EtherChannel

Introduction

• Ether Channel is technology which develop by Cisco as LAN Switch to Switch

technique of inverse Multiplexing of Fast or Gig Ethernet Switch port in One
Logical Link.

• Ether Channel has develop into a Cross Platform Method of Load Balancing of
servers, Routers and Switches.

• Ether Channel Can bound Two, Four and Eight (Cisco 6500) to develop one
Logical Link. Maximum Provide the Bandwidth up to 1600 Mbps (16 Gb) between
Cisco Switches.
 What /How …it does ?
• Logical aggregation of link

• Load Balancing

• View as one Logical Link

• Redundancy

Load Balancing or Frame Distribution Depend

on the Switch Platform
Like 6500 Cisco Series it use IP + TCP/UDP, MAC
Address
 Supporting protocols
• PAgP ( Port Aggregation Protocol ) and LACP (Line Aggregation Control Protocol),
they allow port to similar characteristics to form a channel through dynamic
negotiation with adjoining switch.
 PAgP & LACP
• PAgP aids in Automatic creation of Fast Ethernet Links. PAgP Packets are sent
between Fast Ether Channel –capable ports to negotiate the forming of Channel.
When PAgP identified EtherChannel matched Ether links ,it group links in Channel.

• PAgp packets sent every 30 Second using Multicast Group MAC Address with
protocol value 0*0104. We have to ensure that all ports having same configuration
to form EtherChannel.

• Last Component of EtherChannel is Logical Port (AgPort) ,is composed of all links
that make up ports up the EtherChannel.

• LACP is IEEE Standard and all the function are the same as PAgP
Interfaces Mode
 LACP Parameters
Need to take care about the following Parameters for use to configure LACP

 System Priority :- Can be specified by Automatic or CLI,the system MAC address &
System Priority is use to build System ID.

 Port Priority :- From that it’s identify that which port will be Standby Mode when
Hardware limitation prevent all compatible port for aggregation.

 Administrator Key :- That define the ability of a port to aggregate with other port
 L2 EtherChannel Configurations
• Interface port-channel { Channel Group Number}
• Channel -Protocol PAgP / LACP
• Channel -group Number mode

Verify the Configuration

• Show interface fas 1/01 etherchannel

• Show etherchannel 1 port-channel
• Show etherchannel1 summary
 L3 EtherChannel Configuration
Switch (Config)# Interface Port-channel _Number
Switch (Config-if)# no switch port
Switch (Config-if)# ip address and mask
Switch (Config)# Interface _ Interface port number
Switch (Config-if)# no switch port
Switch (Config-if)# Channel -group Number mode

Verify

• Show interface fas 1/01 etherchannel

• Show etherchannel 1 port-channel
• Show etherchannel1 summary
 Guideline for EtherChannel
 All Ethernet Interface has to Support EtherChannel
 All Interfaces in EtherChannel must be configured at the same speed & duplex
 IP Address must be assigned to port channel logical interface for L3 EtherChannel
 Interface must be assigned to the same Vlan.
 All interface must support same Vlan Range
 Port Channel interface configuration change affect the EtherChannel
 Physical Interface configuration changes affect the interface only