Configuring Virtual Network Devices Into an IPMP Group in an Oracle Solaris 11 Domain

Figure 16 shows two virtual networks (vnet0 and vnet1) connected to separate virtual switch instances (vsw0 and vsw1) in the service domain, which in turn use two different physical interfaces. The physical interfaces are net0 and net1 in the Oracle Solaris 11 service domain.

If a physical link failure occurs in the service domain, the virtual switch device that is bound to that physical device detects the link failure. Then, the virtual switch device propagates the failure to the corresponding virtual network device that is bound to this virtual switch. The virtual network device sends notification of this link event to the IP layer in the guest LDom_A, which results in failover to the other virtual network device in the IPMP group.

Figure 16  Two Virtual Networks Connected to Separate Virtual Switch Instances (Oracle Solaris 11)

Figure 17 shows that you can achieve further reliability in the logical domain by connecting each virtual network device (vnet0 and vnet1) to virtual switch instances in different service domains. In this case, in addition to physical network failure, LDom_A can detect virtual network failure and trigger a failover following a service domain crash or shutdown.

Figure 17  Virtual Network Devices Each Connected to Different Service Domains (Oracle Solaris 11)

For more information, see “Establishing an Oracle Solaris Network” in the Oracle Solaris 11.3 Information Library.