CH A P T E R 35

Configuring EtherChannels and Link-State

Tracking

This chapter describes how to configure EtherChannels on Layer 2 and Layer 3 ports on the
Catalyst 3750 Metro switch. EtherChannel provides fault-tolerant high-speed links between switches,
routers, and servers. You can use it to increase the bandwidth between the wiring closets and the data
center, and you can deploy it anywhere in the network where bottlenecks are likely to occur.
EtherChannel provides automatic recovery for the loss of a link by redistributing the load across the
remaining links. If a link fails, EtherChannel redirects traffic from the failed link to the remaining links
in the channel without intervention.
This chapter also describes how to configure link-state tracking.

Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, see the command
reference for this release.

This chapter consists of these sections:

• Understanding EtherChannels, page 35-1
• Configuring EtherChannels, page 35-8
• Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status, page 35-20
• Understanding Link-State Tracking, page 35-21
• Configuring Link-State Tracking, page 35-22

Understanding EtherChannels
These sections describe how EtherChannels work:
• EtherChannel Overview, page 35-2
• Port-Channel Interfaces, page 35-3
• Port Aggregation Protocol, page 35-4
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol, page 35-5
• EtherChannel On Mode, page 35-6
• Load Balancing and Forwarding Methods, page 35-6

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Understanding EtherChannels

EtherChannel Overview
An EtherChannel consists of individual Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet links bundled into a single
logical link as shown in Figure 35-1.

Figure 35-1 Typical EtherChannel Configuration

Catalyst 8500
series switch

Gigabit EtherChannel

1000BASE-X 1000BASE-X

10/100 10/100
Switched Switched
links links
101237

Workstations Workstations

The EtherChannel provides full-duplex bandwidth up to 800 Mbps (Fast EtherChannel) or 2 Gbps
(Gigabit EtherChannel) between your switch and another switch or host. You cannot bundle standard
Gigabit Ethernet ports with the enhanced-services (ES) Gigabit Ethernet ports.
Each EtherChannel can consist of up to eight compatibly configured Ethernet ports. All ports in each
EtherChannel must be configured as either Layer 2 or Layer 3 ports. For Catalyst 3750 Metro switches,
the number of EtherChannels is limited to 12. For more information, see the “EtherChannel
Configuration Guidelines” section on page 35-9. The EtherChannel Layer 3 ports are made up of routed
ports. Routed ports are physical ports configured to be in Layer 3 mode by using the no switchport
interface configuration command. For more information, see the Chapter 9, “Configuring Interface
Characteristics.”
You can configure an EtherChannel in one of these modes: Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP), Link
Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), or On mode. Configure both ends of the EtherChannel in the
same mode:
• When you configure one end of an EtherChannel in either PAgP or LACP mode, the system
negotiates with the other end of the channel to determine which ports should become active.
Incompatible ports are suspended.
• When you configure an EtherChannel in the on mode, no negotiations take place. The switch forces
all compatible ports to become active in the EtherChannel. The other end of the channel (on the other
switch) must also be configured in the on mode; otherwise, packet loss can occur.

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Understanding EtherChannels

Beginning with Cisco IOS Release 12.2(35)SE, instead of a suspended state, the local port is put
into an independent state and continues to carry data traffic as would any other single link. The port
configuration does not change, but the port does not participate in the EtherChannel.
If a link within an EtherChannel fails, traffic previously carried over that failed link moves to the
remaining links within the EtherChannel. If traps are enabled on the switch, a trap is sent for a failure
that identifies the switch, the EtherChannel, and the failed link. Inbound broadcast and multicast packets
on one link in an EtherChannel are blocked from returning on any other link of the EtherChannel.

Port-Channel Interfaces
When you create an EtherChannel, a port-channel logical interface is involved:
• With Layer 2 ports, use the channel-group interface configuration command to dynamically create
the port-channel logical interface.
You also can use the interface port-channel port-channel-number global configuration command
to manually create the port-channel logical interface, but then you must use the channel-group
channel-group-number command to bind the logical interface to a physical port. The
channel-group-number can be the same as the port-channel-number, or you can use a new number.
If you use a new number, the channel-group command dynamically creates a new port channel.
• With Layer 3 ports, you should manually create the logical interface by using the interface
port-channel global configuration command followed by the no switchport interface configuration
command. Then you manually assign an interface to the EtherChannel by using the channel-group
interface configuration command.
For both Layer 2 and Layer 3 ports, the channel-group command binds the physical port and the logical
interface together as shown in Figure 35-2.
Each EtherChannel has a port-channel logical interface numbered from 1 to 12. This port-channel
interface number corresponds to the one specified with the channel-group interface configuration
command.

