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NetAPP networking Question - VIF Multimode Dynamic or Static

NETAPPORATI — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:31:13 GMT

Hi All,

I am setting up a Netapp which has 1 x PCIE Addon NICs (Quad Port) per Controller, we have 2 Controllers. I am somewhat confused in its networking though 🙂

So from the 2 x QuadPort NICS we have, I connected two ports on each NIC to the SAME L-2 SWITCH (Cisco). so basically 2 cables from each nic going into the same L2 switch. I created ifgroups, when I do a ifgrp status <ifgroup-name> (I have 4 if-groups configured now, from ifgroup-1 to ifgroup-4), it shows some of them as broken. Like e1c is up while e1d is down on one of the if-group, even though both of these nics are physically connected. I haven't made a etherchanel / lacp on the switch side as I read on some of the blogs that I don't need to, unless I am using vif with dynamic multimode (http://technologist.pro/storage/netapp-dynamic-multimode-vif-and-cisco-etherchannel)

Can some expert here point me into the right direction. My Objective / Target is :

iScsi LAN :
To create a NIC Team of 2 NICS (1GB each) on my Server <> EtherChanel of two ports for this Server NIC TEAM (IP address : 192.168.0.10/24)

To create a ifgroup dynamic multimode of two NICS on Controller-0 <> Etherchanel of two ports for this Controller-0's NIC (IP Address : 192.168.0.11/24)

With above, do you think I would get good throughput ? as even though I have them in a ifgroup but I don't think they both are being used at the same time?

Also, does vif and ifgroup means the same thing?

I am also receiving console messages "root volume is not mirrored - a takeover may not be successful" (something like this).

I will update this thread later with a basic diagram too, so you can have an idea as to what I am targetting. All of these ports have gotten me proper confused and I can't seem to configure autosupport either as this netapp won't have access to internet at all - so I just don't know how it will reach out to Autosupport.

Sorry for asking so many questions - will be grateful for your help

Re: NetAPP networking Question - VIF Multimode Dynamic or Static

ChrisHolloway — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:58:43 GMT

The default load balancing method is to load balance on IP so traffic coming from one IP will only go down a single link. This means from one IP you'll only get the speed of a single link. With multiple source IPs they'll be balanced down the two links.

You need Etherchannel/LACP configured (mode on/mode active I think, but I'm no network expert) if you are using anything other than a single mode VIF. Etherchannel is required for static multi-mode, LACP for dynamic multimode.

VIF and IFGRP are the same thing. ONTAP 7.x used the term VIF, ONTAP 8.x onwards uses ifgrp.

The error "root volume is not mirrored - a takeover may not be successful" is most likely because you have the cluster remote license installed on the host. This is only required in a MetroCluster configuration. If you remove that license (assuming you're not using a MetroCluster) then the message will stop appearing.

HTH

Re: NetAPP networking Question - VIF Multimode Dynamic or Static

NETAPPORATI — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:16:17 GMT

Thank you Chris for your answer, I have inspected the confiugration via "ifconfig -a" ; I don't see an IP Address assigned to each nic, rather to the ifgroup,- Following is an output of ifgroup -a from ONE Controller, i.e. Controller - 0 : (I have removed the config details of e1a, e1b, e1c and e1d) :

ifgroup-1: flags=0x22748863<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

inet 192.168.2.200 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 192.255.255.255

partner ifgroup-3 (not in use) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> if-group on 2nd Controller

ether 02:a0:98:18:61:5a (Disabled interface group)

ifgroup-2: flags=0x22f48863<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

inet 192.168.2.201 netmask 0xff000000 broadcast 192.255.255.255

partner ifgroup-4 (not in use) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> if-group on 2nd Controller

ether 02:a0:94:14:69:5c (Enabled interface groups)

a) What does Disabled and Enabled Interface groups mean in the above config ?

b) How can I find out whether i have Static / Dynamic or Multimode VIF Configured via the command-line or OnCommand Web Interface ?

c) Looking at the above, shall I create a EtherChannel on the appropriate switch ports where these cables are hooked ?

Following is the output of just the e1a - e1d NICS, I have on a Controller :

e1a: flags=0x9748867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

ether 02:a0:98:18:61:5a (auto-unknown-down) flowcontrol full

trunked ifgroup-1

e1b: flags=0x9748867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

ether 02:a0:98:18:61:5a (auto-unknown-down) flowcontrol full

trunked ifgroup-1

e1c: flags=0x9f48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

ether 02:a0:98:18:61:5b (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full

trunked ifgroup-2

e1d: flags=0x9f48867<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST,TCPCKSUM> mtu 1500

ether 02:a0:98:18:61:5b (auto-1000t-fd-up) flowcontrol full

trunked ifgroup-2

Also, I am confused as to how to setup Autosupport, as it doesn't allow me to specify a username / password, I have a SMTP Server on the same premises but our NETAPP is operating on a different subnet as to our SMTP OUTBOUND BOX (Smarthost).

i) If I want my netapp to be able to send these emails, shall I configure the "e0M" PORT with an IP Address of the same subnet as our SMTP BOX ?

Sorry to have asked two types of questions on one thread - It's networking is getting me a bit confused 🙂 - Thanks for reading !!

Re: NetAPP networking Question - VIF Multimode Dynamic or Static

ChrisHolloway — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:13:51 GMT

I don't see an IP Address assigned to each nic, rather to the ifgroup

-That's normal. You assign the IP to the ifgrp not the ports in the ifgrp.

a) What does Disabled and Enabled Interface groups mean in the above config ?

Disabled means that the interface has either been taken down manually, or the config at either the filer end or the switch end is not correct and so the port could not come up.

b) How can I find out whether i have Static / Dynamic or Multimode VIF Configured via the command-line or OnCommand Web Interface ?

rdfile /etc/rc will show you the start up file which will show you how the ifgrps are set when the filer boots.

ifgrp status will show you what's currently running.

c) Looking at the above, shall I create a EtherChannel on the appropriate switch ports where these cables are hooked ?

You'd need to check what sort of ifgrp they were first (single, multi, lacp) before you can decide that.

i) If I want my netapp to be able to send these emails, shall I configure the "e0M" PORT with an IP Address of the same subnet as our SMTP BOX ?

Yep, seems a reasonable idea to me.