Shared Ethernet adapters for load sharing

Learn about configuring shared Ethernet adapters (SEA) with load sharing to share the workload between the primary and backup SEA.

The SEA failover configuration provides redundancy only by configuring a backup SEA on a different Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) logical partition. This backup SEA is in the standby mode and can be used only if the primary SEA fails. Hence, the bandwidth of the backup SEA is not used.

On the VIOS Version 2.2.1.0, or later, you can use the SEA failover with load sharing configuration to use the bandwidth of the backup SEA without any impact to reliability.

In the SEA failover with load sharing configuration, the primary and the backup SEAs negotiate those set of virtual local area network (VLAN) IDs, which they are responsible for bridging. After successful negotiation, each SEA bridges the assigned trunk adapters and the associated VLANs. Thus, the primary and the backup SEA bridge the workload for their respective VLANs. If a failure occurs, the active SEA bridges all trunk adapters and the associated VLANs. This action helps to avoid disruption in network services. When the failure is resolved, an SEA automatically returns to the load sharing state. Load sharing can also be restarted by running the chdev command on the backup SEA. For more information, see chdev command.

To configure SEA failover with load sharing, you must have two or more trunk adapters with distinct VLAN definitions assigned to each SEA. To make optimum use of the SEA failover with load sharing configuration, design the workload such that it is equally distributed among trunk adapters.

Note: When SEA load sharing is configured with Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) (8023ad link aggregation) or physical adapters, the adapter_reset value must be set to no on both the primary and backup SEA in the VIOS version 2.2.4.0, or earlier, to avoid temporary network outage that might be caused due to a delay in LACP negotiation and a physical adapter reset.



Last updated: Thu, October 15, 2020