Figure 35-2 Relationship of Physical Ports, Logical Port Channels, and Channel Groups

Logical
port-channel

Channel-group
binding
101238

Physical ports

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Understanding EtherChannels

After you configure an EtherChannel, configuration changes applied to the port-channel apply to all the
physical ports assigned to the port-channel. Configuration changes applied to the physical port affect
only the port where you apply the configuration. To change the parameters of all ports in an
EtherChannel, apply configuration commands to the port-channel interface, for example, spanning-tree
commands or commands to configure a Layer 2 EtherChannel as a trunk.

Port Aggregation Protocol

The Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) is a Cisco-proprietary protocol that can be run only on Cisco
switches and on those switches licensed by vendors to support PAgP. PAgP facilitates the automatic
creation of EtherChannels by exchanging PAgP packets between Ethernet ports.
By using PAgP, the switch learns the identity of partners capable of supporting PAgP and the capabilities
of each port. It then dynamically groups similarly configured ports into a single logical link (channel or
aggregate port). Similarly configured ports are grouped based on hardware, administrative, and port
parameter constraints. For example, PAgP groups the ports with the same speed, duplex mode, native
VLAN, VLAN range, and trunking status and type. After grouping the links into an EtherChannel, PAgP
adds the group to the spanning tree as a single switch port.

PAgP Modes
Table 35-1 shows the user-configurable EtherChannel PAgP modes for the channel-group interface
configuration command.

Table 35-1 EtherChannel PAgP Modes

Mode Description
auto Places a port into a passive negotiating state, in which the port responds to PAgP packets
it receives but does not start PAgP packet negotiation. This setting minimizes the
transmission of PAgP packets.
desirable Places a port into an active negotiating state, in which the port starts negotiations with other
ports by sending PAgP packets.

Switch ports exchange PAgP packets only with partner ports configured in the auto or desirable modes.
Ports configured in the on mode do not exchange PAgP packets.
Both the auto and desirable modes enable ports to negotiate with partner ports to form an EtherChannel
based on criteria such as port speed and, for Layer 2 EtherChannels, trunking state and VLAN numbers.
Ports can form an EtherChannel when they are in different PAgP modes as long as the modes are
compatible. For example:
• A port in the desirable mode can form an EtherChannel with another port that is in the desirable or
auto mode.
• A port in the auto mode can form an EtherChannel with another port in the desirable mode.
A port in the auto mode cannot form an EtherChannel with another port that is also in the auto mode
because neither port starts PAgP negotiation.
If your switch is connected to a partner that is PAgP-capable, you can configure the switch port for
nonsilent operation by using the non-silent keyword. If you do not specify non-silent with the auto or
desirable mode, silent mode is assumed.

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Use the silent mode when the switch is connected to a device that is not PAgP-capable and seldom, if
ever, sends packets. An example of a silent partner is a file server or a packet analyzer that is not
generating traffic. In this case, running PAgP on a physical port connected to a silent partner prevents
that switch port from ever becoming operational. However, the silent setting allows PAgP to operate, to
attach the port to a channel group, and to use the port for transmission.

PAgP Interaction with Other Features

The Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) and the Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) send and receive
packets over the physical ports in the EtherChannel. Trunk ports send and receive PAgP protocol data
units (PDUs) on the lowest numbered VLAN.
In Layer 2 EtherChannels, the first port in the channel that comes up provides its MAC address to the
EtherChannel. If this port is removed from the bundle, one of the remaining ports in the bundle provides
its MAC address to the EtherChannel.
PAgP sends and receives PAgP PDUs only from ports that are up and have PAgP enabled for the auto or
desirable mode.

Link Aggregation Control Protocol

The LACP is defined in IEEE 802.3ad and enables Cisco switches to manage Ethernet channels between
switches that conform to the 802.3ad protocol. LACP facilitates the automatic creation of EtherChannels
by exchanging LACP packets between Ethernet ports.
By using LACP, the switch learns the identity of partners capable of supporting LACP and the
capabilities of each port. It then dynamically groups similarly configured ports into a single logical link
(channel or aggregate port). Similarly configured ports are grouped based on hardware, administrative,
and port parameter constraints. For example, LACP groups the ports with the same speed, duplex mode,
native VLAN, VLAN range, and trunking status and type. After grouping the links into an EtherChannel,
LACP adds the group to the spanning tree as a single switch port.

LACP Modes
Table 35-2 shows the user-configurable EtherChannel LACP modes for the channel-group interface
configuration command.

Table 35-2 EtherChannel LACP Modes

Mode Description
active Places a port into an active negotiating state in which the port starts negotiations with other
ports by sending LACP packets.
passive Places a port into a passive negotiating state in which the port responds to LACP packets
that it receives, but does not start LACP packet negotiation. This setting minimizes the
transmission of LACP packets.

