Dell OS10 Load Balancing with LAG Config

In this test case the goal is to create a simple load balancer using a reverse LAG port. The idea is to have one input port which is then mirrored to a logical LAG port and at the other end of the LAG port is a number of security sensors.

This test case was a duplicate of test 1 except with 1 port unplugged to see how it affected the algorithm.

Helpful Links

ONIE Network Install Process Overview

Dell OS10 Manual

My Configuration

General Configuration

  • ONIE host is running RHEL 8
  • I am using a Dell S4112F-ON for testing
  • OS10 10.5.0.2
  • PFSense running DNS and DHCP as services

RHEL Release Info

NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
VERSION="8.0 (Ootpa)"
ID="rhel"
ID_LIKE="fedora"
VERSION_ID="8.0"
PLATFORM_ID="platform:el8"
PRETTY_NAME="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0 (Ootpa)"
ANSI_COLOR="0;31"
CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:8.0:GA"
HOME_URL="https://www.redhat.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/"

REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8"
REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=8.0
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Red Hat Enterprise Linux"
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION="8.0"
Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 8.0 (Ootpa)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 8.0 (Ootpa)

OS 10 Version

OS10# show version
Dell EMC Networking OS10 Enterprise
Copyright (c) 1999-2019 by Dell Inc. All Rights Reserved.
OS Version: 10.5.0.2
Build Version: 10.5.0.2.468
Build Time: 2019-10-19T00:29:00+0000
System Type: S4112F-ON
Architecture: x86_64
Up Time: 00:03:39

Setup ONIE Prerequisites

See ONIE Install Setup for instructions.

Configure Management Interface

See Configure Management Interface on Dell OS10

Configure Device for LAG

Physical Configuration

  • 1, 1Gb/s copper SFP (Ethernet 1/1/1) for input
  • 1, 1Gb/s copper SFPs (Ethernet 1/1/5) and 1, 1Gb/s, fiber SFP (Ethernet 1/1/12) for output

MAJOR DIFFERENCE WITH TEST 1: In this test Ethernet 1/1/9 was disconnected. I actually did this by accident originally. I discovered VMWare autonegotiates to 10Gb/s and if you leave the interface at 1Gb/s the interface will not come up.

Configuration - Same as Test 1 Except with Ethernet 1/1/9 Unplugged

OS10(config)# do show ip interface brief
Interface Name            IP-Address          OK       Method       Status     Protocol
=========================================================================================
Ethernet 1/1/1             unassigned          YES      unset        up          up
Ethernet 1/1/2             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/3             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/4             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/5             unassigned          YES      unset        up          up
Ethernet 1/1/6             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/7             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/8             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/9             unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/10            unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/11            unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/12            unassigned          YES      unset        up          up
Ethernet 1/1/13            unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/14            unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Ethernet 1/1/15            unassigned          NO       unset        up          down
Management 1/1/1           192.168.1.20/24     YES      manual       up          up
Vlan 1                     unassigned          YES      unset        up          up
Port-channel 1             unassigned          YES      unset        up          up
OS10(config)# do show running-configuration
! Version 10.5.0.2
! Last configuration change at Nov  01 01:09:30 2019
!
ip vrf default
!
interface breakout 1/1/13 map 100g-1x
interface breakout 1/1/14 map 100g-1x
interface breakout 1/1/15 map 100g-1x
iscsi enable
iscsi target port 860
iscsi target port 3260
system-user linuxadmin password $6$5DdOHYg5$JCE1vMSmkQOrbh31U74PIPv7lyOgRmba1IxhkYibppMXs1KM4Y.gbTPcxyMP/PHUkMc5rdk/ZLv9Sfv3ALtB61
username admin password $6$q9QBeYjZ$jfxzVqGhkxX3smxJSH9DDz7/3OJc6m5wjF8nnLD7/VKx8SloIhp4NoGZs0I/UNwh8WVuxwfd9q4pWIgNs5BKH. role sysadmin priv-lvl 15
aaa authentication login default local
aaa authentication login console local
!
class-map type application class-iscsi
!
policy-map type application policy-iscsi
!
interface vlan1
no shutdown
!
interface port-channel1
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
!
interface mgmt1/1/1
no shutdown
no ip address dhcp
ip address 192.168.1.20/24
ipv6 address autoconfig
!
interface ethernet1/1/1
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/2
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/3
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/4
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/5
no shutdown
channel-group 1
no switchport
speed 1000
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/6
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/7
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/8
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/9
no shutdown
channel-group 1
no switchport
speed 1000
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/10
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/11
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/12
no shutdown
channel-group 1
no switchport
speed 1000
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/13
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/14
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
interface ethernet1/1/15
no shutdown
switchport access vlan 1
flowcontrol receive on
!
monitor session 1
destination interface port-channel1
source interface ethernet1/1/1
no shut
!
snmp-server contact "Contact Support"
!
telemetry

Findings

~~I noticed in this configuration traffic appears to balance correctly. Will need to sit down and think on the math.~~

I am no longer convinced these results are valid. See test case 3. After further examination it looks like on the surface it is working when in reality it may not be.

Interface 1/1/9 was down because ESXi was set to 10Gb/s and I had set the speed on 9 manually to 1Gb/s causing it to go down.

Host 1

Host 2