Multiple NIC´s for vMotion and Etherchannel

[JimKnopf99]

Hi,

i know how to configure multiple nic´s for vMotion NOT using Etherchannel on the physical switch.

But i wan´t to know is it possible to have the same data transfer rate if using an etherchannel, one port group for vmotion with two network card and ip hash load balancing?

In my test, i only see traffic on one physical network card when doing more than one vmotion´s at the same time.

Is it a supported configuration for vmotion or would it be easier to use two portgroups with active/standby adapter and route based on the originating virtual port id?

Thanks for hints

Frank

[chriswahl]

Interesting query. Were you doing the simultaneous vMotions to different hosts? Also, IP Hash only examines the least significant bit, so it may have just hashed the same uplink in this particular scenario.

Realistically, unless you are vMotioning to a wide variety of hosts, I don't think you'll see much load balancing occurring. It may be best to simply take advantage of the multiple vMotion vmknic option in vSphere 5 and bind them to individual uplinks using active/standby for one and standby/active for the other.

[JimKnopf99]

Hi,

yes, i did two simultanous vMotions  from one host to an other host. With esxtop and the performance graphs i only see trafic on one from two nics.

Tomorrow, i will change to not use an etherchannel and test it again.

Thanks for your reply.

Frank

[chriswahl]

Ah, that's the issue then. If they were the same host the IPs would be the same, so it would only choose one uplink.

[JimKnopf99]

Hi,

i have one vSwitch with two VMKernel Port Groups (two IP´s). Both Port groups use the same two uplinks.

Then only one pnic is used.

Not using etherchannels with active/standby adapter work. Therefore, i disable etherchannel and both nics are used.

Thanks.

Frank

[rickardnobel]

Frank wrote:

Not using etherchannels with active/standby adapter work. Therefore, i disable etherchannel and both nics are used.

As noted above the IP Hash / Ether Channel method will need that the last part of the IP addresses of the hosts involved match together in a certain formula, which makes this very hard and unpredictable. The Multi-NIC vMotion in ESXi 5.0 that you changed to will work a lot better without doubt.

[sasser1970]

Hello, here are a good tutorial from Duncan:

http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2011/09/17/multiple-nic-vmotion-in-vsphere-5/

Bye.Maik