NetScaler SDX

Configuring a channel from the Management Service

You can configure a channel manually, or you can use the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP). You cannot apply LACP to a manually configured channel, nor can you manually configure a channel created by LACP. Configure a channel from the Management Service. Then select the channel at the time of provisioning or modifying a NetScaler instance.

An LA Channel is a logical entity to provide for link redundancy and bandwidth aggregation. Interfaces that are part of a channel cannot be assigned separate IP addresses.

Note: A NetScaler SDX appliance supports link aggregation but does not support link redundancy. From NetScaler release 13.1 build 27.x and later, link redundancy configuration is explicitly not supported on a NetScaler VPX instance hosted on a NetScaler SDX appliance.

To configure a channel from the Management Service

  1. Navigate to System > Channels.
  2. In the details pane, click Add.
  3. In the Add Channel dialog box, set the following parameters:
    • Channel ID—ID for the LA channel to be created. Specify an LA channel in LA/x notation, where x can range from 1 to a number equal to one-half the number of interfaces. Cannot be changed after the LA channel is created.
    • Type—Type of channel. Possible values:
      • Static—configured only on the data interfaces.
      • Active-Active—configured only on the management interfaces 0/x.
      • Active-Passive—configured only on the management interfaces 0/x.
      • LACP—configured on data interfaces and the management interfaces 0/x.
    • Throughput (Applies only to a static channel and LACP)—Low threshold value for the throughput of the LA channel, in Mbps. In an HA configuration, failover is triggered if the LA channel has HA MON enabled and the throughput is below the specified threshold.
    • Bandwidth High (Applies only to a static channel and LACP)—High threshold value for the bandwidth usage of the LA channel, in Mbps. The appliance generates an SNMP trap message when the bandwidth usage of the LA channel is equal to or greater than the specified high threshold value.
    • Bandwidth Normal (Applies only to a static channel and LACP)—Normal threshold value for the bandwidth usage of the LA channel, in Mbps. When the bandwidth usage of the LA channel becomes equal to or less than the specified normal threshold after exceeding the high threshold, the NetScaler SDX appliance generates an SNMP trap message to indicate that bandwidth usage has returned to normal.
  4. On the Interfaces tab, add the interfaces that you want to include in this channel.
  5. On the Settings tab, set the following parameters:
    • Channel State (Applies only to a static channel)—Enable or disable the LA channel.
    • LACP Time (Applies only to LACP)—Time after which a link is not aggregated if the link does not receive an LACPDU. The value must match on all the ports participating in link aggregation on the SDX appliance and the partner node.
    • HA Monitoring—In a High Availability (HA) configuration, monitor the channel for failure events. Failure of any LA channel that has HA MON enabled triggers HA failover.
    • Tag All—Add a four-byte 802.1q tag to every packet sent on this channel. The ON setting applies tags for all VLANs that are bound to this channel. OFF applies the tag for all VLANs other than the native VLAN.
    • Alias Name—Alias name for the LA channel. Used only to enhance readability. To perform any operations, you have to specify the LA channel ID.
  6. Click Create, and then click Close.

Notes

  • You cannot create a management LA if both 0/1 and 0/2 interfaces are part of a VPX instance, and that instance is part of a cluster.
  • You cannot delete a management LA if it is part of a VPX instance, and that instance is part of a cluster.
Configuring a channel from the Management Service