Both the active and passive LACP modes enable ports to negotiate with partner ports to form an
EtherChannel based on criteria such as port speed and, for Layer 2 EtherChannels, trunking state and
VLAN numbers.

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Ports can form an EtherChannel when they are in different LACP modes as long as the modes are
compatible. For example:
• A port in the active mode can form an EtherChannel with another port that is in the active or passive
mode.
• A port in the passive mode cannot form an EtherChannel with another port that is also in the passive
mode because neither port starts LACP negotiation.

LACP Interaction with Other Features

The DTP and the CDP send and receive packets over the physical ports in the EtherChannel. Trunk ports
send and receive LACP PDUs on the lowest numbered VLAN.
In Layer 2 EtherChannels, the first port in the channel that comes up provides its MAC address to the
EtherChannel. If this port is removed from the bundle, one of the remaining ports in the bundle provides
its MAC address to the EtherChannel.
LACP sends and receives LACP PDUs only from ports that are up and have LACP enabled for the active
or passive mode.

EtherChannel On Mode
EtherChannel on mode can be used to manually configure an EtherChannel. The on mode forces a port
to join an EtherChannel without negotiations. The on mode can be useful if the remote device does not
support PAgP or LACP. In the on mode, a usable EtherChannel exists only when the switches at both
ends of the link are configured in the on mode.
Ports that are configured in the on mode in the same channel group must have compatible port
characteristics, such as speed and duplex. Ports that are not compatible are suspended, even though they
are configured in the on mode.

Caution You should use care when using the on mode. This is a manual configuration, and ports on both ends of
the EtherChannel must have the same configuration. If the group is misconfigured, packet loss or
spanning-tree loops can occur.

Load Balancing and Forwarding Methods

EtherChannel balances the 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 or IP addresses, source or destination addresses,
or both source and destination addresses. The selected mode applies to all EtherChannels configured on
the switch. You configure the load balancing and forwarding method by using the port-channel
load-balance global configuration command.
With source-MAC address forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an EtherChannel, they are
distributed across the ports in the channel based on the source-MAC address of the incoming packet.
Therefore, to provide load balancing, packets from different hosts use different ports in the channel, but
packets from the same host use the same port in the channel.

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With destination-MAC address forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an EtherChannel, they are
distributed across the ports in the channel based on the destination host’s MAC address of the incoming
packet. Therefore, packets to the same destination are forwarded over the same port, and packets to a
different destination are sent on a different port in the channel.
With source-and-destination MAC address forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an EtherChannel,
they are distributed across the ports in the channel based on both the source and destination MAC
addresses. This forwarding method, a combination source-MAC and destination-MAC address
forwarding methods of load distribution, can be used if it is not clear whether source-MAC or
destination-MAC address forwarding is better suited on a particular switch. With source-and-destination
MAC-address forwarding, packets sent from host A to host B, host A to host C, and host C to host B
could all use different ports in the channel.
With source-IP address-based forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an EtherChannel, they are
distributed across the ports in the EtherChannel based on the source-IP address of the incoming packet.
Therefore, to provide load-balancing, packets from different IP addresses use different ports in the
channel, but packets from the same IP address use the same port in the channel.
With destination-IP address-based forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an EtherChannel, they are
distributed across the ports in the EtherChannel based on the destination-IP address of the incoming
packet. Therefore, to provide load-balancing, packets from the same IP source address sent to different
IP destination addresses could be sent on different ports in the channel. But packets sent from different
source IP addresses to the same destination IP address are always sent on the same port in the channel.
With source-and-destination IP address-based forwarding, when packets are forwarded to an
EtherChannel, they are distributed across the ports in the EtherChannel based on both the source and
destination IP addresses of the incoming packet. This forwarding method, a combination of source-IP
and destination-IP address-based forwarding, can be used if it is not clear whether source-IP or
destination-IP address-based forwarding is better suited on a particular switch. In this method, packets
sent from the IP address A to IP address B, from IP address A to IP address C, and from IP address C to
IP address B could all use different ports in the channel.
Different load-balancing methods have different advantages, and the choice of a particular
load-balancing method should be based on the position of the switch in the network and the kind of
traffic that needs to be load-distributed. In Figure 35-3, an EtherChannel of four workstations
communicates with a router. Because the router is a single-MAC-address device, source-based
forwarding on the switch EtherChannel ensures that the switch uses all available bandwidth to the router.
The router is configured for destination-based forwarding because the large number of workstations
ensures that the traffic is evenly distributed from the router EtherChannel.
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.

