Teaming Intel NICs to a Netgear GSM7224 L2 switch

[tjb]

My first thread so I hope I put it in the right place!

Has anyone out there had success with teaming up Intel NICs (Pro 1000) into a 2GB connection and connecting them to a Netgear GSM7224 L2 switch (port channeling)?

I can create the Intel teams OK and create port channels on the Netgear OK but it is getting them be nice to each other that is the problem. I also have a new SAN unit (dual NICs, RAID 6) and am trying to achieve the fastest connection I can between the SAN and server via the Netgear using a 2GB trunk.

I have played around with Static Link Aggregation (SLA) and 802.3ad (Dynamic Link Aggregation) connections and have had some success but nothing consistant. My data transfer rates from the SAN to server have varied from between 8Mbps up to a whopping 409Mbps. Sadly I can't get the setup to repeat or even maintain anything near 400Mbps, the average is about 20Mbps.

The 409Mbps was achieved using SLA which the Netgear doesn't seem to like as it says the link is down?!

Any tips would be appreciated.

Update: just managed 107Mbps to SAN and 227Mbps from SAN on a server I didn't really want too use!

[pete]

My first thread so I hope I put it in the right place!

Has anyone out there had success with teaming up Intel NICs (Pro 1000) into a 2GB connection and connecting them to a Netgear GSM7224 L2 switch (port channeling)?

I can create the Intel teams OK and create port channels on the Netgear OK but it is getting them be nice to each other that is the problem. I also have a new SAN unit (dual NICs, RAID 6) and am trying to achieve the fastest connection I can between the SAN and server via the Netgear using a 2GB trunk.

I have played around with Static Link Aggregation (SLA) and 802.3ad (Dynamic Link Aggregation) connections and have had some success but nothing consistant. My data transfer rates from the SAN to server have varied from between 8Mbps up to a whopping 409Mbps. Sadly I can't get the setup to repeat or even maintain anything near 400Mbps, the average is about 20Mbps.

The 409Mbps was achieved using SLA which the Netgear doesn't seem to like as it says the link is down?!

Any tips would be appreciated.

Update: just managed 107Mbps to SAN and 227Mbps from SAN on a server I didn't really want too use!

We have a GSM7248 (same firmware, just more ports) and have 3 port channels set up on it (2 dynamic, 1 static). I can't say we did anything out of the ordinary to make it work.

Suggestions:
1) The GSM72* series had some pretty major flaws in earlier firmwares - are you on the latest version?
2) Latest Intel drivers for the cards?
3) I assume you're testing the switch / san / server combination with no-one else using it and no background tasks (snapshots/rebuilds) going on?
4) What's the SAN running? What's disk performance like? Which SAN?

[spc-rocket]

My first thread so I hope I put it in the right place!

Has anyone out there had success with teaming up Intel NICs (Pro 1000) into a 2GB connection and connecting them to a Netgear GSM7224 L2 switch (port channeling)?

I can create the Intel teams OK and create port channels on the Netgear OK but it is getting them be nice to each other that is the problem. I also have a new SAN unit (dual NICs, RAID 6) and am trying to achieve the fastest connection I can between the SAN and server via the Netgear using a 2GB trunk.

I have played around with Static Link Aggregation (SLA) and 802.3ad (Dynamic Link Aggregation) connections and have had some success but nothing consistant. My data transfer rates from the SAN to server have varied from between 8Mbps up to a whopping 409Mbps. Sadly I can't get the setup to repeat or even maintain anything near 400Mbps, the average is about 20Mbps.

The 409Mbps was achieved using SLA which the Netgear doesn't seem to like as it says the link is down?!

Any tips would be appreciated.

Update: just managed 107Mbps to SAN and 227Mbps from SAN on a server I didn't really want too use!

Hi,

Are you using SLA or ALB (adaptive load balancing works with any switch so its worth doing this to compare the speed. Ideally you want the SLA in which the switch load balances the traffic but your switch needs to support this.

Ash.

[RobFuller]

Doesn't one end of the team have to be Active because I’m sure there passive by default.
Going to be attempting port trucking on my backbone soon when my new switches come in.

[tjb]

We have a GSM7248 (same firmware, just more ports) and have 3 port channels set up on it (2 dynamic, 1 static). I can't say we did anything out of the ordinary to make it work.

Suggestions:
1) The GSM72* series had some pretty major flaws in earlier firmwares - are you on the latest version?
2) Latest Intel drivers for the cards?
3) I assume you're testing the switch / san / server combination with no-one else using it and no background tasks (snapshots/rebuilds) going on?
4) What's the SAN running? What's disk performance like? Which SAN?

1) The firmware is 5.0.2.1, latest version is 6.2.0.14 which I have downloaded but haven't had the downtime available to install it yet
2) Intel Pro/1000 EB drivers are 9.12.13.0 (v12.4), latest version is 9.12.18.0 (v13.1) which is downloaded and ready to install
3)I tested at various times throughout the day and night (2am!) but found my newest non-DC server the fastest so far. Have managed to move a 2GB ghost file in 5 seconds flat during some tests!
4)Intel SAN, Intel 3210 chipset, quad core, 4GB RAM, 2 x 1 gig NICs, 16 bay chassis, 6 x 1TB 7200 SAS HDDs, RAID 6, OS is open-e iSCSI-R3 Enterprise

I would be interested to hear how you configured the static port channel as mine always says the link is down but still seems to work!?

Hope this helps!

[tjb]

Hi,

Are you using SLA or ALB (adaptive load balancing works with any switch so its worth doing this to compare the speed. Ideally you want the SLA in which the switch load balances the traffic but your switch needs to support this.

Ash.

I have only tried SLA and 802.3ad (dynamic) so far. I got SLA to work with good speeds although the switch said the link was down and managed to get some good speeds today using dynamic. This was all done on a non-DC server which I don't actually want to use. I am trying to get this working on DC with identical specs but keep getting connectivity issues and crap transfer speeds.

I'll take a look at ALB...

[spc-rocket]

1) The firmware is 5.0.2.1, latest version is 6.2.0.14 which I have downloaded but haven't had the downtime available to install it yet
2) Intel Pro/1000 EB drivers are 9.12.13.0 (v12.4), latest version is v13.1 which is downloaded and ready to install
3)I tested at various times throughout the day and night (2am!) but found my newest non-DC server the fastest so far. Have managed to move a 2GB ghost file in 5 seconds flat during some tests!
4)Intel SAN, Intel 3210 chipset, quad core, 4GB RAM, 2 x 1 gig NICs, 16 bay chassis, 6 x 1TB 7200 SAS HDDs, RAID 6, OS is open-e iSCSI-R3 Enterprise

I would be interested to hear how you configured the static port channel as mine always says the link is down but still seems to work!?

Hope this helps!

You need to set the switch port to mode on when configuring as the Intel cards will not sent any negotiation packets to form a channel.

On cisco switches you can use the channel-protocol command to choose the protocol i.e. pAgp or LACP.

You then to set the mode to on rather than active or desirable.

Ash.