Catalyst 4000 Family Switch Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide, 12.1(8a)EW - Configuring EtherChannel [Cisco Catalyst 4000 Series Switches]

Table Of Contents

Understanding and Configuring EtherChannel

EtherChannel Overview

Understanding Port-Channel Interfaces

Understanding the Port Aggregation Protocol

Understanding Load Balancing

EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions

Configuring EtherChannel

Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels

Creating Port-Channel Logical Interfaces

Configuring Physical Interfaces as a Layer 3 EtherChannel

Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannels

Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing

Removing an Interface from an EtherChannel

Removing an EtherChannel

Understanding and Configuring EtherChannel

This chapter describes how to use the command-line interface (CLI) to configure EtherChannel on the Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III Layer 2 or Layer 3 interfaces. It also provides guidelines, procedures, and configuration examples.

This chapter consists of the following sections:

•EtherChannel Overview

•EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions

•Configuring EtherChannel

Note The commands in the following sections can be used on all Ethernet interfaces in Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III, including the uplink ports on the supervisor engine.

Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, refer to the Command Reference for the Catalyst 4006 Switch with Supervisor Engine III and the publications at the following URL:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios121/121cgcr/index.htm

EtherChannel Overview

EtherChannel bundles individual Ethernet links into a single logical link that provides bandwidth up to 1600 Mbps (Fast EtherChannel full duplex) or 16 Gbps (Gigabit EtherChannel) between a Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III and another switch or host.

A Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III supports a maximum of 64 EtherChannels. You can form an EtherChannel with up to eight compatibly configured Ethernet interfaces on any module and across modules in a Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III. All interfaces in each EtherChannel must be the same speed and must all be configured as either Layer 2 or Layer 3 interfaces.

Note The network device to which a Catalyst 4006 switch with Supervisor Engine III is connected may impose its own limits on the number of interfaces in an EtherChannel.

If a segment within an EtherChannel fails, traffic previously carried over the failed link switches to the remaining segments within the EtherChannel. An SNMP trap is sent upon a failure identifying the switch, the EtherChannel, and the failed link. Inbound broadcast and multicast packets on one segment in an EtherChannel are blocked from returning on any other segment of the EtherChannel.

The following sections describe how EtherChannel works:

•Understanding Port-Channel Interfaces

•Understanding the Port Aggregation Protocol

•Understanding Load Balancing

Understanding Port-Channel Interfaces

Each EtherChannel has a numbered port-channel interface. A configuration applied to the port-channel interface affects all physical interfaces assigned to that interface.

After you configure an EtherChannel, the configuration that you apply to the port-channel interface affects the EtherChannel; the configuration that you apply to the physical interfaces affects only the interface where you apply the configuration. To change the parameters of all ports in an EtherChannel, apply configuration commands (such as STP commands, or commands to configure a Layer2 EtherChannel as a trunk) to the port-channel interface.

Understanding the Port Aggregation Protocol

The Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) expedites the automatic creation of EtherChannels by exchanging packets between Ethernet interfaces. PAgP packets are exchanged only between interfaces in auto and desirable modes. Interfaces configured in the on mode do not exchange PAgP packets.

The protocol learns the capabilities of interface groups dynamically and informs the other interfaces. When PAgP identifies correctly matched Ethernet links, it groups the links into an EtherChannel. The EtherChannel is then added to the spanning tree as a single bridge port.

EtherChannel includes three user-configurable modes: on, auto, and desirable (see Table 11-1 Table 11-1). Only auto and desirable are PAgP modes.

Table 11-1 EtherChannel Modes

Mode

Description

on

Mode that forces the interface to channel without PAgP. In the on mode, a usable EtherChannel exists only when an interface group in the on mode is connected to another interface group in the on mode.

auto

PAgP mode that places an interface into a passive negotiating state, in which the interface responds to PAgP packets it receives but does not initiate PAgP negotiation.

desirable

PAgP mode that places an interface into an active negotiating state, in which the interface initiates negotiations with other interfaces by sending PAgP packets.

Both the auto and desirable modes allow interfaces to negotiate with partner interfaces to determine if they can form an EtherChannel, based on criteria such as interface speed and, for Layer 2 EtherChannels, trunking state and VLAN numbers.

Interfaces between two connected switches can form an EtherChannel when they are in different PAgP modes as long as the modes are compatible. This is shown in Table 11-2 Table 11-2.

