THE Technical Conference on Linux Networking

Netdev 0.1

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2015-01-18: accepted proposal - Matty Kadosh - MLAG (or Multi-Chassis Link aggregation Group) integration with Linux

MLAG extends the implementation of LAG beyond a single device to provide another level of redundancy that extends from link-level to the node level. MLAG is widely used in a modern data center in order to provide ToR-level active-active redundancy.

    -------------                         -------------
    | switch A  | --------- IPL --------- | switch B  |
    -------------                         -------------
          \ (              MLAG              ) /
           \                                  /
            \                                /
             \                              /
              \                            /
               \                          /
                \                        /
                 \ (       Bond       ) /
                  \                    /
                 ------------------------
                 |    Host \ Switch     |
                 ------------------------

This talk presents the changes needed from the Linux kernel in order to support MLAG both in the control plane. E.g. providing the system ID to the bond driver, supporting Multi-Chassis STP, and in the data plan E.g. IPL link requirements. The talk will be based on open source MLAG implementation and the enhancements that should be done to revert the code to native Linux solution https://github.com/open-ethernet/MLAG