Author: Jason Beattie
Applies to: Oracle Linux 8 / 9, OLVM 4.x, Cisco Nexus or MLAG-capable switches
Overview
In an OLVM environment, Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) bonding enables multiple NICs to act as a single high-performance link.
This provides bandwidth aggregation and fault tolerance, essential for virtualized workloads and management networks.
Network Architecture
Typical layout for each OLVM host:
ens1f0np0 \
> bond0 (mode 4, LACP)
ens1f1np1 /
bond0.11 → VLAN 11 (Storage)
bond0.20 → VLAN 20 (Management)
Each NIC connects to a Cisco or similar switch, configured as an LACP trunk.
Step 1: Configure the Switch
Example Cisco NX-OS configuration:
interface Ethernet1/22
description OLVM-Host01-NIC1
switchport
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan 11,20
channel-group 15 mode active
no shutdown
interface Ethernet1/23
description OLVM-Host01-NIC2
switchport
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan 11,20
channel-group 15 mode active
no shutdown
interface port-channel15
description OLVM-Host01-Bond0
switchport
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan 11,20
spanning-tree port type edge trunk
Requirements:
Both ports in the same port-channel
Same VLANs, MTU, and speed
FEC (Forward Error Correction) aligned (Auto or Off)
channel-group mode active (for LACP)
Step 2: Configure OLVM Host Bonding
# Create bond
nmcli con add type bond ifname bond0 mode 802.3ad miimon 100 lacp-rate fast xmit-hash-policy layer3+4
# Add slaves
nmcli con add type ethernet ifname ens1f0np0 master bond0
nmcli con add type ethernet ifname ens1f1np1 master bond0
# Bring interfaces up
nmcli con up bond0
nmcli con up ens1f0np0
nmcli con up ens1f1np1
Step 3: Create VLAN Interfaces
nmcli con add type vlan con-name bond0.11 dev bond0 id 11
nmcli con add type vlan con-name bond0.20 dev bond0 id 20
Assign IP to management VLAN:
nmcli con mod bond0.20 ipv4.addresses 10.178.7.83/24
nmcli con mod bond0.20 ipv4.gateway 10.178.7.1
nmcli con mod bond0.20 ipv4.method manual
nmcli con up bond0.20
Step 4: Verify Operation
cat /proc/net/bonding/bond0
Expected:
Bonding Mode: IEEE 802.3ad Dynamic link aggregation
LACP active: on
Aggregator ID: 1
Number of ports: 2
Partner Mac Address: <Switch MAC>
Both interfaces must have matching Aggregator IDs and Partner MACs.
Troubleshooting
Issue
| Cause | Fix |
Partner Mac Address: 00:00:00:00:00:00 | Switch not sending LACP PDUs | Ensure channel-group mode active |
Only one NIC active | Aggregator mismatch | Verify VLAN/MTU match |
Drops or slow throughput | FEC or link negotiation issue | Align FEC or disable auto-neg |
LACP flapping | Cabling or optics mismatch | Reseat transceivers, check logs |
Summary
Setting
| Value |
Bond mode | 802.3ad (LACP) |
Hash policy | layer3+4 |
LACP rate | fast |
VLANs | Trunked |
Switch config | Port-Channel Active |
LACP bonding offers performance scaling and redundancy, ideal for stable 10 Gb environments or modern 25 Gb optics with validated FEC alignment.
Contact us today to arrange an assessment or email:
Jason Beattie
Senior Architect and Cloud Operations Manager