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Configuring EtherChannels

Figure 35-3 Load Distribution and Forwarding Methods

Switch with
source-based
forwarding enabled

EtherChannel

Cisco router
with destination-based
forwarding enabled

101239

Configuring EtherChannels
These sections describe how to configure EtherChannel on Layer 2 and Layer 3 ports:
• Default EtherChannel Configuration, page 35-9
• EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines, page 35-9
• Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannels, page 35-10 (required)
• Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels, page 35-13 (required)
• Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing, page 35-16 (optional)
• Configuring the PAgP Learn Method and Priority, page 35-17 (optional)
• Configuring LACP Hot-Standby Ports, page 35-18 (optional)

Note Make sure that the ports are correctly configured. For more information, see the “EtherChannel
Configuration Guidelines” section on page 35-9.

Note After you configure an EtherChannel, configuration changes applied to the port-channel interface apply
to all the physical ports assigned to the port-channel interface, and configuration changes applied to the
physical port affect only the port where you apply the configuration.

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Default EtherChannel Configuration

Table 35-3 shows the default EtherChannel configuration.

Table 35-3 Default EtherChannel Configuration

Feature Default Setting

Channel groups None assigned.
Port-channel logical interface None defined.
PAgP mode No default.
PAgP learn method Aggregate-port learning on all ports.
PAgP priority 128 on all ports.
LACP mode No default.
LACP learn method Aggregate-port learning on all ports.
LACP port priority 32768 on all ports.
LACP system priority 32768.
LACP system ID LACP system priority and the switch MAC address.
Load balancing Load distribution on the switch is based on the
source-MAC address of the incoming packet.

EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines

If improperly configured, some EtherChannel ports are automatically disabled to avoid network loops
and other problems. Follow these guidelines to avoid configuration problems:
• More than 12 EtherChannels cannot be configured on the switch.
• Do not bundle standard Gigabit Ethernet ports with the enhanced-services (ES) Gigabit Ethernet
ports.
• Configure a PAgP EtherChannel with up to eight Ethernet ports of the same type.
• Configure a LACP EtherChannel with up to 16 Ethernet ports of the same type. Up to eight ports
can be active, and up to eight ports can be in standby mode.
• Configure all ports in an EtherChannel to operate at the same speeds and duplex modes.
• Enable all ports in an EtherChannel. A port in an EtherChannel that is disabled by using the
shutdown interface configuration command is treated as a link failure, and its traffic is transferred
to one of the remaining ports in the EtherChannel.
• When a group is first created, all ports follow the parameters set for the first port to be added to the
group. If you change the configuration of one of these parameters, you must also make the changes
to all ports in the group:
– Allowed-VLAN list
– Spanning-tree path cost for each VLAN
– Spanning-tree port priority for each VLAN
– Spanning-tree Port Fast setting

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• Do not configure a port to be a member of more than one EtherChannel group.

• Do not enable link-state tracking on individual interfaces that will be part of a downstream
Etherchannel interface.
• Do not configure an EtherChannel in both the PAgP and LACP modes. EtherChannel groups running
PAgP and LACP can coexist on the same switch. Individual EtherChannel groups can run either
PAgP or LACP, but they cannot interoperate.
• Do not configure a Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) destination as part of an EtherChannel.
• Do not configure a secure port as part of an EtherChannel or the reverse.
• Do not configure a private-VLAN port as part of an EtherChannel.
• Do not configure a port that is an active member of an EtherChannel as an 802.1x port. If 802.1x is
enabled on a not-yet active port of an EtherChannel, the port does not join the EtherChannel.

Note In software releases earlier than Cisco IOS Release 12.2(25)EY, if 802.1x is enabled on a
not-yet-active port of an EtherChannel, the port does not join the EtherChannel.

• For Layer 2 EtherChannels:

– Assign all ports in the EtherChannel to the same VLAN, or configure them as trunks. Ports with
different native VLANs cannot form an EtherChannel.
– If you configure an EtherChannel from trunk ports, verify that the trunking mode (ISL or
802.1Q) is the same on all the trunks. Inconsistent trunk modes on EtherChannel ports can have
unexpected results.
– An EtherChannel supports the same allowed range of VLANs on all the ports in a trunking
Layer 2 EtherChannel. If the allowed range of VLANs is not the same, the ports do not form an
EtherChannel even when PAgP is set to the auto or desirable mode.
– Ports with different spanning-tree path costs can form an EtherChannel if they are otherwise
compatibly configured. Setting different spanning-tree path costs does not, by itself, make ports
incompatible for the formation of an EtherChannel.
• For Layer 3 EtherChannels, assign the Layer 3 address to the port-channel logical interface, not to
the physical ports in the channel.

