Anyone using Extreme Networks Switches?

[CWedge]

Since they don't support Etherchannel, whats the best way to set them up and be the most effecient.

TIA

[Paul_Lalonde]

Extreme doesn't support "Etherchannel" per se, but Etherchannel and 802.3ad static are both the same thing.

802.3ad static configuration \*is* supported by Extreme, and this is what ESX uses as its ip-hash load balancing algorithm.

You're good to go!

Paul

[CWedge]

Extreme doesn't support "Etherchannel" per se, but

Etherchannel and 802.3ad static are both the same

thing.

802.3ad static configuration \*is* supported by

Extreme, and this is what ESX uses as its ip-hash

load balancing algorithm.

You're good to go!

Paul

So, do I have to have my networks people do anything on the switch side? Currently they just have VLAN Trunking enabled. So I can do VLan tagging on my ESX boxes.

[Paul_Lalonde · Accepted solution]

Just have them turn 802.3ad static mode on and specify the actual ports to form the aggregate link. The Extreme switches do this.

Paul

[CWedge]

Thank you SIR!

[Paul_Lalonde]

You're very welcome!

paul

[VDan]

Hi,

I need some more information about Extreme Networks switches and Vmware.

From what I understand, to have the maximum performance and availability, the IP-HASH seting on the vswitch is the best one.

I guess that in order to use an IP base communication with the switch, the trunk need to be configure as IP (L3). The default setting on the summit x450 when you create a trunk is L2.

So the command on the Extreme switch should be :

enable sharing port 1 grouping 1,2 L3

Is that correct, or the default option(L2) is better ?

From the Extreme Networks documentation:

L2 Specifies address-based link aggregation by Layer 2. This is the default value.

NOTE: This parameter is available only on the BlackDiamond 8800 series switch,

SummitStack, and the Summit family of switches.

L3 Specifies address-based link aggregation by Layer 3.

NOTE: This parameter is available only on the BlackDiamond 8800 series switch,

SummitStack, and the Summit X450 series switch.

Thanks for your help !

Dan !

[TheCleaner]

VDan,

Did you ever get this figured out?

No matter how I configure the port sharing I end up losing routing for the VMs.

For instance, without port sharing I can ping the VMs from my workstation and from the x450 switch. Once I enable port sharing I can ping the VM from the switch still but can no longer ping the VM from my workstation or vice versa.

Just curious mainly how you ended up configuring your switch and the VM vSwitch in ESX.

[carpadum]

Anyone find an answer to this. I have th same issue. With no "sharing" the communication works but I do not think the secondary link is actually working. as soon as I enable the sharing both links go down.

[carpadum]

found the answer to these issues.

on the extreme switch set the following: (assuming port 1:15 is the primary and 2:16 is the secondary)

enable sharing 1:15 grouping 1:15,2:16 algorithm address-based L3

On the esx server(s) set the NIC teaming to "route based on IP hash" and everything will load balance ingress and egress.