Jumbo Frames are network packets with a larger Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) than the standard 1500 bytes. Using Jumbo Frames can increase network throughput and reduce CPU load by reducing the number of packets needed to transmit a large amount of data. This article will guide you through configuring a network interface for Jumbo Frames usage on CentOS 7.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure that your network device and switch support Jumbo Frames. Not all network cards and switches support an MTU larger than the standard.
1. Identify Network Interface Name
The first step is to identify the name of the network interface you want to configure. Use the following command:
ip link show
The output will display a list of available network interfaces. Identify the interface you want to configure, for example, eth0.
2. Change MTU on the Network Interface
To change the MTU to the desired value, use the following command, where eth0 is the name of your network interface and 9000 is the desired MTU value:
sudo ip link set dev eth0 mtu 9000
3. Permanent Configuration of Jumbo Frames
To make the MTU change persistent across system reboots, you need to modify the network interface configuration file. Open the configuration file of your network interface using a text editor such as vi:
sudo vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0
Add or modify the following line, where 9000 is the desired MTU value:
MTU=9000
Save the file and close the editor.
4. Restart Network Services
After modifying the configuration file, you need to restart the network services for the changes to take effect:
sudo systemctl restart network
5. Verify Configuration
To verify that the configuration was successful and the new MTU is set, use:
ip addr show eth0
The output should display a line with mtu 9000, confirming that Jumbo Frames are now active on the selected network interface.
Using Jumbo Frames can bring significant performance improvements in certain network environments. With proper configuration and support from all network devices in your environment, you can achieve more efficient data transmission. It is important to verify compatibility and test performance before deploying into a production environment.