Configuring Layer 2 EtherChannels

You configure Layer 2 EtherChannels by assigning ports to a channel group with the channel-group
interface configuration command. This command automatically creates the port-channel logical
interface.

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Configuring EtherChannels

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to assign a Layer 2 Ethernet port to a Layer 2
EtherChannel. This procedure is required.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 interface interface-id Specify a physical port to configure, and enter interface
configuration mode.
Valid interfaces include physical ports.
For a PAgP EtherChannel, you can configure up to eight ports of
the same type and speed for the same group.
For a LACP EtherChannel, you can configure up to 16 Ethernet
ports of the same type. Up to eight ports can be active, and up to
eight ports can be in standby mode.
Step 3 switchport mode {access | trunk} Assign all ports as static-access ports in the same VLAN, or
configure them as trunks.
switchport access vlan vlan-id
If you configure the port as a static-access port, assign it to only
one VLAN. The range is 1 to 4094.

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Command Purpose
Step 4 channel-group channel-group-number mode Assign the port to a channel group, and specify the PAgP or the
{auto [non-silent] | desirable [non-silent] | on} | LACP mode.
{active | passive}
For channel-group-number, the range is 1 to 12.
For mode, select one of these keywords:
• auto—Enables PAgP only if a PAgP device is detected. It
places the port into a passive negotiating state, in which the
port responds to PAgP packets it receives but does not start
PAgP packet negotiation.
• desirable—Unconditionally enables PAgP. It places the port
into an active negotiating state, in which the port starts
negotiations with other ports by sending PAgP packets.
• on—Forces the port to channel without PAgP or LACP. With
the on mode, a usable EtherChannel exists only when a port
group in the on mode is connected to another port group in
the on mode.
• non-silent—(Optional) If your switch is connected to a
partner that is PAgP-capable, configure the switch port for
nonsilent operation when the port is in the auto or desirable
mode. If you do not specify non-silent, silent is assumed.
The silent setting is for connections to file servers or packet
analyzers. This setting allows PAgP to operate, to attach the
port to a channel group, and to use the port for transmission.
• active—Enables LACP only if a LACP device is detected.
It places the port into an active negotiating state in which
the port starts negotiations with other ports by sending
LACP packets.
• passive—Enables LACP on the port and places it into a
passive negotiating state in which the port responds to LACP
packets that it receives, but does not start LACP packet
negotiation.
For information on compatible modes for the switch and its
partner, see the “PAgP Modes” section on page 35-4 and the
“LACP Modes” section on page 35-5.
Step 5 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 6 show running-config Verify your entries.
Step 7 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

To remove a port from the EtherChannel group, use the no channel-group interface configuration
command.

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This example shows how to configure an EtherChannel. It assigns two ports as static-access ports in
VLAN 10 to channel 5 with the PAgP mode desirable:
Switch# configure terminal
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet1/0/4 -5
Switch(config-if-range)# switchport mode access
Switch(config-if-range)# switchport access vlan 10
Switch(config-if-range)# channel-group 5 mode desirable non-silent
Switch(config-if-range)# end

This example shows how to configure an EtherChannel. It assigns two ports as static-access ports in
VLAN 10 to channel 5 with the LACP mode active:
Switch# configure terminal
Switch(config)# interface range gigabitethernet1/0/1 -2
Switch(config-if-range)# switchport mode access
Switch(config-if-range)# switchport access vlan 10
Switch(config-if-range)# channel-group 5 mode active
Switch(config-if-range)# end

Configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels

To configure Layer 3 EtherChannels, you create the port-channel logical interface and then put the
Ethernet ports into the port-channel as described in the next two sections.

Creating Port-Channel Logical Interfaces

When configuring Layer 3 EtherChannels, you should first manually create the port-channel logical
interface by using the interface port-channel global configuration command. Then you put the logical
interface into the channel group by using the channel-group interface configuration command.

Note To move an IP address from a physical port to an EtherChannel, you must delete the IP address from the
physical port before configuring it on the port-channel interface. Beginning in privileged EXEC mode,
follow these steps to create a port-channel interface for a Layer 3 EtherChannel. This procedure is
required.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 interface port-channel port-channel-number Create the port-channel logical interface, and enter interface
configuration mode.
For port-channel-number, the range is 1 to 12.
Step 3 no switchport Put the interface into Layer 3 mode.
Step 4 ip address ip-address mask Assign an IP address and subnet mask to the EtherChannel.
Step 5 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 6 show etherchannel channel-group-number detail Verify your entries.

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Command Purpose
Step 7 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.
Step 8 Assign an Ethernet port to the Layer 3 EtherChannel. For
more information, see the “Configuring the Physical
Interfaces” section on page 35-14.

