-1

I have 2 NICs on a server, one of which is unplugged... I would like to know if there is a positive point to aggregate these? Would that make the unplugged NIC useful, enabling the ability to process more packets per seconds?

I choose FreeBSD 11.0 as my OS!

Psyloh
  • 11
  • 4
  • How could it process network traffic if it's unplugged? – joeqwerty Mar 27 '17 at 22:46
  • As link aggregation is a soft feature I guess that enables some communication between the NICs! So the plugged one could pass traffic to the unplugged one... In fact, that's why I ask! If it won't work and you know it, just say it :-D I didn't study networks and administration... I'm just learning and I may ask stupid questions just because I don't have enough knowledge to make it :-s – Psyloh Mar 27 '17 at 22:53
  • Think about what happens when you plug in a NIC. What goes over the cable? – Michael Hampton Mar 27 '17 at 23:00
  • @Psyloh: Your response to my comment makes me think that maybe you thought I was insulting you. I wasn't. My apologies if it came off that way. – joeqwerty Mar 27 '17 at 23:10
  • @joeqwerty: No, don't worry ^^ I just feel kinda raring because I'm paying a server since 3 months and I overestimated my needs of basic knowledge :-/ I thought I could put things to work fast, that it would not be so hard to learn and understand but I like well-crafted work and I am discovering that it takes much time to get things to work perfectly... I am the guilty here! – Psyloh Mar 28 '17 at 07:34
  • @MichaelHampton: So, that interface bce1 is just useless, unusable and I should stop to picture my dreams? ^^' I got it! – Psyloh Mar 28 '17 at 07:48

1 Answers1

0

The second link in an aggregate pair clearly not going to be adding any kind of performance or processing advantage while unplugged. Beyond the obvious (plugging in both interfaces) the only advantage I could see is the ability to plug in the second NIC and then unplug the first one without the overall logical interface coming down.

The more likely answer is that the upstream network infrastructure either didn't have sufficient port capacity or there was some sort of mismatch in capabilities between said switch (or switches?) and the host. Having both ports plugged in might have broken something and unplugging one fixed the issue, at least temporarily.

rnxrx
  • 8,143
  • 3
  • 22
  • 31
  • The server I am setting up belongs to online.net... It is possible to get free RPN implementation in the case where one manages more that one of their servers, that's why an NIC is kept unplugged! So I was wondering if I could get any benefit from that NIC despite the constraints of reality ^^' Thx anyway! – Psyloh Mar 28 '17 at 07:42