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Configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use SR-IOV network interfaces

September 21, 2020
Contributed by: 
C

You can use the Virtual Machine Manager to configure a NetScaler VPX instance running on Linux-KVM to use single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV) network interfaces with Intel 82599 10G NIC and  X710 10G and XL710 40G NICs.

This section describes how to:

  • Configure a NetScaler VPX Instance to Use SR-IOV Network Interface
  • Configure Static LA/LACP on the SR-IOV Interface
  • Configure VLAN on the SR-IOV Interface

Limitations

Keep the limitations in mind while using Intel 82599, X710, XL710 NICs. The following features not supported.

Limitations for Intel 82599 NICs:

  • L2 mode switching
  • Admin partitioning (shared VLAN mode)
  • High availability (active-active mode
  • Jumbo Frames.
  • IPv6: You can configure only up to 30 unique IPv6 addresses in a VPX instance if you’ve alteast one SR-IOV interface.
  • VLAN configuration on Hypervisor for SRIOV VF interface through “ip link” command is not supported.
  • Interface parameter configurations such as speed, duplex, and autonegotiations are not supported.

Limitations for X710 10G and XL710 40G NICs:

  • L2 mode switching.
  • In a cluster, Jumbo Frames are not supported when the XL710 NIC is used as a data interface.
  • Interface list re-orders when interfaces are disconnected and reconnected.
  • Interface parameter configurations such as speed, duplex, and auto negotiations are not supported.
  • Interface name is 40/X for both XL710 and X710 NICs
  • Up to 16 Intel XL710/X710 SRIOV or PCI Passthrough interfaces can be supported on a VPX instance.

Note: For IPv6 to work with X710 10G and XL710 40G NICs, you need to enable trust mode on the Virtual Functions (VFs) by typing the following command on the KVM host:

# ip link set <PNIC> <VF> trust on

For example:

# ip link set ens785f1 vf 0 trust on

Prerequisites

Before you configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use SR-IOV network interfaces, complete the following prerequisite tasks. See the NIC column for details about about how to complete the corresponding tasks.

Task 82599 NIC X710 and XL710 NICs
1. Add the NIC to the KVM host. - -
2. Download and install the latest Intel driver. IXGBE driver I40E driver
3. Blacklist the driver on the KVM host. Add the following entry in the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file: blacklist ixgbevf. Use IXGBE driver version 4.3.15 (recommended). Add the following entry in the /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf file: blacklist i40evf.Use i40e driver version 2.0.26 (recommended).
4.Enable SR-IOV Virtual Functions (VFs) on the KVM host. In both the commands in the next two columns: number_of_VFs =the number of Virtual VFs that you want to create. device_name =the interface name. If you are using earlier version of kernel 3.8, then add the following entry to the /etc/modprobe.d/ixgbe file and restart the KVM host: *options ixgbe max_vfs=*.If you are using kernel 3.8 version or later, create VFs using the following command: *echo > /sys/class/net//device/sriov_numvfs*. See example in figure 1. If you are using earlier version of kernel 3.8, then add the following entry to the /etc/modprobe.d/i40e.conf file and restart the KVM host:*options i40e max_vfs=*.If you are using kernel 3.8 version or later, create VFs using the following command: *echo > /sys/class/net//device/sriov_numvfs*.See example in figure 2.
5. Make the VFs persistent by adding the commands that you used to create VFs, to the rc.local file. See example in figure 3. See example in figure 3.

Important

When you are create the SR-IOV VFs, ensure that you do not assign MAC addresses to the VFs.

Figure 1: Enable SR-IOV VFs on the KVM host for 82599 10G NIC.

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Figure 2: Enable SR-IOV VFs on the KVM host for X710 10G and XL710 40G NICs.

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Figure 3: Make the VFs persistent.

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Configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use SR-IOV network interface

To configure NetScaler VPX instance to use SR-IOV network interface by using Virtual Machine Manager, complete these steps:

1. Power off the NetScaler VPX instance.

2. Select the NetScaler VPX instance and then select Open.

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     1. In the <virtual_machine on KVM> window, select the i icon.

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     1. Select Add Hardware.

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     5. In the Add New Virtual Hardware dialog box, do the following:

a. Select PCI Host Device.
b. In the Host Device section, select the VF you have created and click Finish.

Figure 4:VF for 82599 10G NIC

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Figure 5: VF for XL710 NIC

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     6. Repeat Step 4 and 5 to add the VFs that you have created.      7. Power on the NetScaler VPX instance.      8. After the NetScaler VPX instance powers on, use the following command to verify the configuration:

> show interface summary

The output shows all the interfaces that you configured.

Figure 6: output summary for 82599.

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Figure 7. Output summary for X710 and XL710 NICs.

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Configure static LA/LACP on the SR-IOV interface

Important

When you are creating the SR-IOV VFs, ensure that you do not assign MAC addresses to the VFs.

To use the SR-IOV VFs in link aggregation mode, disable spoof checking for VFs that you have created. On the KVM host, use the following command to disable spoof checking:

*ip link set \<interface\_name\> vf \<VF\_id\> spoofchk off*

Where:

  • Interface_name – is the interface name.
  • VF_id – is the Virtual Function id.

For example:

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After you disable spoof checking for all the VFs that you have created. Restart the NetScaler VPX instance and configure link aggregation. For detailed instructions, see Configure Link Aggregation.

Configuring VLAN on the SR-IOV Interface

You can configure VLAN on SR-IOV VFs. For detailed instructions, see Configuring a VLAN.

Important

Ensure that the KVM host does not contain VLAN settings for the VF interface.

Configure a NetScaler VPX instance to use SR-IOV network interfaces
September 21, 2020
Contributed by: 
C
September 21, 2020
Contributed by: 
C

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