Cisco | CCNA | Switching | EtherChannel
In this blog series I am going to illustrate switching technology titled EtherChannel. The
EtherChannel is a port link accretion technology or port-channel structural design used
primarily on Cisco switches. EtherChannel allows assemblage of a number of real Ethernet
links. By assembling them, it establishes a logical Ethernet link for the assurance of providing
fault-tolerance and high-speed links. EtherChannel can be establish between switches, routers
and the servers. This is important technology in CCNA switching that is taught in the CCNA
training classes like Seven Mentor in Pune.
Link Aggregation
Spanning Tree Protocol blocks port Fa0/2 link to prevent loops.
Switching EtherChannel allows STP to consider the physical links as one logical port that
enables multiple ports to operate in Forwarding mode simultaneously.
High Speed
Switching EtherChannel using 3 Physical Interfaces of Fast Ethernet Links of 100Mbps
One 300Mbps switching EtherChannel Port Link Po1
A maximum of 8 Fast Ethernet or 8 Giga Ethernet ports can be assembled together when
forming an EtherChannel.
There are 3 mechanisms you can choose to configure EtherChannel:
1) Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP)
2) Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)
3) Static (On)
PAgP (Port Aggregation Protocol): This is Cisco Proprietary Protocol. PAgP working
modes are as below –
o Auto: Act in response to PAgP messages, but does not aggressively negotiate
a PAgP EtherChannel. A channel is formed only if the port on the other end is
primed to Desirable. This is the default working mode.
o Desirable: Port vigorously negotiates channelling status with the interface on
the other end of link. A channel is established if the other side is Auto or
Desirable.
o ON: In this genre, the interface will be a part of EtherChannel but no
negotiation takes place.
o Off: No EtherChannel constituted on the interface.
PAgP Desirable Auto
Desirable Yes Yes
Auto Yes No
Configuration: Now let’s get working out for how to configure CCNA switching
EtherChannel using PAgP.
S2(config)# interface range fa0/1-3 S3(config)# interface fa0/1-3
S2(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode S3(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode
desirable auto
S2(config-if)# exit S3(config-if)# exit
S2(config)# interface port-channel 1 S3(config)# interface port-channel 1
S2(config-if)# switchport trunk S3(config-if)# switchport trunk
encapsulation dot1q encapsulation dot1q
S2(config-if)# switchport mode trunk S3(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol): This is IEEE protocol with Standard
802.3ad. LACP working modes are as below –
o Passive: Act in response to LACP messages but does not aggressively
negotiate a LACP EtherChannel. A channel is established only if the other end
is set to Active.
o Active: Port vigorously negotiates channelling with the interface on the other
end of the link. A channel is established if the other side is passive or active.
o ON: In this genre, the interface will be a part of EtherChannel but no
negotiation takes place.
o Off: No EtherChannel constituted on the interface.
LACP Active Passive
Active Yes Yes
Passive Yes No
Configuration: Now let’s get working out for how to configure CCNA switching
EtherChannel using LACP
S2(config)# interface range fa0/1-3 S3(config)# interface fa0/1-3
S2(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode S3(config-if)# channel-group 1 mode
active passive
S2(config-if)# exit S3(config-if)# exit
S2(config)# interface port-channel 1 S3(config)# interface port-channel 1
S2(config-if)# switchport trunk S3(config-if)# switchport trunk
encapsulation dot1q encapsulation dot1q
S2(config-if)# switchport mode trunk S3(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
Static(On): Precise settings that must be identical includes –
o Speed settings
o Duplex mode, STP
o VLAN membership (For Access Ports)
o Native VLAN (For Trunk Ports)
o Allowed VLANs (For Trunk Ports)
o Trunking Encapsulation (ISL or 802.1Q)
Commands to Troubleshoot Switching EtherChannel:
Switch # show etherchannel
Switch # show etherchannel port-channel
Switch # show etherchannel summary
Important Notes:
o Switching EtherChannel will not form if either Dynamic switched VLANs or
Switch Port Security are enabled on the contributing EtherChannel switching
interfaces.
o Do not try to practise more than 48 EtherChannels on the switch or switch
stack.
o Set up a PAgP EtherChannel with up to eight Ethernet ports of the same type.
o Set up a LACP EtherChannel with up to 16 Ethernet ports of the same type.
Possible eight ports can be active, and up to eight ports can be in standby
mode.
o Set up all ports in an EtherChannel to operate at the same speeds and duplex
modes.
Tags:
#Cisco
CCNA
Switching
EtherChannel
Link Aggregation
Fault Tolerance
High Speed
