Chapter 9. Configuring network teams using the web console

Learn how network bonding works, what are the differences between network teams and network bonds, and what are the possibilities of configuration in the web console.

Additionally you can find guidelines for:

  • Adding a new network team
  • Adding new interfaces to an existing network team
  • Removing interfaces from an existing network team
  • Removing a network team
Important

Network teaming is deprecated in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. If you plan to upgrade your server to a future version of RHEL, consider using the kernel bonding driver as an alternative. For details, see Configuring network bonding.

Prerequisites

9.1. Configuring a network team by using the RHEL web console

Use the RHEL web console to configure a network team if you prefer to manage network settings using a web browser-based interface.

Important

Network teaming is deprecated in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. If you plan to upgrade your server to a future version of RHEL, consider using the kernel bonding driver as an alternative. For details, see Configuring network bonding.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. Select the Networking tab in the navigation on the left side of the screen.
  2. Click Add team in the Interfaces section.
  3. Enter the name of the team device you want to create.
  4. Select the interfaces that should be ports of the team.

  5. Select the runner of the team.

    If you select Load balancing or 802.3ad LACP, the web console shows the additional field Balancer.

  6. Set the link watcher:

    • If you select Ethtool, additionally, set a link up and link down delay.
    • If you set ARP ping or NSNA ping, additionally, set a ping interval and ping target.
    team settings
  7. Click Apply.

  8. By default, the team uses a dynamic IP address. If you want to set a static IP address:

    1. Click the name of the team in the Interfaces section.
    2. Click Edit next to the protocol you want to configure.
    3. Select Manual next to Addresses, and enter the IP address, prefix, and default gateway.
    4. In the DNS section, click the + button, and enter the IP address of the DNS server. Repeat this step to set multiple DNS servers.
    5. In the DNS search domains section, click the + button, and enter the search domain.

    6. If the interface requires static routes, configure them in the Routes section.

      bond team bridge vlan.ipv4
    7. Click Apply

Verification

  1. Select the Networking tab in the navigation on the left side of the screen, and check if there is incoming and outgoing traffic on the interface.

    team verify

  2. Display the status of the team: 

    # teamdctl team0 state
setup:
  runner: activebackup
ports:
  enp7s0
    link watches:
      link summary: up
      instance[link_watch_0]:
        name: ethtool
        link: up
        down count: 0
  enp8s0
    link watches:
      link summary: up
      instance[link_watch_0]:
        name: ethtool
        link: up
        down count: 0
runner:
  active port: enp7s0

    In this example, both ports are up.

Additional resources

9.2. Adding new interfaces to the team using the web console

Network teams can include multiple interfaces and it is possible to add or remove any of them at any time. The following section describes how to add a new network interface to an existing team.

Prerequisites

  • A network team with is configured.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the web console.

    For details, see Logging in to the web console.

  2. Switch to the Networking tab.
  3. In the Interfaces table, click on the team you want to configure.
  4. In the team settings window, scroll down to the Ports table.
  5. Click on the + button.

  6. Select the interface you want to add from the drop down list.

    cockpit network team add interface

The RHEL web console adds the interface to the team.

9.3. Removing or disabling an interface from the team using the web console

Network teams can include multiple interfaces. If you need to change a device, you can remove or disable particular interfaces from the network team, which will work together with the rest of active interfaces.

There are two options how to stop using an interface included in a team:

  • Removing the interface from the team
  • Temporarily disabling the interface. The interface then stays as part of the team, but the team will not use it until you enable it again.

Prerequisites

  • A network team with multiple interfaces exists on the host.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the RHEL web console.

    For details, see Logging in to the web console.

  2. Switch to the Networking tab.
  3. Click the team you want to configure.
  4. In the team settings window, scroll down to the table of ports (interfaces).

  5. Select an interface and remove or disable it.

    1. Switch the ON/OFF button to Off to disable the interface.

    2. Click the - button to remove the interface.

      cockpit team remove interface

Based on your choice, the web console either removes or disables the interface. If you remove the interface, it will be available in Networking as a standalone interface.

9.4. Removing or disabling a team using the web console

Remove or disable a network team using the web console. If you only disable the team, interfaces in the team will stay in it but the team will not be used for network traffic.

Prerequisites

  • A network team is configured on the host.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the web console.

    For details, see Logging in to the web console.

  2. Switch to the Networking tab.
  3. Click the team you want to remove or disable.

  4. Remove or disable the selected team.

    1. You can remove the team by clicking the Delete button.

    2. You can disable the team by moving the ON/OFF switch to a disabled position.

      cockpit team remove

Verification steps

  • If you removed the team, go to Networking, and verify that all the interfaces from your team are now listed as standalone interfaces.