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  1. #1

    Question Colo link aggregation / 802.3ad alternatives

    Greetings all,

    I run a small streaming/cdn service and I'm looking at how best to utilize my bandwidth. Here's the scoop:

    I have a 1/4 rack and 2 gbit drops from my provider. Currently I am running a single server connected to 1 gbit port - nothing fancy. Business is good so I am about to add another server. As this location is already the backup/failover for my primary colo (different location/provider), I am interested in playing with aggregation options.

    I have used 802.3ad in the past, so that was my first choice. I asked my provider if they can trunk my ports on their switch - unfortunately they refused (they only allow it above a certain commit).

    So...do I have any other options for aggregation? It's pure mb/sec throughput that I am looking for, rather than failover. I have the rackspace/power/etc to colo my own switch or router, I'm just curious if there is an effective alternative.

    TIA!

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by redlander View Post
    I have used 802.3ad in the past, so that was my first choice. I asked my provider if they can trunk my ports on their switch - unfortunately they refused (they only allow it above a certain commit).
    Well, I assume while you have 2xGigE drops you don't have an actual 2GB commit. If you did that should certainly be enough commit! But, anyway.
    So...do I have any other options for aggregation? It's pure mb/sec throughput that I am looking for, rather than failover. I have the rackspace/power/etc to colo my own switch or router, I'm just curious if there is an effective alternative.
    Well, if they're not willing to do it at layer-2 I suppose layer-3 is the only option in which case you would have to use some kind of interior dynamic routing protocol like EIGRP or OSPF or eBGP multihop. Ask your provider if they'd do a dynamic routing protocol session with your router. EIGRP is typically the easiest to setup but your provider may use something else internally like OSPF.

  3. #3
    Hey serverminds, cheers for the reply.

    Quote Originally Posted by serverminds View Post
    Well, I assume while you have 2xGigE drops you don't have an actual 2GB commit. If you did that should certainly be enough commit! But, anyway.
    Correct. For what it's worth, I have a 100mb commit. 200mb is the magic number for my provider to trunk my ports. Unfortunately I'm not there yet...

    Quote Originally Posted by serverminds View Post
    Well, if they're not willing to do it at layer-2 I suppose layer-3 is the only option in which case you would have to use some kind of interior dynamic routing protocol like EIGRP or OSPF or eBGP multihop. Ask your provider if they'd do a dynamic routing protocol session with your router. EIGRP is typically the easiest to setup but your provider may use something else internally like OSPF.
    Thanks for the info - I'll check it out with my provider. Out of curiosity, what's the downside to do it over layer3 vs layer2?

    Thanks again.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by redlander View Post
    Thanks for the info - I'll check it out with my provider. Out of curiosity, what's the downside to do it over layer3 vs layer2?
    I would think L2 switched would be closer to wire speed and therefore faster than L3 which does involve routing decisions. Still, it should be very fast, as most routers have ASICs committed to routing and should only be negligibly slower than L2 because of course most dynamic routing decisions made across the Internet are made at L3 and are and can be extremely fast - multiple gigabits up to 10G and faster.

  5. #5
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    I think the big thing is that if you currently don't have an layer 3 gear, you will need to get some to stick in between your server and your uplinks, and you will also need to get someone to configure it for you.
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  6. #6
    serverminds: Thanks again for the info!

    Jay Suds: Yep, it is starting to look that way. Not really a problem though as I don't mind spending the money or getting my hands dirty with learning the config.

    Quick question - although I guess this depends on my providers support for EIGRP/OSPF/etc - what L3 devices should I be looking at? Any recommendations?

  7. #7
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    Mmmm, I can't understand why they'd not do it, you're already using up two switch ports right? So it's not like it's going to cost them another switch port. Very odd.

    You're only going to need very basic configuration really, although your provider is most likely to want to do it via BGP rather than OSPF - You don't need a device that can take a full table, as you just need your provider to send you a default route down each cable/session. Something like Foundry FESX424/624 should do the job for you. Or one of the new Juniper EX series switches.
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