Table of Contents
Note
Description
The "ncu" ("Network Control Utility") is used to dedicate a host interface to CHARON, to release it back to the host and to manage CHARON virtual interfaces (TAPs).
The utility allocates chosen network interfaces (both physical and virtual) and configures the offload parameters.
Dedication of a host physical interface to CHARON
Login as root and enter "ncu". The following menu will appear:
# ncu CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 host connected from host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
The utility lists available network interfaces (both physical and virtual) and indicates whether they are dedicated to the host or to CHARON and whether they are currently in use by host operating system.
"ncu" offers several options:
- Dedicate interface to CHARON
- Release interface to host
- Create a bridge between a chosen physical network interface and the Linux virtual network and create a number of virtual network interfaces
- Remove the Linux virtual network and all the created virtual network interfaces
- Add VLAN interface
- Remove VLAN interface
- Print status - use it to display status of network interfaces and the menu shown above
- Exit
In the example above we see 2 network interfaces - "eth0" and "eth1", both of them are dedicated to host, but host uses only the interface "eth0".
Let's dedicate the interface "eth1" to CHARON. Enter "1", type "eth1" and press Enter:
Specify the interface to dedicate to CHARON:eth1
Turning off offloading for eth1.. Please wait
select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 7
|
Now the interface "eth1" is dedicated to CHARON:
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 CHARON disconnected from host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit |
Enter "8" to return to console prompt.
Now "eth1" can be used by CHARON.
Release of a host physical interface back to host
Login as root and enter "ncu". The following menu will appear:
# ncu CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 CHARON disconnected from host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 2
|
Let's say that we want to return the interface "eth1" (currently dedicated to CHARON) back to host. To do that enter "2" then "eth1":
Specify the interface to release to HOST:eth1
Connection successfully activated (D-Bus active path: /org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/ActiveConnection/3)
select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
Enter "8" to quit the "ncu" utility.
The interface "eth1" is released back to host system now.
Creation of a virtual network
Login as root and enter "ncu":
# ncu
CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 host connected to host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 3
|
Enter "3" to create a bridge between the host physical network adapter and the LINUX virtual network interfaces (TAP) and specify the physical network interface ("eth1" in our example) and the number of virtual network interfaces to be created (2 in our example):
Specify the interface to be used for BRIDGE:eth1
How many tap should be created:2
Forming the bridge: ..1..2..3..4..5.. addif tap0 .. addif tap1 ..7..8 done!
Formed bridge br0_eth1 attached over eth1...
select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit
:> 7
|
Now enter "7" to see the created virtual interfaces:
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host eth1 bridge connected to bridge lo host unmanaged from host tap0 CHARON connected to host tap1 bridge connected to bridge ================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces br0_eth1 8000.768e1ea091d9 no eth1 tap0 tap1 ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
In the example above we see 2 virtual network Interfaces "tap0" and "tap1" connected to the created bridge. The physical network interface "eth1" is used for the bridge to the virtual network interfaces.
The interfaces "tap0" and "tap1" are ready to be used in CHARON configurations - they do not need to be additionally dedicated to CHARON.
Enter "8" to quit "ncu" utility.
Removal of a virtual network
Login a root. Start "ncu" utility:
# ncu
CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host eth1 bridge connected to bridge lo host unmanaged from host tap0 CHARON connected to host tap1 bridge connected to bridge ================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces br0_eth1 8000.768e1ea091d9 no eth1 tap0 tap1 ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 4
|
Enter "4" then enter the interface name that is a bridge to the Linux virtual network on this host ("eth1" in our example):
Specify the phys interface used for BRIDGE:eth1
Cleanup bridge br0_eth1 with ip over eth1...
Removing the bridge: ..1..2 delif eth1
delif tap0
delif tap1
..5..6..7..8 done!
select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
Enter "8" to quit "ncu" utility.
Adding VLAN interface
If VLAN is going to be used for CHARON (See: More information on VLAN) proceed with the following instruction:
Login a root. Start "ncu" utility:
# ncu
CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 host connected to host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 5
|
Enter "5" then enter:
- The phisical interface name to be used for creating VLAN
- The ID of the VLAN device
- IP address of the VLAN device. Skip this step if no IP is required
- Network mask of the VLAN device. Enter for no network mask.
Specify the phys interface used for VLAN:eth1 Specify the id of VLAN device (<4095):111 Specify the ip address of VLAN device or empty string for no ip address: 192.168.1.100 Specify the netmask address of VLAN device or empty string for no netmask: 225.225.225.0 select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
Enter "8" to quit "ncu" utility.
Removing VLAN interface
Login a root. Start "ncu" utility:
# ncu
CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2016 Version 1.6
Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0 host connected to host
eth1 host connected to host
lo host unmanaged from host
================================================================= bridge name bridge id STP enabled interfaces ========================== VLAN ================================= eth1.111 ================================================================= select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 6
|
Enter "6" then enter the VLAN interface for remove:
Specify the VLAN interface, which be removed: eth1.111
Removed VLAN -:eth1.111:- select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON 2 - Release to host 3 - Create Bridge with TAPs 4 - Remove Bridge 5 - Add VLAN 6 - Remove VLAN 7 - Print status 8 - Exit :> 8
|
Enter "8" to quit "ncu" utility.