maximize bandwidth between MX and MS

[sebas]

Hi, 

We have 2 MX's in warm spare configuration.

Both are connected to redundant internet links. 

So MX1 has WAN1 and WAN2 and MX2 has the same.

WAN1 and WAN2 have both 1 Gbit connectivity, i've set the policy to balance so in theory would be able to get 2Gbit internet speed.

Now the MX's are connected with a routed vlan/transit vlan to a MS stack by using 4 cables.

The MS support LACP but the MX don't.

So i have 4 interfaces from the MS Stack connected to the MX warm spare set, but only 1 links forwards the traffic.

This is because 1 MX is spare, so 2 links are inactive. And the active MX does not support LACP, so spanning-tree kicks in, so 1 link active :S

Any options at this moment to be able to utilize the 2Gbit connectivity or do we have to wait until the MX does support LACP ?

[ww]

not the answer on your question but:

assuming you have a mx100 . its only rated for 750Mbit throughput

with a mx250 you could connect at 10Gbit

[sebas]

Ah, yeah ofcourse, changing uplink to a 10Gbit SFP.

We got the 250.

[jdsilva]

I haven't ever tested this, but it's been on my todo list...

If you created a transit VLAN for each link between the MX and MS, four in your case, you could try and do an ECMP-like setup with multiple L3 links to your MX. I'm not clear on how many equal-cost paths the MS and MX support, so I don't know if this would actually work, but it's possible. 

As you say, the MX doesn't support LACP so your L2 options are nonexistent given STP will only allow for one active link.

[NolanHerring]

Issue should be on your MX side, not the connection between the MS and MX. If your connection is 10Gbps between your MS and MX, then you should be good on that single connection.

I believe only the 'active' single connection will be the one that is passing 'all' traffic. Once that traffic hits the MX, it will then (or should) load-balance them out WAN1 and WAN2, utilizing the 2Gbps capacity.

Of course I've been wrong before 😃

[sebas]

Well the connection is 1 Gbps 😉
Still it would be nice to have LACP supported on the MX.

tnx all

[NolanHerring]

If you are able to upgrade it to 10Gbps SFP then you'll be good to go 😃

[NolanHerring]

And I agree, LACP support would be great. Honestly surprised it doesn't exist.