Arch Linux

thelongdivider

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 52

Link aggregation setup

Hello Everyone,

First, I would like to say Arch is the best distribution I have ever worked with (Debian, Gentoo, Mint, Ubuntu, etc)!  Putting that aside, I am relatively new and would like some assistance on setting up link aggregation for 2  computers I have now running arch.  The netctl information didn't really help much, as I could not start the bonding profile.  I have an intel dual gigabit nic which goes to a managed cisco switch.  My question, exactly, is how to setup the configuration files to run link ag (mode=4), any other changes, etc.  Best case would be a step by step guide, but any outline of the steps would be very greatly appreciated.

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: Link aggregation setup

Well, the first thing to learn here would be, that Arch and "step by step guide" usually do not work well together. But I have a few hints:

1. netctl.profile(5) will tell you, how to write a profile.
2. /etc/netctl/examples/ contains, well, examples for most use cases.
3. If "link aggregation" does not produce search results, the next one would be "trunk", followed closely by "bonding". We Linux folks seem to have a tendency towards "bonding", as we are such a cuddly crowd.

thelongdivider

Member

Registered: 2013-11-09

Posts: 52

Re: Link aggregation setup

Well, the first thing to learn here would be, that Arch and "step by step guide" usually do not work well together. But I have a few hints:

1. netctl.profile(5) will tell you, how to write a profile.
2. /etc/netctl/examples/ contains, well, examples for most use cases.
3. If "link aggregation" does not produce search results, the next one would be "trunk", followed closely by "bonding". We Linux folks seem to have a tendency towards "bonding", as we are such a cuddly crowd.

Hi.  The profile doesn't start.  Also, how are you able to set up mode=4 (802.3ad) in the profile?

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: Link aggregation setup

Please read the netctl article here on the Arch Wiki carefully. There is a bonding chapter, including examples. Look at the examples, this should give you an idea on how to add such options.

More on bonding: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collabor … er_Options

When you configure the mode for the driver (like demonstrated in the netctl wiki article), the mode name is not 4, but actually 802.3ad. You should know this from Gentoo (you mentioned working with it), though.