Scenario: Configuring Network Interface Backup in AIX client logical partitions without VLAN tagging
Use this scenario to become familiar with using a Network Interface Backup (NIB) configuration in Virtual I/O clients that are running AIX® logical partitions and are not configured for VLAN tagging.
Typically, a Shared Ethernet Adapter failover configuration is the recommended configuration for most environments because it supports environments with or without VLAN tagging. Also, the NIB configuration is more complex than a Shared Ethernet Adapter failover configuration because it must be implemented on each of the clients. However, Shared Ethernet Adapter failover was not available prior to Version 1.2 of Virtual I/O Server, and NIB was the only approach to a highly available virtual environment. Also, you might consider that in an NIB configuration you can distribute clients over both Shared Ethernet Adapters in such a way that half of them will use the first Shared Ethernet Adapter and the other half will use the second Shared Ethernet Adapter as primary adapter.
Create a virtual Ethernet environment using a Network Interface Backup configuration as depicted in the following figure.
Before completing the configuration tasks, review the following prerequisites and assumptions.
- The Hardware Management Console (HMC) is already set up. For more information about Installing and configuring the Hardware Management Console , see Installing and configuring the Hardware Management Console.
- Two separate Virtual I/O Server logical partitions have been created and the Virtual I/O Server has been installed in each logical partition. See the instructions in Installing the Virtual I/O Server and client logical partitions.
- You have created the remaining logical partitions that you want added to the network configuration.
- Each Virtual I/O Server logical partition has an available physical Ethernet adapter assigned to it.
- You have IP addresses for all logical partitions and systems that will be added to the configuration.
Using the figure as a guide, complete the following tasks to configure the NIB virtual environment.