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General Description of Active Path Operation, To solve this problem

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unplugged/disconnected. This results in the HP Integrity server being effectively disconnected from the entire network except for Switch A. Only the 50 users on Switch A can access the server, whereas the 50 users on Switch B, the 250 users connected via the Core Switch, and the router connection to any external network can no longer communicate with the server. Even though a non-Primary port is connected to this isolated segment, non-Primary ports in an NFT team are not used for any transmit or receive communication. If this was a TLB team instead of an NFT team the server would still only be able to communicate with the network represented by Switch A since only Primary ports can receive traffic from the network. When this type of situation occurs on the network, it would be better for the server to proactively failover and choose a new primary from one of the team ports that still has connectivity with the core segment. In addition, the team should discontinue the use of any teamed ports that don't have connectivity with the core segment to prevent transmitting on a teamed port that can't reach the intended target (for example, client, router, etc.). The use of heartbeat frames between teamed ports will not provide enough information for the teaming driver to make the best failover decision. In other words, if the Primary port can't receive heartbeat frames from the non-Primary and vice versa, the only thing the teaming driver knows is that the teamed ports are no longer attached to the same network segment. The teaming driver still doesn't know which network segment is the best segment to choose. Figure 4-4 Upstream link failures cause server isolation HP NIC TEAMING IP= 1.1.1.1 NIC 1 Primary 50 USERS ACCESS TO SERVER C on so le Switch A C on so le Core Switch 250 USERS NO ACCESS TO SERVER External Network NO ACCESS TO SERVER NIC 2 Non-Primary Server Switch B C on so le 50 USERS NO ACCESS TO SERVER Router NO ACCESS TO SERVER To solve this problem, HP Engineering developed the Active Path mechanism. The Active Path mechanism allows the teaming driver to actively monitor network connectivity on a per-team member port basis with an external network device (designated as the Echo Node). Team member ports that have connectivity with the Echo Node are considered to be "eligible for use by the team". Therefore, Active Path becomes another validation mechanism in addition to link loss, transmit path validation, and receive path validation. General Description of Active Path Operation The goal of Active Path is to verify that each individual member port in a team has connectivity to the designated Echo Node that is located on the "important" physical segment of the broadcast domain. The method that Active Path uses must be able to operate independently of team member roles (Primary, non-Primary). In other words, Active Path must be able to transmit Echo Node probes and receive responses on each individual member port. Additionally, Active Path must accomplish this without using the team's IP address. The team's IP address cannot be used since 38 The Mechanics of Teaming for the Advanced User

Section	Page
Network Adapter Teaming White Paper	1
Table of Contents	3
1 Introduction	9
Abstract	9
How to Read This Document	9
Section Layout	9
2 An Executive Overview of Teaming	11
What is HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming?	11
The Goals of HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming	11
Fault Tolerance: Self-Healing Network Connectivity	11
Load Balancing: RAID 5 for Server Network Adapters	12
Why HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming?	13
3 Teaming Fundamentals for the First-Time User	15
A Technical Overview of HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming	15
Fault Tolerance: Dual Homing or Network Adapter Teaming?	15
Load Balancing: Server-Based Routing Protocol or NIC Teaming?	17
Overview of Team Types	17
Network Fault Tolerance Only (NFT)	18
Network Fault Tolerance Only with Preference Order	18
Transmit Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance (TLB)	19
Transmit Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance and Preference Order	19
Switch-assisted Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance (SLB)	19
802.3ad Dynamic with Fault Tolerance	19
Switch-assisted Dual Channel Load Balancing	19
802.3ad Dynamic Dual Channel Load Balancing	20
Automatic	20
How to Choose the Best Team Type	20
Basic Teaming Versus Advanced Teaming	22
Basic Deployment Steps for HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming	23
Download	23
Install	23
Launch	23
Overview of the HP Network Configuration Utility	23
NCU Main Page	24
Primary Actions from the NCU Main Page	24
Team Properties Page	24
Team Properties Page Tabs	25
Adapter Properties Page	25
Adapter Properties Page Tabs	25
Getting Started	26
Example Deployment of Basic Teaming	26
Example Deployment of Advanced Teaming	26
4 The Mechanics of Teaming for the Advanced User	29
Section Objectives and Prerequisites	29
Architecture of HP Integrity Networking Adapter Teaming	29
The “Networking Layers” of an Operating System	29
Teaming Software Components	30
Network Adapter Miniport Driver	30
Teaming Intermediate Driver	30
HP Network Configuration Utility	30
HP Teaming and Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Addresses	30
Types of HP Integrity Network Adapter Teams	31
Network Fault Tolerance Only (NFT)	31
Network Addressing and Communication with NFT	32
Scenario 4–A: A Device Pings an NFT Team on the Same Layer 2 Network	32
NFT Redundancy Mechanisms	34
Basic Redundancy Mechanisms	34
Advanced Redundancy Mechanisms	37
Active Path	37
General Description of Active Path Operation	38
Active Path Configuration	45
Fast Path	47
General Description of Fast Path Operation	51
Fast Path Configuration	52
Redundancy Mechanism Priority	54
Redundancy Mechanism Comparison Chart	54
Failover Events	55
NFT Network Adapter Failure Recovery	56
NFT Applications	56
Recommended Configurations for NFT Environments	57
Network Fault Tolerance Only with Preference Order	57
NFT with Preference Order Applications	57
Transmit Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance (TLB)	57
Network Addressing and Communication with TLB	58
Scenario 4–B: A Device Pings a TLB Team on the Same Layer 2 Network	58
Transmit Load Balancing Methods (Algorithms)	60
TLB Automatic Method	61
TLB TCP Connection Method	62
TLB Destination IP Address Method	62
Scenario 4-C: A TLB Team Using IP Address-Based Load Balancing	63
TLB Destination MAC Address Method	64
Scenario 4-D: A TLB Team Using Destination MAC Address Load-Balancing Method	65
TLB Round Robin Method for Outbound Load Balancing	66
TLB Redundancy Mechanisms	67
TLB Network Adapter Failure Recovery	67
TLB Applications	67
Recommended Configurations for TLB Environments	67
Transmit Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance and Preference Order	68
Transmit Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance and Preference Order Applications	68
Switch-Assisted Load Balancing with Fault Tolerance (SLB)	68
Network Addressing and Communication with SLB	69
SLB Outbound Load-Balancing Algorithms	69
SLB Inbound Load-Balancing Algorithm	69
Cisco EtherChannel	70
Switch Vendor Port Trunking Technology Supported by SLB	71
SLB Redundancy Mechanisms	72
SLB Network Adapter Failure Recovery	72
SLB Applications	72
Recommended Configurations for SLB Environments	72
802.3ad Dynamic with Fault Tolerance	73
Switch-assisted Dual Channel Load Balancing	73
Dual Channel Configuration	76
Dual Channel Transmit Balancing Algorithm	77
Dual Channel Receive Load-Balancing Algorithm	77
Receive Load Balancing on a Per-Port Trunk Basis	77
Receive Load Balancing on Multiple Trunks	77
Dual Channel Redundancy Mechanisms	78
Basic Redundancy Mechanisms	78
Advanced Redundancy Mechanisms	78
Dual Channel Network Adapter Failure Recovery	78
Dual Channel Applications	78
Recommended Configurations for Dual Channel Environments	78
802.3ad Dynamic Dual Channel Load Balancing	79
802.3ad Dynamic Dual Channel Configuration	79
Automatic	79
Team Types and Redundancy Mechanisms Interoperation	79
Team Type and Redundancy Mechanisms Compatibility Chart	79
Mechanism Priority	80
Team Status and Icons	81
Network Adapter Teamed Status	81
Team State	83
Team Icons	83
HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming and Advanced Networking Features	84
Checksum Offloading	84
802.1p QoS Tagging	84
Large Send Offload (LSO)	84
Maximum Frame Size (Jumbo Frames)	84
802.1Q Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN)	85
4–7 HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming Configuration and Deployment with Integrity Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP)	86
5 Teaming Feature Matrix	87
A – Overview of Network Addressing and Communication	89
Layer 2 Versus Layer 3	89
Address – Unicast Versus Broadcast Versus Multicast	89
Example Scenarios of Network Addressing and Communication	89
Scenario A-1: One Device Pings Another on the Same Layer 2 Network	90
Scenario A-2: One Device Pings Another on a Different Layer 2 Network	91
B – Frequently Asked Questions	95
C – Overview of Utilities Included with HP Integrity Network Adapter Teaming	99