To remove the port-channel, use the no interface port-channel port-channel-number global

configuration command.
This example shows how to create logical port-channel 5 and assign 172.10.20.10 as its IP address:
Switch# configure terminal
Switch(config)# interface port-channel 5
Switch(config-if)# no switchport
Switch(config-if)# ip address 172.10.20.10 255.255.255.0
Switch(config-if)# end

Configuring the Physical Interfaces

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to assign an Ethernet port to a Layer 3
EtherChannel. This procedure is required.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 interface interface-id Specify a physical port to configure, and enter interface
configuration mode.
For a PAgP EtherChannel, you can configure up to eight ports of
the same type and speed for the same group.
For a LACP EtherChannel, you can configure up to 16 Ethernet
ports of the same type. Up to eight ports can be active, and up to
eight ports can be in standby mode.
Step 3 no ip address Ensure that there is no IP address assigned to the physical port.
Step 4 no switchport Put the port into Layer 3 mode.

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Command Purpose
Step 5 channel-group channel-group-number mode Assign the port to a channel group, and specify the PAgP or the
{auto [non-silent] | desirable [non-silent] | on} | LACP mode.
{active | passive}
For channel-group-number, the range is 1 to 12. This number
must be the same as the port-channel-number (logical port)
configured in the “Creating Port-Channel Logical Interfaces”
section on page 35-13.
For mode, select one of these keywords:
• auto—Enables PAgP only if a PAgP device is detected. It
places the port into a passive negotiating state, in which the
port responds to PAgP packets it receives but does not start
PAgP packet negotiation.
• desirable—Unconditionally enables PAgP. It places the port
into an active negotiating state, in which the port starts
negotiations with other ports by sending PAgP packets.
• on—Forces the port to channel without PAgP or LACP. With
the on mode, a usable EtherChannel exists only when a port
group in the on mode is connected to another port group in
the on mode.
• non-silent—(Optional) If your switch is connected to a
partner that is PAgP capable, configure the switch port for
nonsilent operation when the port is in the auto or desirable
mode. If you do not specify non-silent, silent is assumed.
The silent setting is for connections to file servers or packet
analyzers. This setting allows PAgP to operate, to attach the
port to a channel group, and to use the port for transmission.
• active—Enables LACP only if a LACP device is detected.
It places the port into an active negotiating state in which
the port starts negotiations with other ports by sending
LACP packets.
• passive—Enables LACP on the port and places it into a
passive negotiating state in which the port responds to LACP
packets that it receives, but does not start LACP packet
negotiation.
For information on compatible modes for the switch and its
partner, see the “PAgP Modes” section on page 35-4 and the
“LACP Modes” section on page 35-5.
Step 6 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 7 show running-config Verify your entries.
Step 8 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

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Configuring EtherChannels

This example shows how to configure an EtherChannel. It assigns two ports to channel 5 with the LACP
mode active:
Switch# configure terminal
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet1/0/4 -5
Switch(config-if-range)# no ip address
Switch(config-if-range)# no switchport
Switch(config-if-range)# channel-group 5 mode active
Switch(config-if-range)# end

Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing

This section describes how to configure EtherChannel load balancing by using source-based or
destination-based forwarding methods. For more information, see the “Load Balancing and Forwarding
Methods” section on page 35-6.
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure EtherChannel load balancing. This
procedure is optional.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 port-channel load-balance {dst-ip | dst-mac | Configure an EtherChannel load-balancing method.
src-dst-ip | src-dst-mac | src-ip | src-mac}
The default is src-mac.
Select one of these load-distribution methods:
• dst-ip—Load distribution is based on the destination-host IP
address.
• dst-mac—Load distribution is based on the destination-host
MAC address of the incoming packet.
• src-dst-ip—Load distribution is based on the
source-and-destination host-IP address.
• src-dst-mac—Load distribution is based on the
source-and-destination host-MAC address.
• src-ip—Load distribution is based on the source-host IP
address.
• src-mac—Load distribution is based on the source-MAC
address of the incoming packet.
Step 3 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 4 show etherchannel load-balance Verify your entries.
Step 5 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

To return EtherChannel load balancing to the default configuration, use the no port-channel
load-balance global configuration command.

