Configuring High Availability in Ruijie Switches

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Hey there, tech enthusiasts!

In our ongoing journey of building a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI), we've reached an exciting phase where we're diving into configuring high availability (HA) and link aggregation in our Ruijie Company Switches. These crucial steps will not only enhance the reliability and performance of our infrastructure but also ensure seamless operation even in the face of failures.

Now, before we dive into the nitty-gritty details, I want to mention that we'll skip over the basic setup tasks like assigning IP addresses and enabling SSH. Instead, let's jump straight into the action!

Configure Virtual Switch Unit (VSU)

In Ruijie switches, the concept of Virtual Switch Unit (VSU) is akin to switch stacking in other vendors' switches like CISCO. It allows us to virtualize multiple physical switches into one logical unit for simplified management and enhanced redundancy. Here's how we set it up:

First, we'll configure Virtual Switch Unit (VSU) on each switch. This helps combine multiple switches into one logical unit for easier management. Each VSU gets a unique domain ID, but multiple switches can share the same ID if they're part of the same VSU.

Next, we'll assign a priority number to each switch. This number determines which switch is the main one (active) and which is the backup (passive). The active switch handles configuration changes, while the passive one waits in case the active switch goes down.

Then, we'll configure the interfaces for the Virtual Switch Link (VSL). The number of interfaces needed depends on the switch model, usually between 2 to 8. You can check your switch's configuration guide for details. Here, I've used Ten Gig Interfaces 23 and 24 from both switches.

Finally, we'll switch the mode to virtual. This process backs up the old standalone switch configuration and reloads it when you remove the VSU setup later on. It's like putting the switch into a special mode where it behaves as part of a larger virtual unit.

On Switch 1:

sw_A> enable
sw_A# configure terminal
sw_A(config)# switch virtual domain 100
sw_A(config-vs-domain)# switch 1
sw_A(config-vs-domain)# switch 1 priority 200
sw_A(config-vs-domain)# switch 1 description sw_A
sw_A(config-vs-domain))# exit
sw_A(config)# vsl-port
sw_A(config-vsl-port)# port-member interface tengigabitethernet 0/23
sw_A(config-vsl-port)# port-member interface tengigabitethernet 0/24
sw_A(config)# exit
sw_A# switch convert mode virtual

On Switch 2:

sw_B> enable
sw_B# configure terminal
sw_B(config)# switch virtual domain 100
sw_B(config-vs-domain)# switch 2
sw_B(config-vs-domain)# switch 2 priority 150
sw_B(config-vs-domain)# switch 2 description sw_B
sw_B(config-vs-domain))# exit
sw_B(config)# vsl-port
sw_B(config-vsl-port)# port-member interface Tengigabitethernet 0/23
sw_B(config-vsl-port)# port-member interface Tengigabitethernet 0/24
sw_B(config-vsl-port)# exit
sw_B# switch convert mode virtual

Configuration VLAN

If you're here after reading my previous article, you might recall that we're planning to use separate VLANs for VM migration and CEPH. Now, let's dive into configuring those. If you haven't had a chance to read the previous article yet, you can find it here.

virtual_switch(config)# vlan 4
virtual_switch(config-vlan)# name migration
virtual_switch(config-vlan)# exit

virtual_switch(config)# vlan 5
virtual_switch(config-vlan)# name storage
virtual_switch(config-vlan)# exit

Configure Link Aggregation (LAG)

For simplicity, I'll demonstrate the LAG configuration for just one aggregate port, which we'll call aggregatePort3. However, in our setup, we've actually configured LAG for other aggregate ports as well, specifically aggregatePort 4, 5, 9, 10, and 11.

Link Aggregation is essential for increasing throughput and ensuring redundancy by combining multiple physical links into a single logical link. Let's walk through the steps:

1. Create a Port Group: Assign two ports from different switches to a group.

// Select an interface of switch 1
virtual_switch(config)# interface tenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3
virtual_switch(config-if-TenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3)# port-group 3 mode active 
virtual_switch(config-if-TenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3)# exit

// Select an interface of switch 2
virtual_switch(config)# interface tenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3
virtual_switch(config-if-TenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3)# port-group 3 mode active  // 3 is group ID 
virtual_switch(config-if-TenGigabitEthernet 1/0/3)# exit

Here, we've set up an active-active configuration. This means we're maximizing both throughput and failover safety.

2. Show Aggregate Port Status: Check the status of the aggregate port.

virtual_switch(config)# show aggregatePort 3 summary
// You can see switchport mode is access

3. Convert to Trunk Mode: Convert the access mode to trunk. Ruijie switches, LAG operates exclusively in Trunk mode and requires explicit setup.

virtual_switch(config)# interface aggregatePort3 
virtual_switch(config-if-AggregatePort 3)# switchport mode trunk
virtual_switch(config-if-AggregatePort 3)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 4,5
virtual_switch(config-if-AggregatePort 3)# end

4. Save Configuration: Ensure all configurations are saved for persistence across reboots.

virtual_switch# write

And there you have it! With VSU for high availability and LAG for improved link utilization and redundancy, our hyperconverged infrastructure is becoming more resilient and efficient by the minute.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to fine-tune our setup and explore new horizons in the world of IT infrastructure.

Keep exploring!