ESXi

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  • 1.  NIC Teaming - Standby Interface with Traffic

    Posted Feb 14, 2023 06:45 PM

    Hello community;

    Today I have finished configuring NIC Teaming on an ESXI with a Dell Switch which has the following configuration:

    interface Te1/0/3
    channel-group 3 mode on
    spanning-tree portfast
    exit
    !
    interface Te2/0/3
    channel-group 3 mode on
    spanning-tree portfast
    exit
    !

    interface port-channel 3
    spanning-tree portfast
    switchport mode trunk
    exit
    !

    In ESXI:

    Snag_16899e7.png

    14-02-2023_13-39-31.png

    14-02-2023_13-41-16.png

     Now, checking the graphs, traffic is displayed in Tx/Rx, is this normal behavior despite the fact that the NIC is waiting?

    14-02-2023_13-42-52.png

     Thanks.



  • 2.  RE: NIC Teaming - Standby Interface with Traffic

    Posted Feb 14, 2023 07:41 PM

    For me it's quite ok. Active will work and standby will be listen. 

     

     



  • 3.  RE: NIC Teaming - Standby Interface with Traffic

    Posted Feb 14, 2023 08:08 PM

    Hi,


    In my personal opinion, configuring a static "Link Aggregation Group" on the physical switch side whose purpose should be to do "load balancing" and then set the failover order of the VSS object to "balance nothing" is a contradiction in terms. That said, the setting of each individual "Port Group" object (unless they are set to be inherited)can define a different "failover order" and a different "load balancing" method that overrides (let's just say ignore) the corresponding settings of the VSS object they are associated with.


    Regards,
    Ferdinando

     



  • 4.  RE: NIC Teaming - Standby Interface with Traffic

    Posted Feb 15, 2023 11:42 PM

    This is only working because you have not defined LACP for the portchannel.  Put both adapters as Active if you are going to use a portchannel on the switch side.  If not, then don't use a portchannel and have your Active/Standby NIC's.

    The reason you are seeing this is even though you selected Standby for NIC2, ESXi is intellegent enough to detect the portchannel and will place that into an active state even though you have told it to be Standby, because that's how portchannels work.