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Configuring EtherChannels

Configuring the PAgP Learn Method and Priority

Network devices are classified as PAgP physical learners or aggregate-port learners. A device is a
physical learner if it learns addresses by physical ports and directs transmissions based on that
knowledge. A device is an aggregate-port learner if it learns addresses by aggregate (logical) ports. The
learn method must be configured the same at both ends of the link.
When a device and its partner are both aggregate-port learners, they learn the address on the logical
port-channel. The device sends packets to the source by using any of the ports in the EtherChannel. With
aggregate-port learning, it is not important on which physical port the packet arrives.
PAgP cannot automatically detect when the partner device is a physical learner and when the local device
is an aggregate-port learner. Therefore, you must manually set the learning method on the local device
to learn addresses by physical ports. You also must set the load-distribution method to source-based
distribution, so that any given source MAC address is always sent on the same physical port.
You also can configure a single port within the group for all transmissions and use other ports for hot
standby. The unused ports in the group can be swapped into operation in just a few seconds if the selected
single port loses hardware-signal detection. You can configure which port is always selected for packet
transmission by changing its priority with the pagp port-priority interface configuration command. The
higher the priority, the more likely that the port will be selected.

Note The switch supports address learning only on aggregate ports even though the physical-port keyword is
provided in the CLI. The pagp learn-method command and the pagp port-priority command have no
effect on the switch hardware, but they are required for PAgP interoperability with devices that only
support address learning by physical ports, such as the Catalyst 1900 switch.

When the link partner to the switch is a physical learner (such as a Catalyst 1900 series switch), we
recommend that you configure the switch as a physical-port learner by using the pagp learn-method
physical-port interface configuration command. Set the load-distribution method based on the source
MAC address by using the port-channel load-balance src-mac global configuration command. The
switch then sends packets to the Catalyst 1900 switch using the same port in the EtherChannel from
which it learned the source address. Use the pagp learn-method command only in this situation.

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure your switch as a PAgP
physical-port learner and to adjust the priority so that the same port in the bundle is selected for sending
packets. This procedure is optional.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 interface interface-id Specify the port for transmission, and enter interface
configuration mode.

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Configuring EtherChannels

Command Purpose
Step 3 pagp learn-method physical-port Select the PAgP learning method.
By default, aggregation-port learning is selected, which means
the switch sends packets to the source by using any of the ports
in the EtherChannel. With aggregate-port learning, it is not
important on which physical port the packet arrives.
Select physical-port to connect with another switch that is a
physical learner. Make sure to configure the port-channel
load-balance global configuration command to src-mac as
described in the “Configuring EtherChannel Load Balancing”
section on page 35-16.
The learning method must be configured the same at both ends
of the link.
Step 4 pagp port-priority priority Assign a priority so that the selected port is chosen for packet
transmission.
For priority, the range is 0 to 255. The default is 128. The higher
the priority, the more likely that the port will be used for PAgP
transmission.
Step 5 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 6 show running-config Verify your entries.
or
show pagp channel-group-number internal
Step 7 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

To return the priority to its default setting, use the no pagp port-priority interface configuration
command. To return the learning method to its default setting, use the no pagp learn-method interface
configuration command.

Configuring LACP Hot-Standby Ports

When enabled, LACP tries to configure the maximum number of LACP-compatible ports in a channel,
up to a maximum of 16 ports. Only eight LACP links can be active at one time. The software places any
additional links in a hot-standby mode. If one of the active links becomes inactive, a link that is in the
hot-standby mode becomes active in its place.
If you configure more than eight links for an EtherChannel group, the software automatically decides
which of the hot-standby ports to make active based on the LACP priority. The software assigns to every
link between systems that operate LACP a unique priority made up of these elements (in priority order):
• LACP system priority
• System ID (a combination of the LACP system priority and the switch MAC address)
• LACP port priority
• Port number
In priority comparisons, numerically lower values have higher priority. The priority decides which ports
should be put in standby mode when there is a hardware limitation that prevents all compatible ports
from aggregating.

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Configuring EtherChannels

Ports are considered for active use in aggregation in link-priority order starting with the port attached to
the highest priority link. Each port is selected for active use if the preceding higher priority selections
can also be maintained. Otherwise, the port is selected for standby mode.
You can change the default values of the LACP system priority and the LACP port priority to affect how
the software selects active and standby links. For more information, see the “Configuring the LACP
System Priority” section on page 35-19 and the “Configuring the LACP Port Priority” section on
page 35-19.

Configuring the LACP System Priority

You can configure the system priority for all of the EtherChannels that are enabled for LACP by using
the lacp system-priority global configuration command. You cannot configure a system priority for
each LACP-configured channel. By changing this value from the default, you can affect how the software
selects active and standby links.
You can use the show etherchannel summary privileged EXEC command to see which ports are in
the hot-standby mode (denoted with an H port-state flag).
Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure the LACP system priority. This
procedure is optional.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 lacp system-priority priority Configure the LACP system priority.
For priority, the range is 1 to 65535. The default is 32768.
The lower the value, the higher the system priority.
Step 3 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 4 show running-config Verify your entries.
or
show lacp sys-id
Step 5 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

To return the LACP system priority to the default value, use the no lacp system-priority global
configuration command.