Table 11-2 Compatibility of EtherChannel Modes

desirable

auto

on

desirable

Yes

Yes

No

auto

Yes

No

No

on

No

No

Yes

Understanding Load Balancing

EtherChannel balances traffic load across the links in a channel by reducing part of the binary pattern formed from the addresses in the frame to a numerical value that selects one of the links in the channel.

EtherChannel load balancing can use MAC addresses, IP addresses, or Layer 4 port numbers; either source or destination or both source and destination.

Use the option that provides the greatest variety in your configuration. For example, if the traffic on a channel is going only to a single MAC address, using the destination MAC address always chooses the same link in the channel; using source addresses or IP addresses might result in better load balancing.

Note Load balancing operates at the switch level rather than per-channel, applying globally for all channels on the switch.

For additional information on load balancing, see the "Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing" section.

EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions

If improperly configured, some EtherChannel interfaces are disabled automatically to avoid network loops and other problems. Follow these guidelines and restrictions to avoid configuration problems:

•All Ethernet interfaces on all modules support EtherChannel (maximum of eight interfaces) with no requirement that interfaces be physically contiguous or on the same module.

•Configure all interfaces in an EtherChannel to operate at the same speed and duplex mode.

•Enable all interfaces in an EtherChannel. If you shut down an interface in an EtherChannel, it is treated as a link failure and its traffic is transferred to one of the remaining interfaces in the EtherChannel.

•An EtherChannel will not form if one of the interfaces is a Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) destination port.

•For Layer 3 EtherChannels:

–Assign Layer 3 addresses to the port-channel logical interface, not to the physical interfaces in the channel.

•For Layer 2 EtherChannels:

–Assign all interfaces in the EtherChannel to the same VLAN, or configure them as trunks.

–If you configure an EtherChannel from trunk interfaces, verify that the trunking mode is the same on all the trunks. Interfaces in an EtherChannel with different trunk modes can have unexpected results.

–An EtherChannel supports the same allowed range of VLANs on all the interfaces in a trunking Layer 2 EtherChannel. If the allowed range of VLANs is not the same, the interfaces do not form an EtherChannel even when set to the auto or desirable mode.

–Interfaces with different Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) port path costs can form an EtherChannel as long they are otherwise compatibly configured. Setting different STP port path costs does not, by itself, make interfaces incompatible for the formation of an EtherChannel.

•After you configure an EtherChannel, configuration that you apply to the port-channel interface affects the EtherChannel; configuration that you apply to the physical interfaces affects only the interface where you apply the configuration.

Configuring EtherChannel

These sections describe how to configure EtherChannel:

•Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels

•Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannels

•Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing

•Removing an Interface from an EtherChannel

•Removing an EtherChannel

Note Ensure that the interfaces are configured correctly (see the "EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions" section).

Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels

To configure Layer 3 EtherChannels, create the port-channel logical interface and then put the Ethernet interfaces into the port-channel.

These sections describe Layer 3 EtherChannel configuration:

•Creating Port-Channel Logical Interfaces

•Configuring Physical Interfaces as a Layer 3 EtherChannel

Creating Port-Channel Logical Interfaces

Note To move an IP address from a physical interface to an EtherChannel, you must delete the IP address from the physical interface before configuring it on the port-channel interface.

To create a port-channel interface for a Layer 3 EtherChannel, perform this task:
Task

Command
Step 1

Create the port-channel interface. port_channel_number can range from 1 to 64
Switch(config)# interface port-channel 
port_channel_number 
Step 2

Assign an IP address and subnet mask to the EtherChannel.
Switch(config-if)# ip address ip_address mask 
Step 3

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config-if)# end 
Step 4

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show running-config interface 
port-channel port_channel_number 
This example shows how to create port-channel interface 1:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# interface port-channel 1 
Switch(config-if)# ip address 172.32.52.10 255.255.255.0 
Switch(config-if)# end 
This example shows how to verify the configuration of port-channel interface 1:
Switch# show running-config interface port-channel 1 
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
interface Port-channel1
 ip address 172.32.52.10 255.255.255.0
 no ip directed-broadcast
end
Switch#
Configuring Physical Interfaces as a Layer 3 EtherChannel

To configure physical interfaces as a Layer 3 EtherChannel, perform this task for each interface:
Task

Command
Step 1

Select a physical interface to configure.
Switch(config)# interface {fastethernet | 
gigabitethernet} slot/port 
Step 2

Make this a Layer 3 routed port.
Switch(config-if)# no switchport
Step 3

Ensure that there is no IP address assigned to the physical interface.
Switch(config-if)# no ip address 
Step 4

