This article describes how to configure a NetScaler appliance using Link Aggregation to connect pairs of interfaces to the Cisco switches.

Instructions

To configure a NetScaler appliance using Link Aggregation to connect pairs of interfaces to the Cisco switches, complete the following procedure:

Note: In the following procedure, interfaces 1/1 and 1/2 are used for one channel and interfaces 1/3 and 1/4 are used for the other channel.

1. Run the following commands to configure two Link Aggregation channels:
   add channel LA/1 -ifnum 1/1 1/2 -speed AUTO -flowcontrol RXTX -hamonitor ON
   add channel LA/2 -ifnum 1/3 1/4 -speed AUTO -flowcontrol RXTX -hamonitor ON

   The preceding commands create two Link Aggregation channels LA/1 and LA/2. The LA/1 channel has 1/1 and 1/2 physical interfaces connected and the LA/2 channel has 1/3 and 1/4 physical interfaces connected.

2. Run the following command to add 802.1q tagging to the LA/2 channel:
   add vlan <VLAN_ID>
   bind vlan <VLAN_ID> -ifnum LA/2 –tagged

3. Ensure that you tune the port channel load balancing algorithm by running an appropriate command from the following list:
   Note: Refer to the Cisco documentation for the relevant configuration.

   • Cisco Catalyst Operating System (CatOS):
     set port channel all distribution {ip | mac | session | ip-vlan-session} [source | destination | both}

   • Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS):
     port-channel load-balance {src-mac | dst-mac | src-dst-mac | src-ip | dst-ip | src-dst-ip | src-port | dst-port | src-dst-port}

4. By default, the high availability packets are sent and received untagged. Therefore, the Primary and Secondary NetScaler appliances in the high availability setup must have connectivity through a native VLAN to ensure that the high availability setup functions as expected. The native VLAN ID of the port channels connecting to the Primary and Secondary NetScaler appliance must be the same. Refer to CTX201788 for more information.

   Configure the native VLAN ID on a Cisco switch by running an appropriate command from the following list:

   • Cisco Catalyst Operating System (CatOS):
     set vlan <VLAN_ID> <Mod/Port>

   • Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS):
     int <Mod/Port>
     switchport trunk native vlan <VLAN_ID>
     Note: In some versions of the Cisco IOS, running the switchport trunk native vlan <VLAN_ID> command causes the Cisco switch to tag LACP PDUs. This causes the LACP channel between the Cisco switch and NetScaler appliance to fail. However, this issue does not apply to static link aggregation channels, as described in the preceding procedure.

• CTX115504 – How to Configure and Verify Link Aggregation Control Protocol on a NetScaler Appliance

• Release Notes for the Catalyst 3750, 3560, 2970, and 2960 Switches, Cisco IOS Release 12.2(44) SE and Later

• Release Notes for Cisco IOS Release 12.2 SX on the Catalyst 6500 Series MSFC