AberNAS Network Port/Adapter Teaming

This document describes how to combine multiple network adapters for fault tolerance
and/or increased throughput. Some types of teaming require support from network
switch manufacturers, and some types may require advanced networking skills to
configure. This document provides elementary setup steps for the network ports on your
AberNAS

1) From the Start menu click Run. Type ncpa.cpl and click OK. Right click on any
Network connection and click Properties.

2) Click Configure. Choose Teaming from the tabs. Check Team this adapter with other
adapters. Click New Team.
3) Enter a name of your choice for the team and click next. Put a check on the adapters
you would like to team and click Next.

4) Choose the type of the team. This is the most important part of the process. Please
read the information and requirements by clicking each team type below the wizard
page. You may also check the same information at the end of the document to read and
prepare before setup. Click Next and Finish
5) You will see a new connection in Network Connections without the adapter
description. Only TEAM: “Your Team Name” will appear as the description. For manual
IP configurations, you may set the teams IP configuration from this connection by right
clicking and choosing properties.

6) You might also like to setup the priority of the network ports for specific team types.
Please read the team types referenced at the end of this document.. Continuing from
the 5th step, click Configure and choose Settings from the tabs. Click Modify Team.
Click on the network port you need to set as Primary and click Set Primary. Click on the
network port you need to set as Secondary and click Set Secondary. Click OK.
TEAM Types

Adapter Fault Tolerance

Adapter Fault Tolerance (AFT) provides redundancy through automatic failovers from an active
adapter to a standby adapter in the case of switch port, cable, or adapter failure.

One adapter is selected to be the active adapter. All other adapters are in standby.

Primary and Secondary adapters can be selected for the team, but are not required.

• If a Primary adapter is chosen, it becomes the active adapter for the team.

• If a Secondary adapter is chosen, it becomes a standby adapter. If the active adapter

fails, the secondary adapter takes over and all other adapters in the team remain in
standby.

• Adapters that are not Primary or Secondary will stay in standby unless a failure occurs
with both the Primary and Secondary adapters.

• If no Primary is selected, the team will use the healthiest high-speed adapter in the team.

• If the Primary adapter is changed or added, the team will reload, causing a momentary
loss of connectivity.

Configuration notes

• AFT supports two to eight adapter ports per team.

• Team members do not have to run at the same speed or duplex.

• No switch configuration is required for this team type.

• This teaming type works with any switch or hub.

Adaptive Load Balancing

Adaptive Load Balancing (ALB) provides transmit traffic load balancing and fault tolerance in the
event of switch port, cable, or adapter failure.

Intel® PROSet analyzes the transmit load on each member adapter and balances the traffic
across member adapters. One adapter accepts all receive traffic.

ALB teams have an option for Receive Load Balancing (RLB). RLB allows the team to balance
receive traffic across all member adapters. RLB is enabled by default.

Primary and Secondary adapters can be selected for this team, but are not required if RLB is
disabled. If RLB is enabled, a Primary is automatically assigned.

• RLB must have a Primary adapter. You can set a new adapter to Primary, but cannot
remove the priority from the team.

• Setting a Primary adapter when RLB is disabled is optional.

 • The Primary adapter will be the only adapter to receive traffic when RLB is disabled.

• If RLB is enabled, the healthiest high-speed adapter is automatically selected and

marked as the Primary.

• If the Primary adapter is changed or added, the team will reload, causing a momentary
loss of connectivity.

Configuration notes

• ALB does not balance non-routed protocols such as NetBEUI and some IPX* traffic.

• ALB supports from two to eight adapter ports per team.

• RLB is not supported on Hyper-V*

• Team members do not have to run at the same speed or duplex.

• No switch configuration is required for this team type.

• This team type works with any switch or hub.

Static Link Aggregation

Static Link Aggregation (SLA) is a performance technology developed to increase throughput
between switches or a server and switch. This is accomplished by bundling or channeling
several ports together and showing them as a single link. This increases the total bandwidth for
the link and provides fault- tolerance in the event of a switch port, cable, or adapter failure.

Primary and Secondary adapters can be selected for this team, but are not required.

• If a Primary adapter is selected, the team will use that adapter's MAC address.

• If a Primary adapter is added or changed, the team will reload, causing a momentary loss
of connectivity.

Configuration notes

• SLA supports two to eight adapter ports per team.

• All team members must be linked to the same switch.

• All team members must run at the same speed.

• All team members must be connected at full duplex.

• The switch must be configured for SLA before the team is created.

• To prevent packet loss, adapters should be added or removed from the team in a link-
down state.

• This team type is supported on Cisco switches with channeling mode set to "ON", Intel
switches capable of Link Aggregation, and other switches capable of static 802.3ad.

• SLA balances all traffic.

 NOTE: The FEC (Fast EtherChannel) and GEC (Gigabit EtherChannel) team types have
been renamed to Static Link Aggregation.

IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic Link Aggregation

IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic Link Aggregation is an IEEE standard for increasing throughput between
switches or a server and switch. This is accomplished by dynamically bundling or channeling
several ports together and showing them as a single link using Link Aggregation Control
Protocol (LACP). This increases the total bandwidth for the link and provides fault-tolerance in
the event of switch port, cable, or adapters failure.

Primary and Secondary adapters can be selected for this team, but are not required.

• If a Primary adapter is selected, the team will use that adapter's MAC address.

• If a Primary adapter is added or changed, the team will reload, causing a momentary loss
of connectivity.

Configuration notes

• IEEE 802.3ad supports two to eight adapter ports per team

• All team members must run at the same speed to be in the same aggregator.

• All team members must be connected at full duplex.

• The switch must be configured for IEEE 802.3ad before the team is created.

• To prevent packet loss, adapters should be added or removed from the team in a link-
down state.

• This team type requires that the switch fully supports the 802.3ad standard.

• This team type balances all traffic.

• Some switches will not allow fiber and copper adapters to be in the same aggregator
even if their speed is the same.

• If multiple switches are used, all members connected to the same switch must run at the
same speed.

• Check your switch documentation to verify specific vendor requirements for switch
configuration.