Configure the interface in a port-channel and specify the PAgP mode.
Switch(config-if)# channel-group port_channel_number 
mode {auto | desirable | on} 
Step 5

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config-if)# end 
Step 6

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show running-config interface port-channel 
port_channel_number 
Switch# show running-config interface {fastethernet 
| gigabitethernet} slot/port 
Switch# show interfaces {fastethernet | 
gigabitethernet} slot/port etherchannel 
Switch# show etherchannel 1 port-channel 
This example shows how to configure Fast Ethernet interfaces 5/4 and 5/5 into port-channel 1 with PAgP mode desirable:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet 5/4 - 5 
Switch(config-if)# no switchport 
Switch(config-if)# no ip address 
Switch(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode desirable 
Switch(config-if)# end 
Note See the "Configuring a Range of Interfaces" section for information about the range keyword.

This example shows how to verify the configuration of Fast Ethernet interface 5/4:
Switch# show running-config interface fastethernet 5/4 
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
interface FastEthernet5/4
 no ip address
 no switchport
 no ip directed-broadcast
 channel-group 1 mode desirable
end
Switch# show interfaces fastethernet 5/4 etherchannel 
Port state    = EC-Enbld Up In-Bndl Usr-Config
Channel group = 1           Mode = Desirable     Gcchange = 0
Port-channel  = Po1         GC   = 0x00010001    Pseudo-port-channel = Po1
Port indx     = 0           Load = 0x55
Flags:  S - Device is sending Slow hello.  C - Device is in Consistent state.
        A - Device is in Auto mode.        P - Device learns on physical port.
Timers: H - Hello timer is running.        Q - Quit timer is running.
        S - Switching timer is running.    I - Interface timer is running.
Local information:
                                Hello    Partner  PAgP     Learning  Group
Port      Flags State   Timers  Interval Count   Priority   Method  Ifindex
Fa5/4     SC    U6/S7           30s      1        128        Any      55
Partner's information:
          Partner              Partner          Partner         Partner Group
Port      Name                 Device ID        Port       Age  Flags   Cap.
Fa5/4     JAB031301            0050.0f10.230c   2/45         1s SAC     2D
Age of the port in the current state: 00h:54m:52s
Switch# 
This example shows how to verify the configuration of port-channel interface 1 after the interfaces have been configured:
Switch# show etherchannel 1 port-channel 
                Channel-group listing:
                ----------------------
Group: 1
------------
                Port-channels in the group:
                ----------------------
Port-channel: Po1
------------
Age of the Port-channel   = 01h:56m:20s
Logical slot/port   = 10/1           Number of ports = 2
GC                  = 0x00010001      HotStandBy port = null
Port state          = Port-channel L3-Ag Ag-Inuse
Ports in the Port-channel:
Index   Load   Port
-------------------
  1     00      Fa5/6
  0     00      Fa5/7
Time since last port bundled:    00h:23m:33s    Fa5/6
Switch#
Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannels

To configure Layer 2 EtherChannels, configure the Ethernet interfaces with the channel-group command. This creates the port-channel logical interface.

Note IOS creates port-channel interfaces for Layer 2 EtherChannels when you configure Layer 2 Ethernet interfaces with the channel-group command.

To configure Layer 2 Ethernet interfaces as a Layer 2 EtherChannel, perform this task for each interface:
Task

Command
Step 1

Select a physical interface to configure.
Switch(config)# interface {fastethernet | gigabitethernet} 
slot/port 
Step 2

Configure the interface in a port-channel and specify the PAgP mode.
Switch(config-if)# channel-group port_channel_number mode 
{auto | desirable | on} 
Step 3

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config-if)# end 
Step 4

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show running-config interface {fastethernet | 
gigabitethernet} slot/port 
Switch# show interface {fastethernet | gigabitethernet} 
slot/port etherchannel 
This example shows how to configure Fast Ethernet interfaces 5/6 and 5/7 into port-channel 2 with PAgP mode desirable:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet 5/6 - 7 
Switch(config-if-range)# channel-group 2 mode desirable 
Switch(config-if-range)# end 
Note See the "Configuring a Range of Interfaces" section for information about the range keyword.

