which physical adaptor's MAC address is exposed after channel bonding?

#1 08-27-2008, 01:42 PM

If I channel bond two ethernet adapters together the network would see only
a single MAC address, so far as I understand it. What address is it? Is it
one of the cards chose in a certain way, or is it chosen randomly? I wanted
to know if my switch would always be seeing the same MAC address or could
it toggle on subsequent reboots?

--
Rahul

#2 08-27-2008, 01:49 PM

You don't see Eth0?
Than probably the lower Hex value of the Mac Adders.

"Rahul" wrote in message
news:Xns9B07813597C986650A1FC0D7811DDBC81@85.214.9 0.236...
> If I channel bond two ethernet adapters together the network would see
> only
> a single MAC address, so far as I understand it. What address is it? Is it
> one of the cards chose in a certain way, or is it chosen randomly? I
> wanted
> to know if my switch would always be seeing the same MAC address or could
> it toggle on subsequent reboots?
>
> --
> Rahul

#3 08-27-2008, 01:56 PM

Rahul wrote:
> If I channel bond two ethernet adapters together the network would see only
> a single MAC address, so far as I understand it. What address is it? Is it
> one of the cards chose in a certain way, or is it chosen randomly? I wanted
> to know if my switch would always be seeing the same MAC address or could
> it toggle on subsequent reboots?

The NICs only share a MAC address if you configure them for
active-backup, in which case they share the active NIC MAC, since the
intent is for the backup to take over transparently if the active fails.

Otherwise both MACs are used, based on the load balance algorithm.
That's how the load balancing happens (if the chosen algorithm is
effective).

#4 08-27-2008, 02:05 PM

"Bill" wrote in news:vrgtk.18938$vX2.2646
@bignews6.bellsouth.net:

> You don't see Eth0?
> Than probably the lower Hex value of the Mac Adders.
>

Thanks Bill. We bonded together eth2 and eth3 bonded together as bond0.
bond0 currently shows the MAC of eth2.

Now the MAC of eth2 also happens to have a Hex value than eth3. So not sure
which is the determining factor. And if it will change on subsequent
reboots.

Isn't there some governing convention / protocol?

--
Rahul

#5 08-27-2008, 03:55 PM

One other way was the slot the cards are in.
Not sure if that comes into play with bond.

"Rahul" wrote in message
news:Xns9B078544032EA6650A1FC0D7811DDBC81@85.214.9 0.236...
> "Bill" wrote in news:vrgtk.18938$vX2.2646
> @bignews6.bellsouth.net:
>
>> You don't see Eth0?
>> Than probably the lower Hex value of the Mac Adders.
>>
>
> Thanks Bill. We bonded together eth2 and eth3 bonded together as bond0.
> bond0 currently shows the MAC of eth2.
>
> Now the MAC of eth2 also happens to have a Hex value than eth3. So not
> sure
> which is the determining factor. And if it will change on subsequent
> reboots.
>
> Isn't there some governing convention / protocol?
>
> --
> Rahul