Link Aggregation

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Basic Settings

• System Control—select the system control status of the LA in the switch. The default option is Start. The list contains:
  • Start—starts the LA module and allocates the resources required by the LA.
  • Shutdown—shuts down the Link Aggregation module and releases the allocated resources to the system.
  Note:

  All fields in this screen are greyed out when System Control is Shutdown.

• LA Status—select the administrative status of the LA module. The LA feature allows the user to aggregate individual point-to-point links into a LA group. The default option is Disabled. The list contains:
  • Enabled—enables LA on all ports in the switch. The LA is enabled in the switch, only if the LA System Control is set as start.
  • Disabled—disables LA in the switch on all ports.
• System Priority—enter the priority value associated with the system’s ID. This value ranges from 0 to 65535. The default value is 32768.
• System ID—enter 6-octet unicast MAC address value that is used as a unique identifier for the switch containing the aggregator. The default value is 00:01:02:03:04:01.
• LA Independent Mode—select the independent mode of the LA module. The default option is Disabled. The list contains:
  • Enabled—enables operation of the member ports of the port-channel as independent ports and allows the ports to be visible to higher layers.
    Note:

    If there is no remote partner information available in the system, then the port-channel becomes operationally down.

  • Disabled—disables the ports from being visible to higher layers and sets the member ports of the port-channel operationally up.
    Note: If there is no remote partner information available in the system, then the port-channel becomes operationally up based on the default values assigned for the partner.

• Apply—modifies attributes and saves the changes.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Interface Settings

• Port Channel ID—enter the identifier that uniquely determines a port channel to be created in the switch. This value ranges from 1 to 65535.
• Context—select the context ID. Context of 0 is available for the current version.
• Admin Status—select the desired Admin status of the port channel. The default option is Up. The list contains:
  • Up—allows the port channel to be available for aggregating the ports and transmitting / receiving traffic.
  • Down—blocks the availability of the port channel for aggregating the ports and transmitting / receiving traffic.
• Operational State—select the context ID. Context of 0 is available for the current version.
  • Up—port channel is available for aggregating ports and transmitting / receiving traffic.
  • Down—port channel availability for aggregating ports and transmitting / receiving traffic is blocked.

• MTU—enter the MTU for the port channel. This value defines the largest PDU that can be passed by the channel without any need for fragmentation. The default value is 1500. This value ranges from 46 to 9216.
  Note:

  enter the MTU for the port channel. This value defines the largest PDU that can be passed by the channel without any need for fragmentation. The default value is 1500. This value ranges from 46 to 9216.

• Add—adds and saves new configuration.
• Reset—resets to default value for respective fields and discards all user inputs.
• Apply—modifies attributes and saves the changes.
• Delete—deletes the selected entry.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Port Channel Settings

• Context—displays the virtual context ID that uniquely represents a virtual switch created in the physical switch.
  Note:

  The user can create new virtual contexts from the Switch Creation screen. Go to Context Manager->Switch Creation.The user can create new virtual contexts from the Switch Creation screen.

• Port Channel ID—select the port channel identifier from the list already specified in the system, to which the ports should be aggregated or from which aggregated ports should be removed. The list contains the port channels created in the Port Channel Interface Basic Settings screen.
• Aggregation Type—select the type of aggregation to be used in the port channel. The default option is Static for all ports and Dynamic for the port configured as a default port of the port channel. The list contains:
  • Static—allows the port to participate only in static aggregation; that is, the port is a member of only the port channel to which it is configured. The port channel should be manually assigned with its member ports.
  • Dynamic—allows the port to participate only in dynamic aggregation selection, that is, the port is made as a part of best aggregation selected based on System ID and Admin key (that is, Port Channel ID).
• Action Type—select the action to be performed for the Ports configured in this screen. The default option is Add. The options are:
  • Add—aggregates the mentioned Ports and configures them as a member for the selected Port Channel ID.
  • Delete—removes the mentioned Ports from the member list created for the selected Port Channel ID.
  Note:

  The field is greyed out when the aggregation type is set as Dynamic.

• Mode—select the operating mode to be set for the port channel. The default option is Lacp. The list contains:
  • Lacp—sets the port channel into passive negotiation state, in which the port channel waits for its peer to initiate negotiation.
  • Manual—sets/forces the port channel to enable channeling without waiting for its peer to start negotiation.
  • Disable—disables the channeling i.e. the LACP feature is disabled in the port channel.
  Note:

  The field is greyed out when the aggregation type is set as Dynamic.

