Configuring interfaces with mirrored interfaces

Description

This procedure describes how to configure a pair of mirrored, dual-MAC interfaces, one on each filer in the cluster, so that one can replace the other if one filer fails and is taken over. You do this when converting or installing a filer or when you are adding network connections to a cluster. When you complete this procedure, you will have a NIC in each filer that can take over the connection of the other if there is a takeover.

Prerequisites

You must have available the following items:

Caution

For LANE, when an adapter is shared, an ELAN cannot be configured more than once on the adapter after takeover. This means that if both filers in a cluster pair are on the same ELANs, each filer needs a minimum of two ATM cards to support full takeover.

Steps

To configure a pair of dual-MAC NICs for takeover, complete these steps.

Step Action
1 Enter the following command at the command line or in the /etc/rc file of one filer in the cluster: 
ifconfig lint laddr partner paddr
lint is the interface number of the local interface. laddr is the IP address or ATM interface name of the local interface. paddr is the IP address ATM interface name that lint services when the local filer has taken over the other filer in the cluster.
2 Enter the following command at the command line or in the /etc/rc file of one filer in the cluster: 
ifconfig lint laddr partner paddr
lint is the interface number of the local interface. laddr is the IP address ATM interface name of the local interface. This is usually the paddr that you used in the previous step. paddr is the IP address ATM interface name that lint services when the local filer has taken over the other filer in the cluster. This is usually the laddr that you used in the previous step.

ELAN example

The following command specifies that adapter a4 will takeover all the ELANs on the partner a5 interface.

ifconfig a4 partner a5

Note: If a4 and partner a5 have been configured with common ELANs, then a4 will not take over those ELANs.

A cluster pair might be configured with ELANs as follows:

Filer and adtapter Interfaces Filer and adtapter Interfaces
filer1-a4 el0 default
el1 nineKMTU 		filer1-a5 el2 eighteenKMTU
filer2-a el0 defaul
el1 nineKMT 		filer2-a5 el2 eighteenKMTU

To achieve full takeover, use the following command on one filer: 

ifconfig a4 partner a5

and the following command on the other filer: 

ifconfig a5 partner a4

Copyright © 1999, Network Appliance, Inc. All rights reserved.

Part No. 210-02334
File: clust4.htm
Last updated: 02/24/99 12:16:47