Network bonding/teaming combines multiple network interfaces for redundancy or increased throughput — this guide covers setup on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux using NetworkManager, the default network management tool.
When This Is Relevant for a VPS
Most standard VPS instances have a single network interface, making this less commonly relevant than in dedicated server/bare-metal contexts — but some providers offer multiple network interfaces, and this guide is relevant if your specific VPS configuration includes them.
Bonding vs Teaming: Two Similar Approaches
Both combine multiple interfaces into one logical interface; "bonding" is the older kernel-level approach, "teaming" is a newer, more flexible userspace implementation — NetworkManager on current AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux supports both, with teaming generally being the more modern recommended approach.
Common Bonding/Teaming Modes
| Mode | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Active-Backup | Redundancy — one interface active, other as failover |
| Round-Robin/Load Balance | Increased throughput by distributing traffic across interfaces |
Creating a Team Interface with nmcli
sudo nmcli connection add type team con-name team0 ifname team0 config '{"runner": {"name": "activebackup"}}'Adding Physical Interfaces to the Team
sudo nmcli connection add type ethernet con-name team0-eth0 ifname eth0 master team0
sudo nmcli connection add type ethernet con-name team0-eth1 ifname eth1 master team0Configuring IP Addressing on the Team Interface
sudo nmcli connection modify team0 ipv4.addresses 203.0.113.10/24
sudo nmcli connection modify team0 ipv4.gateway 203.0.113.1
sudo nmcli connection modify team0 ipv4.method manualActivating the Configuration
sudo nmcli connection up team0
sudo nmcli connection up team0-eth0
sudo nmcli connection up team0-eth1Verifying Team Status
sudo teamdctl team0 stateTesting Failover (Active-Backup Mode)
sudo nmcli connection down team0-eth0Verify connectivity continues uninterrupted through the remaining active interface, confirming failover actually works as intended before relying on it in production.
Considerations for a VPS Specifically
Unlike a physical server with genuinely separate network cables/switches, a VPS's "multiple interfaces" may still ultimately traverse shared underlying host infrastructure — verify with your provider whether their specific multi-interface offering provides genuine redundancy benefit for your use case, or primarily serves a different purpose (like network segmentation).
Common Errors
Team interface configured but no connectivity — verify both underlying physical interfaces are properly enslaved to the team, and that IP configuration is applied to the team interface itself, not mistakenly left on an individual member interface.
Continue Reading
- How to Configure Multiple Network Interfaces on a VPS
- How to Configure firewalld on AlmaLinux/Rocky Linux
- How to Diagnose Network Packet Loss on a VPS
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