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Copyright IBM Corporation 2013 TrademarksShared Ethernet Adapter configuration with twonetworks

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Shared Ethernet Adapter configuration withtwo networksPratikkumar Ashok Shaha ([email protected])Associate IT SpecialistIBM

Saiprasad P. Parkar ([email protected])IT SpecialistIBM

Skill Level: Intermediate

Date: 02 May 2013

This tutorial describes how to configure two different networks using VirtualI/O Server (VIOS) with high availability, redundancy, and load sharing. Withthis architecture, VIOS and logical partitions (LPARs) can be accessed fromtwo completely different networks and both networks can be used for differentpurposes.

Section 1. Introduction

When we talk about production environment, every administrator should considerall possible single point of failures (SPOFs) and resilience in architecture. Here, weare talking about network to the VIOS and LPARs and this architecture removesmaximum possibilities of SPOF in terms of network and provides a separate networkthat can communicate with back up server, access application, and databases swiftly.

This kind of architecture is widely used, where users are accessing the server 24x7,and administrator wants to back up data without impacting the user's bandwidth.

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Shared Ethernet Adapter configuration with twonetworks

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Figure 1. Architecture diagram

In this architecture, we have two VIOS instances, with two separate Host EthernetAdapters to each VIOS, and it will be dedicated to the respective VIOS in thepromiscuous mode. Each HEA incorporates one Shared Ethernet Adapter.

Two Ethernet adapters of each VIOS are connected to different networks (publicand private) and every LPAR will be having a minimum of two virtual Ethernets withdifferent virtual LAN (VLAN) IDs.

For better understanding, we divide the configuration in to two steps.

Section 2. Step 1: Create a VIOS partition / VIOSpartition configuration

On VIOS, we need to create four virtual Ethernet ports. You can make sure thatphysical HEA is in the promiscuous mode.

1. In the HMC window, check the frame and select the VIOS instance A.2. Go to configuration and click Manage Profile.

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3. In the Manage Profile window, there is an option for virtual I/O, from whereyou can create virtual adapters, Ethernet, fiber and Small Computer SystemInterface (SCSI) adapters. You need to select Ethernet.

4. Perform the same steps on the VIOS instance B.

After all the Ethernets are created, you can see four Ethernets on every VIOSinstance.

Figure 2: Ethernet adapters

Set up all four virtual Ethernets with the following configuration.

Figure 3: Ethernet adapter-1Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 1) Priority 1

Figure 4: Ethernet adapter-2



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Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 99)

Figure 5: Ethernet adapter-3Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 2) Priority 1

Figure 6: Ethernet adapter-4



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Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 88) Priority 1

The above shown configuration is for VIOS-A. You need to apply the sameconfiguration for VIOS-B, with the small change.

VIOS-B configuration

1st Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 1) Priority 2

2nd Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 99)

3rd Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 2) Priority 2

4th Virtual Ethernet Adapter: Port Virtual Ethernet (VLAN ID 88)

With this configuration, you will be able to see the six Ethernet adapters on VIOS-Aand VIOS-B (two physical adapters and four virtual ports).

Figure 7: All Ethernet adapters on console

Section 3. Step 2: Create a Shared Ethernet Adapter



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Here, we need to create a Shared Ethernet Adapter that includes one physicalEthernet port and two virtual ports. With the help of the following command, we cancreate two different Shared Ethernet Adapters.

$mkvdev -sea ent0 -vadapter ent2 -default ent2 -defaultid 1 -attr ha_mode=autoctl_chan=ent3


Figure 8: Shared Ethernet Adapters

We need to perform the same action on VIOS-B.

mkvdev -sea ent0 -vadapter ent2 -default ent2 -defaultid 1 -attr ha_mode=autoctl_chan=ent3


Here, both Shared Ethernet Adapters will be able to communicate with differentnetworks at the same time and both VIOS are redundant to each other.

To check the primary Ethernet adapter from both VIOS, we can use the followingcommand.

entstat -all en6 |grep State

entstat -all en7 |grep State

On the primay VIOS, verify whether the Ethernet state is PRIMARY.

Figure 9: en6 PRIMARY

On the secondary VIOS, verify whether the Ethernet state is BACKUP.



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Figure 10: en7 BACKUP

As we know, by default, VIOS-A is primary for the Network and Fiber Optic (DISK,Storage) communication. To avoid this load and make efficient use of both VIOS, wecan prioritize VIOS-B as a primary for network traffic and VIOS-A for Primary for FiberOptic Communication. To do this, we need to swap priorities of VIOS-B from 2 to 1and for VIOS-A, we need to swap priorities from 1 to 2.

Section 4. Resources

IBM PowerVM Virtualization: Introduction and Configuration



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About the authors

Pratikkumar Ashok Shaha

Working as an Associate IT Specialist at IBM Systems and TechnologyGroup, Pune, Pratik holds a master's degree in Computer Applicationfrom the University of Pune. Pratik has four years of experience inUNIX, IBM Power Systems series administration, IBM SystemsDirector, and Storage.

Saiprasad P. Parkar

Working as an IT Specialist for the IBM Systems and TechnologyGroup at Pune, Saiprasad has 10 years of experience in UNIX, IBMPower Systems administration, IBM Systems Director, and IBM SystemStorage SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize V7000, and IBM TivoliStorage Productivty Center (TPC).

Copyright IBM Corporation 2013(www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml)Trademarks(www.ibm.com/developerworks/ibm/trademarks/)

Table of ContentsIntroductionStep 1: Create a VIOS partition / VIOS partition configurationStep 2: Create a Shared Ethernet AdapterResourcesAbout the authors

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