9 – Tru64 UNIX Cluster Hooks: NIFF, NetRAIN, & LAG
Scott Fafrak, Jim Lola, Dennis W. O'Brien, Greg Yates, Brad Nichols · 2003
Publisher Summary The Network Interface Failure Finder (NIFF) is a new component to Tru64 UNIX that enables network interfaces to be monitored for connectivity issues. Tru64 UNIX provides a method of taking multiple network interface cards (NICs) and grouping them together to function as highly available network, more commonly known as a redundant array of independent network adapters or NetRAIN. If one or more of the NICs are currently in use, delete them. The easiest method for doing so is to use the “sysman” command with the “interface” accelerator. While configuring the NetRAIN interface on a NETDEV_# other than instance number zero, NRDEV_# and NRCONFIG_# is incremented to be the same instance number as NETDEV_# and IFCONFIG_#. This only applies to the attribute itself and not the value. In other words, if the instance number was “1”, then the attributes would be NETDEV_1, IFCONFIG_1, NRDEV_1, NRCONFIG_1. The NetRAIN interface would remain nr0. Link Aggregation or LAG is a new feature that was added to Tru64 UNIX starting with version 5.1A. It is similar to NetRAIN in that it provides increased redundancy for the network. Unlike NetRAIN, though, all NICs in the set can be simultaneously active, allowing for load sharing and increased network bandwidth. Both inbound and outbound traffic are distributed to all interfaces in the link aggregation group. While transmitting packets, the system uses a load distribution algorithm to determine on which attached port to transmit the packets. Configuring a LAG is very straightforward process.