• Ports—enter port or set of ports, which should be aggregated and set as member of the selected port channel. Use a comma as a separator between the ports while configuring a list of ports. The format of this entry is <interface type><slot number/port number>. Note that here is no space needed between these two entries. Example: Gi0/1,Gi0/2 (Here Gi is interface type Gigabit Ethernet Interface, 0 is a slot number, and 1 is a port number). The maximum number of ports is 8.
  Note:

  The field is greyed out when the aggregation type is set as Dynamic.

• No of Ports Per Channel—displays the number of ports that are bundled for the port channel. For example, this value would be set as 3, if the value for the field Ports is entered as gi0/4,gi0/7,gi0/8.
• No of Hot Standby Ports—displays the number of ports that are bundled for the port channel. For example, this value would be set as 3, if the value for the field Ports is entered as gi0/4,gi0/7,gi0/8.

• Default Port—select the port that should be set as default port, which gets attached to the port channel and participates only in dynamic aggregation selection.
  Note:

  This field is disabled (that is greyed out) and cannot be configured, if the Aggregation Type is set as Static.

• Aggregator MAC—displays the 6-octet MAC address that is assigned to the port channel. This MAC address is automatically assigned to the port channel.
• Max Ports—enter the maximum number of ports that can be attached to the port-channel. This value ranges from 2 to 8. The default value is 8. If the total number of ports attached to the port-channel exceeds the configured value, the best ports are maintained in active state and other ports are maintained in standby state. The best ports are calculated based on the Port Identifier and Port Priority.

• Apply—modifies attributes and saves the changes.
• Reset—resets to default value for respective fields and discards all user inputs

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Port Settings

• Select—click to select the port for which the configuration needs to be applied.
• Port—displays the port, which is a combination of interface type and interface ID. The interface ID is a combination of a slot number and the port number (slot number/port number).
• Port Priority—enter the priority value assigned to the aggregation port. This value is used in combination with Port Identifier during the identification of best ports in the port channel. This value ranges from 0 to 65535. The default value is 128.
• Port Identifier—enter the port number that represents the concerned aggregation port. This number is communicated as the Actor_Port in LACPDUs. This value ranges from 1 to 65535.
• Mode—displays the operating mode configured for the port. By default, the configuration set in the field Mode in the screen Link Aggregation Port Channel Basic Settings is displayed. The list contains:
  • LACP—places the port into passive negotiation state, in which the port waits for its peer to initiate negotiation.
  • On—forces the port to enable channeling without waiting for its peer to start negotiation.
  • Disable—disables the channeling; that is, the LACP feature is disabled in the port.
  Note: This field is greyed and cannot be configured.
• Activity—select the LACP activity for the port. The list contains:
  • Active—generates LACP PDUs without waiting for any LACPPDU from the partner port.
  • Passive—generates LACPPDU only when an LACP PDU is received from the partner port.
  Note:

  This field is greyed and cannot be configured if the Mode is set as On or Disable.

• Timeout—select the time within which LACP PDUs should be received on a port to avoid timing out of the aggregated link. The default option is Long. The list contains:
  • Short—sets the value as 3 seconds for the port to time out of the port channel. LACP PDU is sent every second.
  • Long—sets the value as 90 seconds for the port to time out of the port channel. LACP PDU is sent every 30 seconds.
• Wait Time (secs)—enter the waiting time for a port after receiving partner information and before entering aggregation (i.e. the time taken to attach to the port channel). This value ranges from 0 to 10 seconds. The default value is 2.

• Bundle State—displays the current state of the port with respect to Link Aggregation. This field is read only.
  • Up In Bundle—specifies that the port is an active member of the port channel. The port is operationally up and actively takes part in aggregation.
  • Standby—specifies that the port is a member of the port channel but is currently in standby state. The port is capable of joining in the port channel, when any of the ports in the port channel goes down.
  • Down—specifies that the port is operationally down in lower layers or the port is operational in lower layers, but temporarily it is not able to participate in aggregation because of different partner information in the same group.
  • Up Individual—specifies that the port is operating individually and is not taking part in aggregation.
• Aggregation Selection—displays the type of aggregation in which the port participates. The default option is Static for all ports and Dynamic for the port configured as a Default Port of the port channel. This field is read only.
  • Static—allows the port to participate only in static aggregation; that is, the port is a member of only the port channel to which it is configured, i.e. the port channel has to be assigned manually to its member ports in the Link Aggregation Port Channel Settings screen.
  • Dynamic—allows the port to participate only in dynamic aggregation selection; that is, the port is made as a part of best aggregation selection based on System ID and Admin key (i.e. Port Channel ID).

