topic Re: Inconsistent LACP system ID in Network and Storage Protocols

Inconsistent LACP system ID

skendric — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:59:57 GMT

PROBLEM

I am configuring (4) NICs on a two-node AF200 9.9.1P6 cluster with LACP, to attach to a pair of Cisco switches (configured with vPC)

The (2) Cisco switches are emitting identical LACP System IDs, which is good

* Both Cisco switches: 00-23-04-EE-BE-D1

But each of the ONTAP nodes are emitting different LACP System IDs, which is bad

* On Node 1, system ID = 02-A0-98-D7-EE-08
* On Node 2, system ID = 02-A0-98-D7-F3-01

CONFIGURE

I created the ifgrp as follows:
network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp
network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0b -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp

network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -port e0d
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0b -port e0d
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -port e0f
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0b -port e0f

ontap-n1::> network port show -ifgrp-port a0b

Node: ontap-n1
Speed(Mbps) Health
Port IPspace Broadcast Domain Link MTU Admin/Oper Status
--------- ------------ ---------------- ---- ---- ----------- --------
e0d Default - up 1500 1000/10000 healthy
e0f Default - up 1500 1000/10000 healthy

Node: ontap-n2
Speed(Mbps) Health
Port IPspace Broadcast Domain Link MTU Admin/Oper Status
--------- ------------ ---------------- ---- ---- ----------- --------
e0d Default - up 1500 auto/10000 healthy
e0f Default - up 1500 auto/10000 healthy
4 entries were displayed.

ontap-n1::>

IFCONFIG -V OUTPUT

Node 1: ontap-n1
a0b: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
[...]
laggport: e0f flags=1c<ACTIVE,COLLECTING,DISTRIBUTING> state=3d<ACTIVITY,AGGREGATION,SYNC,COLLECTING,DISTRIBUTING>
[(8000,02-A0-98-D7-EE-08,0032,8000,0007),
(7F9B,00-23-04-EE-BE-D1,8005,8000,0121)]
input/output LACPDUs: 189 / 145043
laggport: e0d flags=1c<ACTIVE,COLLECTING,DISTRIBUTING> state=3d<ACTIVITY,AGGREGATION,SYNC,COLLECTING,DISTRIBUTING>
[(8000,02-A0-98-D7-EE-08,0032,8000,0009),
(7F9B,00-23-04-EE-BE-D1,8005,8000,4109)]
input/output LACPDUs: 218 / 145072

Node 2: ontap-n2
a0b: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
[...]
laggport: e0f flags=0<> state=d<ACTIVITY,AGGREGATION,SYNC>
[(8000,02-A0-98-D7-F3-01,0032,8000,0007),
(7F9B,00-23-04-EE-BE-D1,8005,8000,0125)]
input/output LACPDUs: 124 / 144983
laggport: e0d flags=0<> state=d<ACTIVITY,AGGREGATION,SYNC>
[(8000,02-A0-98-D7-F3-01,0032,8000,0009),
(7F9B,00-23-04-EE-BE-D1,8005,8000,410A)]

I am referring to the following KB article to interpret ifconfig output: https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Software/ONTAP_OS/How_to_Troubleshoot_LACP_Issues_with_ifconfig_-v_in_ONTAP_9.2?mt-view=f1

QUESTION

What am I missing here? Is there something about the 'ifgrp' creation that I have forgotten?

--sk

Stuart Kendrick

Re: Inconsistent LACP system ID

AlexDawson — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 19:18:15 GMT

This is expected behaviour. It is necessary to create a channel group to each controller, and then ONTAP will take care of moving IPs between nodes during failover or in case both links to a controller fail

hope this helps!

Re: Inconsistent LACP system ID

skendric — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 21:40:11 GMT

It seems to me though that I have done precisely that: I have a created an LACP channel (a0b) and then assigned (4) links to it (two from each controller). I want to present to the switches a single LACP System Identifier + Key, so that they perceive the ONTAP cluster as a single entity.

Are you suggesting that I want (2) channel-groups, each containing (1) port from each controller? e.g. something like:

network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp
network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0b -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp
network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0c -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp
network port ifgrp create -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0c -distr-func ip -mode multimode_lacp

network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -port e0d
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0c -port e0d
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n1 -ifgrp a0b -port e0f
network port ifgrp add-port -node ontap-n2 -ifgrp a0c -port e0f

--sk

Re: Inconsistent LACP system ID

AlexDawson — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 23:15:49 GMT

No, your first setup was correct for the NetApp controller side.

From the cisco side, you need to create two channel groups, one per NetApp controller, each with two ports - one port from each of the cisco switches.

One final piece of advice is that if you plan to carry the VLAN used for the OOB management port SP + e0M over the port channel, it should be the native VLAN

Hope this helps!

Re: Inconsistent LACP system ID

skendric — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 17:58:45 GMT

I see ... I had been looking at this sideways ... thank you! Works now

--sk