EQL – Load balancing tool for serial network connections

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The EQL device name is `eql'. With the standard kernel source, you may have only one EQL device per machine. EQL provides a means of utilizing multiple Point-to-Point lines such as PPP, slip, or plip as a single logical link to carry tcp/ip. Often it is cheaper to use multiple lower speed lines than to have one high speed line installed.

Install EQL on ubuntu

Open the terminal and run the following command

sudo apt-get install eql

Configuring EQL

You can use the following procedure

You start by configuring the eql interface. The eql interface is just like any other network device. You configure the IP address and mtu using the ifconfig utility

ubuntu# ifconfig eql 172.30.40.2 mtu 1006

Next you need to manually initiate each of the lines you will use. These may be any combination of point to point network devices. How you initiate the connections will depend on what sort of link they are

Lastly you need to associate the serial link with the EQL device, this is called `enslaving' and is done with the eql_enslave command as shown below

ubuntu# eql_enslave eql sl0 28800
ubuntu# eql_enslave eql ppp0 14400

The `estimated speed' parameter you supply eql_enslave doesn't do anything directly. It is used by the EQL driver to determine what share of the datagrams that device should receive, so you can fine tune the balancing of the lines by playing with this value.

To disassociate a line from an EQL device you use the eql_emancipate command as shown

ubuntu# eql_emancipate eql sl0

You add routing as you would for any other point to point link, except your routes should refer to the eql device rather than the actual serial devices themselves

ubuntu# route add default eql

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