Match case Limit results 1 per page

unplugged/disconnected. This results in the HP Integrity server being effectively disconnected

from the entire network except for Switch A. Only the 50 users on Switch A can access the server,

whereas the 50 users on Switch B, the 250 users connected via the Core Switch, and the router

connection to any external network can no longer communicate with the server. Even though a

non-Primary port is connected to this isolated segment, non-Primary ports in an NFT team are

not used for any transmit or receive communication. If this was a TLB team instead of an NFT

team the server would still only be able to communicate with the network represented by Switch

A since only Primary ports can receive traffic from the network.

When this type of situation occurs on the network, it would be better for the server to proactively

failover and choose a new primary from one of the team ports that still has connectivity with

the core segment. In addition, the team should discontinue the use of any teamed ports that don’t

have connectivity with the core segment to prevent transmitting on a teamed port that can’t

reach the intended target (for example, client, router, etc.).

The use of heartbeat frames between teamed ports will not provide enough information for the

teaming driver to make the best failover decision. In other words, if the Primary port can’t receive

heartbeat frames from the non-Primary and vice versa, the only thing the teaming driver knows

is that the teamed ports are no longer attached to the same network segment. The teaming driver

still doesn’t know which network segment is the best segment to choose.

Figure 4-4 Upstream link failures cause server isolation

HP NIC

TEAMING

50 USERS

NO ACCESS TO SERVER

Router

NO ACCESS TO SERVER

50 USERS

ACCESS TO SERVER

250 USERS

NO ACCESS TO SERVER

Switch A

Switch B

Core Switch

IP=

1.1.1.1

NIC 2

Non-Primary

NIC 1

Primary

External

Network

NO ACCESS TO SERVER

Server

To solve this problem, HP Engineering developed the Active Path mechanism. The Active Path

mechanism allows the teaming driver to actively monitor network connectivity on a per-team

member port basis with an external network device (designated as the Echo Node). Team member

ports that have connectivity with the Echo Node are considered to be “eligible for use by the

team”. Therefore, Active Path becomes another validation mechanism in addition to link loss,

transmit path validation, and receive path validation.

General Description of Active Path Operation

The goal of Active Path is to verify that each individual member port in a team has connectivity

to the designated Echo Node that is located on the “important” physical segment of the broadcast

domain. The method that Active Path uses must be able to operate independently of team member

roles (Primary, non-Primary). In other words, Active Path must be able to transmit Echo Node

probes and receive responses on each individual member port. Additionally, Active Path must

accomplish this without using the team’s IP address. The team’s IP address cannot be used since

The Mechanics of Teaming for the Advanced User