Link Aggregation - Server 2008 R2

[bwestlake]

Hi all,

 

 

I want to set up Link Aggregation on our backup server,

I have seen it before where you have two network cards on a server / computer but on the os it is only desplayed as one and they share the connection,

eg.

if you have 2x 1Gbps network cards they combine to become a 1Gbps connection

 

Do you have to have specific software / hardware to set this up..

 

if so / not does anyone have a setup guide.

 

Many Thanks.

[sonofsanta]

It's normally vender specific - so my HP servers use the HP Network Configuration Utility, Broadcom have their own package etc.

 

Fairly straightforward to set up, although to get the full effect you need to set up the LACP team on the switch ports as well.

[DrPerceptron]

Link Aggregation also requires supported switch technology (LACP I think).

 

There are quite a few different teaming options and most server network adapters will support them. Intel cards I think bury the teaming config in the driver properties whereas, nVidia, HP and Broadcom provide standalone applications to manage teaming.

 

You should be able to find plenty of documentation from the adapter (or server) manufacturer regarding teaming adapters. Last time I did it with an Intel card there was a nice helpful wizard who guided you along and gave a brief explanation of each of the options and even told you that fault tolerance doesn't really work on dual-port NICs.

[CyberNerd]

 

Fairly straightforward to set up, although to get the full effect you need to set up the LACP team on the switch ports as well.

 

I'd go as far to say to get *any* effect you have to set up an LACP trunk on the switches as well.

I've seen misconfigured servers that windows reports they are using the 2GB/s but in fact are not.