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Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface
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Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

Last Updated: November 30, 2012

Ethernet Local Management Interface (LMI) is an Ethernet layer operation, administration, and management (OAM) protocol. It provides information that enables autoconfiguration of customer edge (CE) devices and provides the status of Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs) for large Ethernet metropolitan-area networks (MANs) and WANs. Specifically, Ethernet LMI notifies a CE device of the operating state of an EVC and the time when an EVC is added or deleted. Ethernet LMI also communicates the attributes of an EVC and a user-network interface (UNI) to a CE device.

The advent of Ethernet as a MAN and WAN technology imposes a new set of OAM requirements on Ethernet's traditional operations, which were centered on enterprise networks only. The expansion of Ethernet technology into the domain of service providers, where networks are substantially larger and more complex than enterprise networks and the user-base is wider, makes operational management of link uptime crucial. More importantly, the timeliness in isolating and responding to a failure becomes mandatory for normal day-to-day operations, and OAM translates directly to the competitiveness of the service provider.

Finding Feature Information

Your software release may not support all the features documented in this module. For the latest caveats and feature information, see Bug Search Tool and the release notes for your platform and software release. To find information about the features documented in this module, and to see a list of the releases in which each feature is supported, see the feature information table at the end of this module.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Prerequisites for Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

Business Requirements

  • Ethernet operation, administration, and management (OAM) such as connectivity fault management (CFM) must be implemented and operational on the service provider's network.

Restrictions for Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

  • Ethernet Local Management Interface (LMI) relies on Ethernet connectivity fault management (CFM) for the status of an Ethernet virtual circuit (EVC), the remote user network interface (UNI) identifier associated with an EVC, and remote UNI status.
  • Ethernet LMI customer edge (CE) is available only on routing ports on routing platforms. For information about Ethernet LMI provider edge (PE) functionality on switching platforms, see the "Configuring Ethernet CFM and E-LMI" chapter of the Cisco ME 3400 Switch Software Configuration Guide.
  • Not all Cisco software releases support autoconfiguration of CE devices.

Information About Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

EVC

An Ethernet virtual circuit (EVC) as defined by the Metro Ethernet Forum could be a port level point-to-point or multipoint-to-multipoint Layer 2 circuit. EVC status can be used by the customer edge (CE) device to find an alternative path in to the service provider network or in some cases, fall back to a backup path over Ethernet or another alternative service such as ATM.

Ethernet LMI

Ethernet Local Management Interface (LMI) is an Ethernet layer operation, administration, and management (OAM) protocol between a customer edge (CE) device and the provider edge (PE) device in large Ethernet MANs and WANs. It provides information that enables service providers to autoconfigure CE devices with service parameters and parameter changes from a user provider edge (UPE) device.

The figure below shows where in a network Ethernet LMI functions.



LMI also provides the status of Ethernet virtual circuits (EVCs) in large Ethernet MANs and WANs to the CE. Specifically, Ethernet LMI notifies a CE device of the operating state of an EVC and the time when an EVC is added or deleted. Ethernet LMI also communicates EVC and user network identifier (UNI) attributes to a CE device.

The Ethernet LMI protocol includes the following procedures, as defined by the MEF 16 Technical Specification:

  • Notifying the CE when an EVC is added
  • Notifying the CE when an EVC is deleted
  • Notifying the CE of the availability state of a configured EVC (Active, Not Active, or Partially Active)
  • Communicating UNI and EVC attributes to the CE

Benefits of Ethernet LMI

  • Communication of end-to-end status of the EVC to the CE device
  • Communication of EVC and UNI attributes to a CE device
  • Competitive advantage for service providers

How to Enable Ethernet Local Management Interface

Enabling Ethernet LMI on All Supported Interfaces

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    ethernet lmi global

4.    end


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Device> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Device# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
ethernet lmi global


Example:

Device(config)# ethernet lmi global

 

Enables Ethernet Local Management Interface (LMI) on all supported interfaces on the device.

 
Step 4
end


Example:

Device# end

 

Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 

Enabling Ethernet LMI on a Single Supported Interface

SUMMARY STEPS

1.    enable

2.    configure terminal

3.    interface type number

4.    ethernet lmi interface

5.    end


DETAILED STEPS
 Command or ActionPurpose
Step 1
enable


Example:

Device> enable

 

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.
 