• Apply—modifies attributes and saves the changes.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Port State Machine Info

• Port Channel—displays the identifier that uniquely identifies a port channel created in the switch. This value ranges from 1 to 65535.
• Port Id—displays the port, which is a combination of interface type and interface ID. The interface ID is a combination of slot number and the port number (slot number/port number).
• Aggregation State—displays the Actor State as transmitted by the actor in LACPDUs. The state can be:
  • Aggregation—sets the port as a potential candidate for aggregation.
  • Individual—does not set the port from aggregation. It can be operated only as an individual link.
  • Sync—allocates the port to the correct Link Aggregation group which is associated with a compatible port channel whose identity is consistent with the Actor System ID and Admin key (Port Channel ID). The System ID and Admin Key are in sync with partner information.
  • Collecting—enables the port to collect incoming frames and is not expected to be disabled in the absence of administrative changes or changes in received protocol information.
  • Distributing—enables the port to distribute outgoing frames.
  • Defaulted—sets the ports receive machine to use the default operational partner information that is administratively configured for the partner.
  • Expired—sets the ports receive machine in expired state. The receive machine state is changed as expired if the PDUs are not received from partner for certain time period.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Load Balancing

• Select—click to select the port channel for which the configuration needs to be done.
• Port Channel—displays the identifier that uniquely identifies a port channel created in the switch. This value ranges from 1 to 65535.
• Selection Policy—select the rule for distributing the Ethernet traffic. The default option is MAC Source and Destination. The options are:
  • MAC Source—uses the bits of the source MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MAC Destination—uses the bits of the destination MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MAC Source and Destination—uses the bits of the source and destination MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • IP Source—uses the bits of the source IP address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • IP Destination—uses the bits of the destination IP address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • IP Source and Destination—uses the bits of the source and destination IP address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • VLAN ID—uses the VLAN ID in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • ISID—uses the ISID in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MAC Source VLAN ID—uses the VLAN ID and source MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MAC Destination VLAN ID—uses the VLAN ID and destination MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MAC Source and Destination VLAN ID—uses the VLAN ID, source MAC address, and destination MAC address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MPLS VC Label—uses the MPLS VC label in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MPLS Tunnel Label—uses the MPLS tunnel label in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • MPLS VC and Tunnel Label—uses the MPLS VC and tunnel labels in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • Ipv6 Source—uses the bits of the source IPv6 address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • Ipv6 Destination—uses the bits of the destination Ipv6 address in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • L3 Protocol—uses the frames of the L3 IP header in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.

• Selection Policy—The options are (cont):
  • L3 Protocol—uses the frames of the L3 IP header in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • Source L4 Port—uses the bits of L4 source port specified in L4 header (TCP/UDP port) in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.
  • Destination L4 Port—uses the bits of L4 destination port specified in L4 header (TCP/UDP port) in the packet to select the port in which the traffic should flow.

• Apply—modifies attributes and saves the changes.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > DLAG Remote Port Channel Settings

• Port Channel Index—displays the Remote Aggregator's interface index.
• DLAG System ID—displays the 6-octet MAC address value of each remote D-LAG node and the system ID in D-LAG nodes used for communicating with peer nodes.
• DLAG System Priority—displays stored system priority of remote D-LAG nodes.
• DLAG Role Played—displays system priority in D-LAG nodes which is to be used for communicating with the peer node when D-LAG status is enabled. The list contains:
  • none—specifies the role by the remote D-LAG node as none.
  • Master—specifies the role by the remote D-LAG node as master.
  • slave—specifies the role by the remote D-LAG node as slave.
  • backupmaster—specifies the role of a remote D-LAG node as backup-master

• DLAG Keep Alive Count—displays the Keep Alive Count when D-LAG status is enabled. Each D-LAG node will have a Max Keep alive count and each D-LAG node maintains separate keep alive counts for all other remote D-LAG nodes. The default value is 3.

Layer 2 Management > Link Aggregation > Settings > DLAG Remote Ports Settings

• Port Channel Index—displays the Remote Aggregator's interface index.
• DLAG System ID—displays the 6-octet MAC address value of each remote D-LAG node, which uniquely identifies the remote.
• DLAG Remote Port Index—displays stored system priority of remote D-LAG nodes.
• DLAG Remote Port Bundle State—displays port bundle states of each port belonging to the remote DLAG node. The list contains:
  • upInBndl—sets the port operationally up and actively takes part in aggregation.
  • standby—sets the port that is capable of joining in aggregation group, when any of the ports in aggregation group goes down.
  • down—sets the port operationally down in lower layers, or the port is operational in lower layers but temporarily not able to participate in aggregation because of different partner information in the same group.
  • upIndividual—sets the port to operate individually and not take part in aggregation.
• DLAG Remote Port Index—displays the current sync status of each port belonging to the remote DLAG node.
  • inSync—sync status of the port belonging to DLAG node is inSync.
  • outofSync— sync status of the port belonging to DLAG node is out-of-sync.