How to Configure Etherchannel in IBM AIX

EtherChannel and IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation are network port aggregation technologies that allow several Ethernet adapters to be aggregated together to form a single pseudo Ethernet device. For example, ent0 and ent1 can be aggregated into an EtherChannel adapter called ent2; interface ent2 would then be configured with an IP address. The system considers these aggregated adapters as one adapter. The switch side should be configured accordingly. Considerations > Switch side configuration should be done prior to the the AIX side etherchannel configuration > All the adapters should have same speed and duplex settings > The interfaces, which are going to be part of etherchannel should be in down and detached state.(smitty chinet) Bring down the interfaces, if they are active, also the devices should be in detached state. # ifconfig en0 down detach # ifconfig en1 down detach

Creating new Etherchannel adapter with smitty

# smitty etherchannel EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation Move cursor to desired item and press Enter. List All EtherChannels / Link Aggregations Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation << SELECT, then Enter Change/Show Characteristics of an EtherChannel/Link Aggregation Remove An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Force A Failover In An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation

F1=Help F5=Reset F9=Shell

F2=Refresh F6=Command F10=Exit

F3=Cancel F7=Edit Enter=Do

F4=List F8=Image

Now the EtherChannel creation screen, you have to enter the interfaces, which are going to be

part of EtherChannel. In my case it is ent0 and ent1. If you want to provide an Backup adapter, you can. EtherChannel will be resilient enough, in case of ent0 or ent1. If both fails, that case the Backup adapter comes into picture. Add An EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Type or select values in entry fields. Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes. EtherChannel / Link Aggregation Adapters Enable Alternate Address Alternate Address Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames Mode Hash Mode Backup Adapter Automatically Recover to Main Channel Perform Lossless Failover After Ping Failure Internet Address to Ping Number of Retries Retry Timeout (sec) F1=Help F5=Reset F9=Shell Press Enter F2=Refresh F6=Command F10=Exit F3=Cancel F7=Edit Enter=Do [Entry Fields] ent0,ent1 no [] no standard default yes yes [] [] [] F4=List F8=Image + + + + + + + + + +# +#

Find the newly created Etherchannel Adapter

# lsdev -Cc adapter -t ibm_ech ent2 Available EtherChannel / IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation

Setting IP Address for the newly created Etherchannel adapter

# smitty chinet

lqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqk x Available Network Interfaces x x x x Move cursor to desired item and press Enter. x x x x en0 1L-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x x en1 1j-08 Standard Ethernet Network Interface x x en2 Standard Ethernet Network Interface << SELECT x x et0 1L-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x x et1 1j-08 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x x et2 IEEE 802.3 Ethernet Network Interface x x x x F1=Help F2=Refresh F3=Cancel x x Esc+8=Image Esc+0=Exit Enter=Do x x /=Find n=Find Next x mqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqj

Change / Show a Standard Ethernet Interface Type or select values in entry fields. Press Enter AFTER making all desired changes. Network Interface Name INTERNET ADDRESS (dotted decimal) Network MASK (hexadecimal or dotted decimal) Current STATE Use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)? BROADCAST ADDRESS (dotted decimal) Interface Specific Network Options ('NULL' will unset the option) rfc1323 tcp_mssdflt tcp_nodelay tcp_recvspace tcp_sendspace Apply change to DATABASE only F1=Help Esc+5=Reset Esc+9=Shell F2=Refresh Esc+6=Command Esc+0=Exit F3=Cancel Esc+7=Edit Enter=Do [Entry Fields] en2 [192.168.1.100] [255.255.255.0] up + yes + [] [] [] [] [] [] no

+ F4=List Esc+8=Image

Show the Etherchannel Adapter properties

# ifconfig -a en2: flags=5e080863,c0<UP,BROADCAST,NOTRAILERS,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTIC AST,GROUPRT,64BIT,CHECKSUM_OFFLOAD(ACTIVE),PSEG,LARGESEND,CHAIN> inet 192.168.1.100 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255 tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 65536 rfc1323 0 lo0: flags=e08084b<UP,BROADCAST,LOOPBACK,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST,GR OUPRT,64BIT> inet 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 127.255.255.255 inet6 ::1/0 tcp_sendspace 131072 tcp_recvspace 131072 rfc1323 1

# lsattr -El ent2

adapter_names True alt_addr True auto_recovery True backup_adapter True hash_mode True mode True netaddr True noloss_failover True num_retries True retry_time True use_alt_addr True use_jumbo_frame True ent0,ent1 EtherChannel Adapters

0x000000000000 Alternate EtherChannel Address yes NONE default standard 0 yes 3 1 no no Enable automatic recovery after failover Adapter used when whole channel fails Determines how outgoing adapter is chosen EtherChannel mode of operation Address to ping Enable lossless failover after ping failure Times to retry ping before failing Wait time (in seconds) between pings Enable Alternate EtherChannel Address Enable Gigabit Ethernet Jumbo Frames