Cisco Nexus 1000V Layer 2 Switching Configuration Guide, Release 4.2(1)SV2(1.1)
Configuring Network Load Balancing for vEthernet
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Configuring Network Load Balancing for vEthernet

This chapter contains the following sections:

Information About Microsoft Network Load Balancing

Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB) is a clustering technology offered by Microsoft as part of the Windows server operating systems. Clustering enables a group of independent servers to be managed as a single system for higher availability, easier manageability, and greater scalability.

For more information about Microsoft Network Load Balancing, see http:/​/​technet.microsoft.com/​en-us/​library/​bb742455.aspx


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Guidelines and Limitations

Network Load Balancing feature has the following guidelines and limitations:

  • no mac auto-static-learn configuration is not supported on PVLAN ports.
  • no mac auto-static-learn configuration is not supported on the ports configured with switchport port-security mac-address sticky.
  • On Microsoft Network Load Balancing (MS-NLB) enabled vEthernet interfaces , Unknown Unicast Flood Blocking (UUFB) does not block MS-NLB related packets. In these scanarios, UUFB can be used to limit flooding of MS-NLB packets to non-MS-NLB ports within a VLAN.

Configuring Microsoft Network Load Balancing Support in Interface Configuration Mode

Use this procedure to configure Microsoft Network Load Balancing in the interface configuration mode.

Before You Begin

Note

Make sure that the Cisco Nexus 1000V is configured before you configure Microsoft NLB on Windows virtual machines (VMs).

  • You are logged in to the CLI in EXEC mode.
  • Unicast is the default Microsoft Network Load Balancing mode of operation.
  • Microsoft NLB replaces the MAC address of each server in the cluster to a common Microsoft NLB MAC address.
Procedure
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1switch# configure terminal 

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 2switch(config)# show running-config interface veth number 

    Displays the vEthernet configuration to determine if no mac auto-static-learn is configured or not.

     
    Step 3switc(config)# interface veth 

    Sets interface configuration mode on vEthernet modules.

     
    Step 4switch(config-if)# [ no ] mac auto-static-learn 

    Toggles the auto-mac-learning on vEthernet modules.

     
    Step 5switch(config-if)# copy running-config startup-config  (Optional)

    Saves the change persistently through reboots and restarts by copying the running configuration to the startup configuration.

     

    The following example shows how to configure Microsoft Network Load Balancing directly on vEthernet:

    switch# configure terminal
switch(config)# interface vethernet 1
switch(config-if)# no mac auto-static-learn
switch(config-if)# show running-config interface vethernet 1
!Command: show running-config interface Vethernet1
!Time: Tue Nov 15 19:01:36 2011

version 4.2(1)SV1(5.1)

interface Vethernet1
  inherit port-profile vm59
  description stc3, Network Adapter 2
  no mac auto-static-learn
  vmware dvport 34 dvswitch uuid "ea 5c 3b 50 cd 00 9f 55-41 a3 2d 61 84 9e 0e c4"
  vmware vm mac 0050.56B3.0071

switch(config)#

    The following example shows how to unconfigure Microsoft Network Load Balancing directly from vEthernet:

    switch# configure terminal
switch(config)# interface vethernet 1
switch(config-if)# mac auto-static-learn
switch(config-if)# show running-config interface vethernet 1
!Command: show running-config interface Vethernet1
!Time: Tue Nov 15 19:01:52 2011

version 4.2(1)SV1(5.1)

interface Vethernet1
  inherit port-profile vm59
  description stc3, Network Adapter 2
  mac auto-static-learn
  vmware dvport 34 dvswitch uuid "ea 5c 3b 50 cd 00 9f 55-41 a3 2d 61 84 9e 0e c4"
  vmware vm mac 0050.56B3.0071

switch(config)#

    Configuring Microsoft Network Load Balancing in Port Profile Configuration Mode

    Use this procedure to configure Microsoft Network Load Balancing in the port profile configuration mode.

    Before You Begin

    Note

    Make sure that the Cisco Nexus 1000V is configured before you configure Microsoft NLB on Windows virtual machines (VMs).

    • You are logged in to the CLI in EXEC mode.
    • Unicast is the default Microsoft Network Load Balancing mode of operation.
    • Microsoft NLB replaces the MAC address of each server in the cluster to a common Microsoft NLB MAC address.
    Procedure
       Command or ActionPurpose
      Step 1switch# configure terminal 

      Enters global configuration mode.

       
      Step 2switch(config)# show running config port-profile profile name 

      Displays the port profile configuration to determine if no mac auto-static-learn is configured or not.

       
      Step 3switch(config)# port profile type vethernet ms-nlb 

      Sets port profile configuration mode on vEthernet modules.

       
      Step 4switch(config-port-prof)# [ no ] mac auto-static-learn 

      Toggles the auto-mac-learning on vEthernet modules.

       
      Step 5switch(config-port-prof)# copy running-config startup-config  (Optional)

      Saves the change persistently through reboots and restarts by copying the running configuration to the startup configuration.

       

      The following example shows how to configure Microsoft Network Load Balancing in port profile mode:

      switch# configure terminal
switch(config)# port-profile type vethernet ms-nlb
switch(config-port-prof)# vmware port-group
switch(config-port-prof)# switchport mode access
switch(config-port-prof)# switchport access vlan 59
switch(config-port-prof)# no mac auto-static-learn
switch(config-port-prof)# no shutdown
switch(config-port-prof)# state enabled
switch(config-port-prof)# show run port-profile ms-nlb
!Command: show running-config port-profile ms-nlb
!Time: Tue Nov 15 19:00:40 2011

version 4.2(1)SV1(5.1)
port-profile type vethernet ms-nlb
  vmware port-group
  switchport mode access
  switchport access vlan 59
  no mac auto-static-learn
  no shutdown
  state enabled
switch(config-port-prof)#

      The following example shows how to unconfigure Microsoft Network Load Balancing on vEthernet in port profile mode:

      switch# configure terminal
switch(config)# port-profile type vethernet ms-nlb
switch(config-port-prof)# mac auto-static-learn
switch(config-port-prof)# show run port-profile ms-nlb
!Command: show running-config port-profile ms-nlb
!Time: Tue Nov 15 19:01:05 2011

version 4.2(1)SV1(5.1)
port-profile type vethernet ms-nlb
  vmware port-group
  switchport mode access
  switchport access vlan 59
  mac auto-static-learn
  no shutdown
  state enabled
switch(config-port-prof)#

      Feature History for Microsoft Network Load Balancing for vEthernet

      Feature Name

      Feature Name

      Releases

      Network Load Balancing

      4.2(1)SV1(5.1)

      This feature was introduced