Creating a multimode vif

About creating a multimode vif

This procedure enables you to create a multimode vif on your storage system. By default, the IP-address based load-balancing method is used for a multimode vif. However, you can select another method while creating the vif. Once a load-balancing method has been assigned to a vif, it cannot be changed.

Note
Do not select the MAC-address based load-balancing method when creating vifs on a storage system that connects directly to a router. In such a setup, for every outgoing IP frame, the destination MAC address will be the MAC address of the router. As a result, only one interface of the vif will be used.

For more information about load-balancing methods available for multimode vifs, see Load balancing in multimode vifs.

Prerequisites

You need to meet the following prerequisites to create a multimode vif:

Identify or install a switch that supports link aggregation over multiple port connections in your network, configured according to your switch vendor's instructions.
Decide on a case-sensitive name for the vif that meets the following criteria:
- It must begin with a letter.
- It must not contain a space.
- It must not contain more than 15 characters.
- It must not already be in use for a vif.
Decide on the interfaces you want the vif to consist of.
Configure all interfaces that will be included in the vif to be down using the ifconfig command.

Creating a multimode vif

To create a vif in which all interfaces are active at once, complete the following steps.

Note
The operation performed using the vif create command is not persistent across reboots unless the command is added to the /etc/rc file.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: *vif create multi vif_name* -b {rr\|mac\|ip} [interface_list]** `-b` specifies the type of load-balancing method. `rr`--Round robin `mac`--MAC-address based `ip`--IP-address based (default) vif_name is the name of the vif. interface_list is a list of the interfaces that make up the vif. Note You must ensure that all interfaces to be included in the vif are configured down. You can use the `ifconfig` command to configure an interface down. Example You can create a multimode vif, comprising interfaces e0, e1, e2, and e3 and using MAC-based load balancing, with the following command: vif create multi MultiTrunk1 -b mac e0 e1 e2 e3
2	Enter the following command: ifconfig vifname IP_address netmask mask vifname is the name of the vif. IP_address is the IP address for this interface. mask is the network mask for this interface.

Step

Action

Enter the following command:

vif create multi vif_name -b {rr|mac|ip} [interface_list]

-b specifies the type of load-balancing method.

rr--Round robin
mac--MAC-address based
ip--IP-address based (default)

vif_name is the name of the vif.

interface_list is a list of the interfaces that make up the vif.

Note
You must ensure that all interfaces to be included in the vif are configured down. You can use the ifconfig command to configure an interface down.

Example

You can create a multimode vif, comprising interfaces e0, e1, e2, and e3 and using MAC-based load balancing, with the following command:

vif create multi MultiTrunk1 -b mac e0 e1 e2 e3

Enter the following command:

ifconfig vifname IP_address netmask mask

vifname is the name of the vif.

IP_address is the IP address for this interface.

mask is the network mask for this interface.