Configuring Link Based IPMP Solaris 10

Basic requirements for IPMP

1. All interfaces in an IPMP group must have uniqueMAC addresses
2. All interfaces in an IPMP group must be of the same media type
3. All interfaces in an IPMP group must be on the same IP link

Two types of IPMP:

1. Link-Based FailureDetection
2. Probe-Based FailureDetection

Terminology:

Data Addresses: Conventional address configured to interface.

Test Addresses: used by in.mpathd for probe based failure detection.

IP link:  Physical connection to  network switch

To configure link based IPMP, we do not required test address. So configure the two interface hostname files

Ex., nxge0 and nxge4

echo “myhost netmask + broadcast + group ipmp0 up” > /etc/hostname.nxge0

echo “group ipmp0 up” > /etc/hostname.nxge4

then restart the network services

svcadm disable network/physical

svcadm enable network/physical

Jan  7 18:26:52 myhost in.mpathd[1501]: No test address configured on interface nxge4; disabling ed failure detection on it

Jan  7 18:26:52 myhost in.mpathd[1501]: No test address configured on interface nxge0; disabling probe-based failure  on it

Then ifconfig output will look like below. Notice that nxge4 do not have  IP configured.

nxge0: flags=1000843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 3

        inet 192.168.0.100netmask ffffff80 broadcast 165.40.63.127

        groupname ipmp0

        ether 0:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

nxge4: flags=1000843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,IPv4> mtu 1500 index 4

        inet 0.0.0.0 netmask ff000000 broadcast 0.255.255.255

        groupname ipmp0

        ether 0:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

Then verify the failover and back with ‘if_mpadm” command

root@myhost # if_mpadm -d nxge0

Jan  7 18:28:29 myhost in.mpathd[1501]: Successfully failed over from NIC nxge0 to NIC nxge4

root@myhost # if_mpadm -r nxge0

Jan  7 18:28:43 myhost in.mpathd[1501]: Successfully failed back to NIC nxge0

While testing ran a ping test

H:\>ping 192.168.0.100-t

Pinging 192.168.0.100with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Request timed out. –here tested failover to nxge4

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Request timed out.—here tested failback to nxge0

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=39ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Reply from 192.168.0.100: bytes=32 time=38ms TTL=244

Ping statistics for 192.168.0.100:

    Packets: Sent = 25, Received = 23, Lost = 2 (8% loss),

Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:

    Minimum = 38ms, Maximum = 39ms, Average = 38ms

Control-C

Note: For trouble shooting you can test network connectivity from OK prompt with watch-net command

/pci@400/pci@2/pci@0/pci@6/network@0

1000 Mbps full duplex Link up

Looking for Ethernet Packets.

‘.’ is a Good Packet.  ‘X’ is a Bad Packet.

Type any key to stop.

………………………………………

/pci@400/pci@1/pci@0/pci@8/network@0

1000 Mbps link up

Looking for Ethernet Packets.

‘.’ is a Good Packet.

Type any key to stop.

…………………………………………

Reference

http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E23823_01/pdf/816-4554.pdf

http://sunaytripathi.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/solaris-10-networking-the-magic-revealed/#mozTocId342636.125

https://blogs.oracle.com/stw/entry/using_ipmp_with_link_based