Testing...NIC Teaming - Based on IP Hash

[GabriMWare]

Hi!

I'm trying to configure NIC Teaming feature on my vSwitch. I have configured several ports in both physical switches (two HP 2810 Procurve) in a LACP mode (HP 2810 switches haven´t got etherchannel available). By the moment everything is Ok.

So, my question is: How can I test if IP Hash feature is working well, it is, connecting the same VM using several physical NIC's depending on the computers are requesting information from server?

I've been thinking to use sniffers or something like that. More ideas?

PS: I've tried to configure NIC Teaming - IP Hash without configure  LACP in my physical switch and I haven´t noticed alarms or internal errors. Can I consider that it is working well?

Thanks for all!!

[EVW · Accepted solution]

With the ESXTOP command you can see the network load on every physical network card. Press N to see details about the network.

I am not familiar with HP switches, but (like Cisco) it should be possible to view detailed statistics or counters about LACP on your switch.

If you do not use loadbalancing on your physical switch, all incoming traffic from the network to your VM may come on one single network card.

[kermic]

Pick a VM that you suspect should be talking to different external-to-ESX IPs, record it's MAC and then look at the MAC tables both switches have learned.

If VM talks through multiple adapters, I believe you should be seeing it's MAC on both switches.

WBR

Imants

[GabriMWare]

Perfect!

"ESXTOP n" is a great and useful tool that I had never used before. Using it, I executed two high demanding resources tasks at the same time (requiring data from the same VM, backup tasks), then I saw how the VM traffic was increased, and VMNIC 1traffic + VMNIC2 traffic was equal to the VM traffic. I mean, VM traffic was divided using two physical NICS

That is: It works great!!

Thanks a lot!!

[Josh26]

Hi,

LACP is not actually supported by ESXi. So even if it's configured on your switches, best case is the switch fails to negotiate and allows it to work anyway.

Etherchannel is the only supported option.