This example shows how to verify the configuration of port-channel interface 2:
Switch# show running-config interface port-channel 2 
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
interface Port-channel2
 switchport access vlan 10
 switchport mode access
end
Switch# 
This example shows how to verify the configuration of Fast Ethernet interface 5/6:
Switch# show running-config interface fastethernet 5/6 
Building configuration...
Current configuration:
!
interface FastEthernet5/6
 switchport access vlan 10
 switchport mode access
 channel-group 2 mode desirable
end
Switch# show interfaces fastethernet 5/6 etherchannel 
Port state    = EC-Enbld Up In-Bndl Usr-Config
Channel group = 1           Mode = Desirable     Gcchange = 0
Port-channel  = Po1         GC   = 0x00010001 
Port indx     = 0           Load = 0x55
Flags:  S - Device is sending Slow hello.  C - Device is in Consistent state.
        A - Device is in Auto mode.        P - Device learns on physical port.
Timers: H - Hello timer is running.        Q - Quit timer is running.
        S - Switching timer is running.    I - Interface timer is running.
Local information:
                                Hello    Partner  PAgP     Learning  Group
Port      Flags State   Timers  Interval Count   Priority   Method  Ifindex
Fa5/6     SC    U6/S7           30s      1        128        Any      56
Partner's information:
          Partner              Partner          Partner         Partner Group
Port      Name                 Device ID        Port       Age  Flags   Cap.
Fa5/6     JAB031301            0050.0f10.230c   2/47        18s SAC     2F
Age of the port in the current state: 00h:10m:57s
This example shows how to verify the configuration of port-channel interface 2 after the interfaces have been configured:
Switch# show etherchannel 2 port-channel 
                Port-channels in the group:
                ----------------------
Port-channel: Po2
------------
Age of the Port-channel   = 00h:23m:33s
Logical slot/port   = 10/2           Number of ports in agport = 2
GC                  = 0x00020001      HotStandBy port = null
Port state          = Port-channel Ag-Inuse
Ports in the Port-channel:
Index   Load   Port
-------------------
  1     00      Fa5/6
  0     00      Fa5/7
Time since last port bundled:    00h:23m:33s    Fa5/6
Switch# 
Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing

Note Load balancing operates at the switch level rather than per-channel, applying globally for all channels on the switch.

To configure EtherChannel load balancing, perform this task:
Task

Command
Step 1

Configure EtherChannel load balancing.

Use the no keyword to return EtherChannel load balancing to the default configuration.
Switch(config)# [no] port-channel load-balance 
{src-mac | dst-mac | src-dst-mac | src-ip | 
dst-ip | src-dst-ip | src-port | dst-port | 
src-dst-port}
Step 2

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config)# end 
Step 3

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show etherchannel load-balance 
The load-balancing keywords are:

•src-mac—Source MAC addresses

•src-dst-mac—Destination MAC addresses

•src-dst-mac—Source and destination MAC addresses

•src-ip—Source IP addresses

•src-dst-ip—Destination IP addresses

•src-dst-ip—Source and destination IP addresses (Default)

•src-port—Source Layer 4 port

•src-dst-port—Destination Layer 4 port

•src-dst-port—Source and destination Layer 4 port

This example shows how to configure EtherChannel to use source and destination IP addresses:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# port-channel load-balance src-dst-ip 
Switch(config)# end 
Switch(config)# 
This example shows how to verify the configuration:
Switch# show etherchannel load-balance 
Source XOR Destination IP address
Switch# 
Removing an Interface from an EtherChannel

To remove an Ethernet interface from an EtherChannel, perform this task:
Task

Command
Step 1

Select a physical interface to configure.
Switch(config)# interface {fastethernet | 
gigabitethernet} slot/port 
Step 2

Remove the interface from the port-channel interface.
Switch(config-if)# no channel-group 
Step 3

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config-if)# end 
Step 4

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show running-config interface 
{fastethernet | gigabitethernet} slot/port 
Switch# show interface {fastethernet | 
gigabitethernet} slot/port etherchannel 
This example shows how to remove Fast Ethernet interface 5/4 from port-channel 1:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet 5/4 - 5 
Switch(config-if)# no channel-group 1 
Switch(config-if)# end 
Note See the "Configuring a Range of Interfaces" section for information about the range keyword.

Removing an EtherChannel

If you remove an EtherChannel, the member ports are shutdown and removed from the Channel group.

To remove an EtherChannel, perform this task:
Task

Command
Step 1

Remove the port-channel interface.
Switch(config)# no interface port-channel 
port_channel_number 
Step 2

Exit configuration mode.
Switch(config)# end 
Step 3

Verify the configuration.
Switch# show etherchannel summary 
This example shows how to remove port-channel 1:
Switch# configure terminal 
Switch(config)# no interface port-channel 1 
Switch(config)# end 