Adapter Groups

An adapter group is a logical grouping of physical network adapters on your server. It provides the underlying connectivity that VM networks use. You manage adapter groups from the Adapter Groups tab in the Gallium Console.

Adapter groups come in two forms: ones you create yourself for VM networking, and management adapter groups that are created automatically during installation. Both kinds can host VM networks, but management adapter groups behave differently in a few ways — see Management Adapter Groups.

Create an Adapter Group

1. Open your Standalone deployment in the Gallium Console.
2. Select the Adapter Groups tab.
3. Click Create Adapter Group.
4. Enter a Name for the adapter group.
5. Click Create.

The adapter group is created with no adapters assigned. You need to assign physical adapters before the group can be used by networks.

Assign Physical Adapters

After creating an adapter group, assign one or two physical adapters from your server.

1. Click on the adapter group to open its detail page.
2. Click Add next to your server in the Network Adapters section.
3. The Console lists your server's physical adapters, each showing one of three statuses:
   • Assigned — Already part of this adapter group.
   • Unassigned — Available to be added.
   • In Use — Assigned to a different adapter group.
4. Click Add next to each unassigned adapter you want to include.
5. Click Submit to apply your changes.

tip

Assigning two adapters provides active/failover redundancy. If the active adapter fails, traffic automatically switches to the second adapter.

To modify an adapter group that already has adapters assigned, click Edit instead of Add. From there you can add or remove adapters using the same interface.

note

This applies to adapter groups you create. Management adapter groups have a single fixed adapter and do not support adding or removing adapters. See Management Adapter Groups.

Management Adapter Groups

Management adapter groups are created automatically during installation. Each network interface you configure in Configuration During Installation becomes its own management adapter group. These groups carry the management traffic that keeps your deployment reachable from the Gallium Console.

In the Adapter Groups tab, management adapter groups are identified by a tick in the Management column.

A management adapter group works like any other adapter group, with a few differences:

• It always contains exactly one physical adapter, fixed at installation. You cannot add or remove adapters.
• It cannot be deleted.
• You can rename it and change its IP address settings (see Edit IP Settings).
• You can create VM networks on it, exactly as you would on any other adapter group.

Because a management adapter group only ever has one adapter, it cannot provide active/failover redundancy on its own. For redundant management connectivity, configure more than one network interface during installation — each becomes a separate management adapter group.

Edit IP Settings

Management adapter groups have IP address settings, originally set during installation. You can change them later from the adapter group's detail page.

1. Click on the management adapter group to open its detail page.
2. In the IP settings section, choose a configuration mode:
   • DHCP — The adapter obtains its IP address automatically from your network's DHCP server.
   • Static IP — Provide the IP Address in CIDR notation (e.g. 192.168.1.100/24) and the Gateway address.
3. Click Submit to apply.

info

Only management adapter groups have IP address settings. Adapter groups you create for VM networking do not.

Rename an Adapter Group

1. Click on the adapter group to open its detail page.
2. Click Rename.
3. Enter the new name and click Submit.

Delete an Adapter Group

An adapter group can only be deleted if it has no networks associated with it. Management adapter groups cannot be deleted.

warning

You must delete or move all networks from an adapter group before it can be deleted. See Networks.

1. Click on the adapter group to open its detail page.
2. In the Delete Adapter Group section, click Delete.
3. Type the adapter group name to confirm, then click Delete.