One unit of HUB to be connected in NIC switching mode is sufficient, but communication may not be conducted normally if the HUB has MAC learning capabilities. In such a case, add a HUB to make a HUB-to-HUB connection and then connect the cable to each HUB (See "Figure 2.7 System configuration in NIC switching mode" of "2.1.2 NIC switching mode").
It is not possible to use a standby patrol function when the type of interface to use is "mpnetX (a logical interface of a multipath)".
Communication with a multicast IP address is executed using a physical interface corresponding to a node name (uname -n). When used this interface in NIC switching mode, it is not possible to communicate with a multicast IP address. This occasionally outputs a following WARNING message from in.rdisc when activated a system:
in.rdiscd[xxx]: setsockopt(IP_DROP_MEMBERSHIP): Cannot assign requested address
To prevent the output of this message, disable the service svc:/network/routing/rdisc and do not activate in.rdisc.
In a standby patrol function of NIC switching mode, a dedicated Ethernet frame is used. Therefore, when operating VLAN (Virtual LAN), occasionally it is not possible to use a standby patrol function depending on the setting of VLAN. In such a case, either to stop a standby patrol function or VLAN, or change the setting of VLAN so that it becomes possible to use an optional Ethernet frame.
In NIC switching mode, it is necessary to use a HUB to which an IP address can be set in order to monitor errors by the ping command.
If the IP address cannot be set, an IP address of other device connected to the HUB can be used.
However, be sure that if an error occurs in the device, the error is treated as a transfer route error.
When using an IPv6 virtual interface with Solaris 10, create an /etc/hostname6.interface file corresponding to a Primary physical interface so that an in.ndpd daemon is activated at activating a system. When the in.ndpd daemon is not activated, an IPv6 address is not configured automatically. When creating a /etc/hostname6.interface file, make it empty without fail.
When using an IPv6 virtual interface, an in.ndpd daemon is occasionally reactivated not to delay configuring an IPv6 address automatically due to the LinkUp delay of Ethernet. A message "SIGHUP: restart and reread config file" is output from the in.ndpd daemon following this, however, this is not an error.
To operate ping monitoring over the system that runs firewall, configure the firewall so that ping can pass through the firewall. Otherwise, it fails to operate ping monitoring. The firewall settings must be the same for both of the primary and secondary interfaces.
When using an IPv6 virtual interface in an environment where the address autoconfiguration with an IPv6 router is not in use, assign a link local address to the monitored IP.
In Solaris 11 or later environment, if the setting of IPv6 address by ipadm create-addr is not performed for the physical interfaces bundled by a virtual interface of IPv6 or dual stack configuration, it may fail the activation of virtual interfaces. In this case, set the IP address by using ipadm create-addr command.