Step 2
configure terminal


Example:

Device# configure terminal

 

Enters global configuration mode.

 
Step 3
interface type number


Example:

Device(config)# interface ethernet 0/0

 

Specifies an interface and enters interface configuration mode.

 
Step 4
ethernet lmi interface


Example:

Device(config-if)# ethernet lmi interface

 

Enables Ethernet Local Management Interface (LMI) on the interface.

 
Step 5
end


Example:

Device# end

 

Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

 

Configuration Examples for Ethernet Local Management Interface

The examples in this section show the configurations that enable Ethernet LMI on all interfaces on a CE device (globally) and on a specific interface on a CE device.

Example: Enabling Ethernet LMI on All Supported Interfaces

enable
configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
ethernet lmi global 
end
00:06:33: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Ethernet0/0, changed p

Example: Enabling Ethernet LMI on a Single Supported Interface

enable
configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
interface ethernet 0/0
ethernet lmi interface
end
00:05:51: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Additional References for Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management (CFM)

"Configuring Ethernet Connectivity Fault Management in a Service Provider Network" in the Cisco IOS Carrier Ethernet Configuration Guide

Configuring CFM and Ethernet Local Management Interface (E-LMI) in a service provider network

Cisco ME 3400 Switch Software Configuration Guide, Rel. 12.2(25)SEG

Commands used for configuring Ethernet LMI in a service provider network

Cisco ME 3400 Switch Command Reference, Rel. 12.2(25)SEG

Ethernet LMI at a provider edge

"Configuring Ethernet Local Management Interface at a Provider Edge" in the Carrier Ethernet Configuration Guide

Carrier Ethernet commands: complete command syntax, command mode, command history, defaults, usage guidelines, and examples

Cisco IOS Carrier Ethernet Command Reference

Cisco IOS commands: master list of commands with complete command syntax, command mode, command history, defaults, usage guidelines, and examples

Cisco IOS Master Command List, All Releases

Standards

Standard

Title

Metro Ethernet Forum 16 Technical Specification

Technical Specification MEF 16- Ethernet Local Management Interface

IEEE P802.1ag/D5.2

Draft Standard for Local and Metropolitan Area Networks

ITU-T Q.3/13

Liaison statement on Ethernet OAM (Y.17ethoam)

IETF VPLS OAM

L2VPN OAM Requirements and Framework

Technical Assistance

Description

Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides online resources to download documentation, software, and tools. Use these resources to install and configure the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

Feature Information for Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

Table 1Feature Information for Enabling Ethernet Local Management Interface

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

Ethernet Local Management Interface

12.4(9)T

12.2(33)SRB

12.4(15)T2

15.3(1)S

Ethernet LMI is an Ethernet layer OAM protocol. It provides information that enables autoconfiguration of CE devices and provides the status of EVCs for large Ethernet MANs and WANs.

This feature was introduced in Cisco IOS Release 12.4(9)T.

This feature was implemented on the Cisco 7600 router in Cisco IOS Release 12.2(33)SRB.

This feature was integrated into Cisco IOS Release 15.3(1)S.

The following commands were introduced or modified: clear ethernet lmi statistics, debug ethernet lmi, ethernet lmi, ethernet lmi global, ethernet lmi interface, show ethernet lmi.

Glossary

CE --customer edge. Edge equipment on the customer side of a user-network interface (UNI).

CE-VLAN ID --Identifier of a CE-VLAN.

E-LMI --Ethernet Local Management Interface. An Ethernet layer OAM protocol. It provides information that enables autoconfiguration of CE devices and provides the status of Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs) for large Ethernet MANs and WANs.

EVC --Ethernet virtual connection. An association of two or more user-network interfaces.

OAM --operations, administration, and maintenance. A term used by several standards bodies to describe protocols and procedures for operating, administrating, and maintaining networks. Examples are ATM OAM and IEEE Std. 802.3ah OAM.

PE --provider edge. Edge equipment on the service provider side of a user-network interface (UNI).

UNI --user-network interface. A common term for the connection point between an operator's bridge and customer equipment. A UNI often includes a C-VLAN-aware bridge component. The term UNI is used broadly in the IEEE P802.1ag/D5.2 standard when the purpose for various features of LMI are explained.

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R)

Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and phone numbers used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses and phone numbers. Any examples, command display output, network topology diagrams, and other figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses or phone numbers in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.

© 2012 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.