Link Aggregation using 802.3ad with Summit X440

SO I been doing some reading in the Basic Switch Operations Document.  

It states the LAG requires a configuration at both ends.  But the reading confused me some. 

SO my question is the server NIC considered one end and the Switch ports considered the other end thus completing the requirements?

Last thing I want to do is a create a loopback as that could possibly screw our phone system, as nobody is 100% on the loop back prevention for it properly working.

No insight on this?  I guess I can tinker with it the worse that happens I kill my network for a few minutes.

Joe,

LACP must be enabled on both sides of the aggregated links.

Unfortunately, Link Aggregation is natively supported only in Windows Server 2012. Windows Server 2003 and 2008 don't support it and you have to check if your NIC vendor provides drivers that support it.

Check https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/7dc861fb-9813-485e-ac91-7fc50dd8f123...

We use the Broadcom Suite which does support it. I also would have sworn I read r2 sp1 supported it as well but that may have been bad info.  My biggest concern was switch settings I usualy do a lot reading before I mess with it, but it seems like the XOS documentation leaves a lot out on this.

Joe,

There's really nothing misterious about link aggregation in XOS.

To create a LAG use the following command:

enable sharing <port> grouping <port-list> {algorithm [address-based {L2 | L3 | L3_L4 | custom | port-based}]} {lacp}

For example, to create a LAG using ports 1 and 2, where 1 is the port that will represent the LAG:

enable sharing 1 grouping 1-2

Want to use LACP?

enable sharing 1 grouping 1-2 lacp

The first one will work right away. It is up to you to make sure that link aggregation is configured on the other side of the links and that the individual links are correctly connected. If you make a mistake you will probably create a loop. this is known as a static LAG.

In the second one the individual links will be activated only if they find a LACP configured peer at the other end. Thus, if you make a mistake nothing will happen. Literally. The links won't come up...

The algorithm part of the command deals with the method used to distribute traffic among the groups in the link. I usually configure L3_L4 which gives the best distribution in most cases.

The thing to remember is that, once created, the LAG is represented by the port chosen when you created it (port 1 in the example).

There are other commands that let you add or remove individual ports from the LAG

configure sharing <port> add ports <port_list>
configure sharing <port> delete ports <port_list>

To add ports 3 and 4 to the previous LAG:

configure sharing 1 add ports 3-4

Thanks for the extra info.

So I was reading thru the command ref guide for XOS 15.4 (page 274 or so) and it should a vlan for ALG Health Checks.  I thought about trying this out but because we use a VIOP here is there a chance I create a loopback that screws with the phone?