Installation guide

CHAPTER 11 Networking
375
Choosing a Load Balancing Mode
You can choose one of three modes for determining how ESX Server distributes traffic
among the network adapters assigned to a virtual switch:
• MAC address balancing
• IP address balancing
• Standby
You select the load balancing mode by setting the load_balance_mode option
for a virtual switch. All options for virtual switches are defined in /etc/vmware/
hwconfig, which you can modify through the Service Console.
MAC address load balancing distributes networking traffic based on the MAC
hardware addresses of the source network adapters. Select MAC address balancing by
setting load_balance_mode to out-mac.
Note: MAC address balancing is the default load balancing mode in ESX Server.
IP address load balancing distributes networking traffic based on IP addresses. ESX
Server distributes network traffic not using the IP protocol on a fixed-volume
sequential cycle. Select IP address balancing by setting load_balance_mode to
out-ip.
Standby mode designates a specific adapter to use as the primary connection. Use
Standby mode for redundant connection switches, as described in the next section.
This example describes how to set the load balancing mode for bond1 to IP address
load balancing:
1. Log into the Service Console as root.
2. Edit /etc/vmware/hwconfig.
3. Define the load balancing mode for bond1:
nicteam.bond1.load_balance_mode = “out-ip”
If you previously defined the option for this switch, just change the current
mode value to out-ip.
4. Save the file and close it.
Configuring the Bond Failure Mode
You can select one physical adapter to be the primary network connection for a
virtual switch. In this configuration, ESX Server routes all traffic through the primary
adapter and reserves the other adapters in case of connection failure. This type of
redundant connection switch is defined as using a “failover” configuration.