Scenario: Configuring Network Interface Backup in AIX client logical partitions without VLAN tagging

Use this scenario to become familiar with using a Network Interface Backup configuration in Virtual I/O clients that are running AIX® logical partitions and are not configured for VLAN tagging.

Situation

In this scenario, you want to configure a highly available virtual environment for your bridged network using the Network Interface Backup (NIB) approach to access external networks from your Virtual I/O clients. You do not plan to use VLAN tagging in your network setup. This approach requires you to configure a second Ethernet adapter on a different VLAN for each client and requires a Link Aggregation adapter with NIB features. This configuration is available for AIX logical partitions.

Typically, a Shared Ethernet Adapter failover configuration is the recommended configuration for most environments because it supports environments with or without VLAN tagging. Also, the NIB configuration is more complex than a Shared Ethernet Adapter failover configuration because it must be implemented on each of the clients. However, Shared Ethernet Adapter failover was not available prior to version 1.2 of Virtual I/O Server, and NIB was the only approach to a highly available virtual environment. Also, you might consider that in an NIB configuration you can distribute clients over both Shared Ethernet Adapters in such a way that half of them will use the first Shared Ethernet Adapter and the other half will use the second Shared Ethernet Adapter as primary adapter.

Objective

Create a virtual Ethernet environment using a Network Interface Backup configuration as depicted in the following figure.

Prerequisites and assumptions

Before completing the configuration tasks, review the following prerequisites and assumptions.

The Hardware Management Console (HMC) is already set up. To view the PDF file of Installing and configuring the Hardware Management Console, approximately 3 MB in size, see http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systems/scope/hw/topic/iphai/iphai.pdf.
Two separate Virtual I/O Server logical partitions have been created and the Virtual I/O Server has been installed in each logical partition. See the instructions in Installing the Virtual I/O Server and client logical partitions.
You have created the remaining logical partitions that you want added to the network configuration.
Each Virtual I/O Server logical partition has an available physical Ethernet adapter assigned to it.
You have IP addresses for all logical partitions and systems that will be added to the configuration.

Configuration tasks

Using the figure as a guide, complete the following tasks to configure the NIB virtual environment.

Create a LAN connection between the Virtual I/O Servers and the external network:
1. Configure a Shared Ethernet Adapter on the primary Virtual I/O Server that bridges traffic between the virtual Ethernet and the external network. See Configuring a Shared Ethernet Adapter.
2. Configure a Shared Ethernet Adapter on the second Virtual I/O Server, as in step 1.
For each client logical partition, use the HMC to create a virtual Ethernet whose PVID matches the PVID of the primary Virtual I/O Server. This will be used as the primary adapter.
For each client logical partition, use the HMC to create a second virtual Ethernet whose PVID matches the PVID of the second (backup) Virtual I/O Server. This will be used as the backup adapter.
Create the Network Interface Backup setup using a Link Aggregation configuration. To create this configuration, follow the procedure Configuring an EtherChannel in the IBM® System p® and AIX Information Center. Make sure that you specify the following items:
1. Select the primary Ethernet Adapter.
2. Select the Backup Adapter.
3. Specify the Internet Address to Ping. Select the IP address or hostname of a host outside of the Virtual I/O Server system that NIB will continuously ping to detect Virtual I/O Server failure.

Note: Keep in mind, when you configure NIB with two virtual Ethernet adapters, the internal networks used must stay separated in the hypervisor. You must use different PVIDs for the two adapters in the client and cannot use additional VIDs on them.