there is support for "Fast
Etherchannel" which lets network interfaces be bound together to increase
bandwidth and provide failover.
4) Connect the system to 2 different ports on 2 different switch/hub, to
protect from hub/switch failure.
By way of education, here are some other excerpts that I found....
---- from TruCluster software product description:
NetRAIN
TruCluster Production Server Software is integrated
with NetRAIN to provide a highly available solution for
the network interfaces, including use of NetRAIN
devices as primary cluster interface as well as the
client network interfaces. In addition, TruCluster
Production Server Software also supports monitoring
of the NetRAIN devices, which allows users to
customize failure policies upon NetRAIN device
failures. For more details on NetRAIN functionality,
see the Tru64 UNIX Version 4.0F Release Notes and
Tru64 UNIX Network Administration manual.
---- from the Network Administration manual
2.4 NetRAIN Interfaces
The Redundant Array of Network Adaptors (NetRAIN) interface provides a
mechanism to protect against certain kinds of network connectivity failures.
NetRAIN integrates multiple network interfaces on the same LAN segment into
a single virtual interface called a NetRAIN set. One network interface in
the set is always active while the others remain idle. If the active
interface fails, one of the idle set members comes online with the same IP
address within an adjustable failover time period.
NetRAIN monitors the status of its network interfaces with the Network
Interface Failure Finder (NIFF), a tool used to detect and report possible
network failures. These tools can be used independently of NetRAIN. For more
information about NIFF, see the niff(7) reference page.
---- from the ifconfig man page
ifconfig:
6. To create a NetRAIN set nr1 with the Ethernet interfaces tu0 and tu2
as the set members, enter:
# ifconfig nr1 add tu0,tu2
To set the IP address of this interface to 18.240.32.40, enter:
# ifconfig nr1 inet 18.240.32.40
To view this set, enter:
# ifconfig nr1
nr1:
flags=c63<UP,BROADCAST,NOTRAILERS,RUNNING,MULTICAST,SIMPLEX>
NetRAIN Attached Interfaces: ( tu0 tu2 ) Active Interface:
( tu0 )
inet 18.240.32.40 netmask ffffff00 broadcast 18.240.32.255
ipmtu 1500
-- original question --
....
> Subject: How to take advantage of 2 ethernet interfaces
>
> Tru64 Managers:
>
> Our two new ES40 systems arrived and each system includes a dual-port
> ethernet interface.
>
> How can I take advantage of these two ports (to increase performance)?
>
> Do I assign each port a separate IP address, and put DNS round-robin
entries
> in so that traffic alternates between the interface?
>
> Or are there some other hooks in Tru64 that I should read about, to make
use
> of the dual ports.
>
> These new ES40s will run either 5.1 patch 2, or 4.0G if that doesn't work
> out...
>
> Also: I've considered using the 2nd ethernet port to connect the two ES40s
> together in a private network -- except each machine already has the
CCMAB
> memory channel interconnect so that seems overly redundant!
>
>
Rob Aldridge
AT&T Solutions (at McDermott Technology, Inc.)
Received on Fri Apr 13 2001 - 11:04:23 NZST