Configuring the LACP Port Priority

By default, all ports use the same port priority. If the local system has a lower value for the system
priority and the system ID than the remote system, you can affect which of the hot-standby links
become active first by changing the port priority of LACP EtherChannel ports to a lower value than the
default. The hot-standby ports that have lower port numbers become active in the channel first.
You can use the show etherchannel summary privileged EXEC command to see which ports are in
the hot-standby mode (denoted with an H port-state flag).

Note If LACP is not able to aggregate all the ports that are compatible (for example, the remote system might
have more restrictive hardware limitations), all the ports that cannot be actively included in the
EtherChannel are put in the hot-standby state and are used only if one of the channeled ports fails.

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Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure the LACP port priority. This
procedure is optional.

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 interface interface-id Specify the port to be configured, and enter interface configuration
mode.
Step 3 lacp port-priority priority Configure the LACP port priority.
For priority, the range is 1 to 65535. The is 32768. The lower the value,
the more likely that the port will be used for LACP transmission.
Step 4 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 5 show running-config Verify your entries.
or
show lacp [channel-group-number]
internal
Step 6 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

To return the LACP port priority to the default value, use the no lacp port-priority interface
configuration command.

Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status

To display EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP status information, use the privileged EXEC commands
described in Table 35-4:

Table 35-4 Commands for Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status

Command Description
show etherchannel [channel-group-number {detail | Displays EtherChannel information in a brief, detailed, and
port | port-channel | protocol | summary}] {detail | one-line summary form. Also displays the load-balance or
load-balance | port | port-channel | protocol | frame-distribution scheme, port, port-channel, and protocol
summary} information.
show pagp [channel-group-number] {counters | Displays PAgP information such as traffic information, the
internal | neighbor} internal PAgP configuration, and neighbor information.
show lacp [channel-group-number] {counters | Displays LACP information such as traffic information, the
internal | neighbor} internal LACP configuration, and neighbor information.

You can clear PAgP channel-group information and traffic counters by using the clear pagp
{channel-group-number counters | counters} privileged EXEC command.
You can clear LACP channel-group information and traffic counters by using the clear lacp
{channel-group-number counters | counters} privileged EXEC command.
For detailed information about the fields in the displays, see the command reference for this release.

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Understanding Link-State Tracking

Understanding Link-State Tracking

Link-state tracking, also known as trunk failover, is a feature that binds the link state of multiple
interfaces. For example, link-state tracking provides redundancy in the network when used with Flex
Links. If the link is lost on the primary interface, connectivity is transparently switched to the secondary
interface.
As shown in Figure 35-4, Catalyst 3750 Metro switches are used as user-facing provider edge (UPE)
switches in a customer site at the edge of the provider network connected to a customer premises
equipment (CPE) switch. The UPE switches are connected to the provider edge (PE) switches in the
service provider (SP) network. Customer devices, such as clients, connected to the CPE switch have
multiple connections to the SP network. This configuration ensures that the traffic flow is balanced from
the customer site to the SP and the reverse. Ports connected to the CPE are referred to as downstream
ports, and ports connected to PE switches are referred to as upstream ports.
• UPE switch A provides links to the CPE through link-state group 1. Port 1 and port 2 are connected
to the CPE. Port 3 and port 4 are connected to PE switch A through link-state group 1.
• UPE switch B provides links to the CPE through link-state group 2. Port 1 and port 2 are connected
to CPE. Port 3 and 4 are connected to PE switch A through link-state group 2.
When you enable link-state tracking on the switch, the link states of the downstream ports is bound to
the link states of one or more of the upstream ports. After you associate a set of downstream ports to a
set of upstream ports, if all of the upstream ports become unavailable, link-state tracking automatically
puts the associated downstream ports in an error-disabled state. This causes the CPE primary interface
to failover to the secondary interface.
If the PE switch fails, the cables are disconnected, or the link is lost, the upstream interfaces can lose
connectivity. When link-state tracking is not enabled and the upstream interfaces lose connectivity, the
link states of the downstream interfaces remain unchanged. The CPE is not aware that upstream
connectivity has been lost and does not failover to the secondary interface.
An interface can be an aggregation of ports (an EtherChannel), a single physical port in access or trunk
mode. These interfaces can be bundled together, and each downstream interface can be associated with
a single group consisting of multiple upstream interfaces, referred to as a link-state group.
In a link-state group, the link states of the downstream interfaces are dependent on the link states of the
upstream interfaces. If all of the upstream interfaces in a link-state group are in the link-down state, the
associated downstream interfaces are forced into the link-down state. If any one of the upstream
interfaces in the link-state group in the link-up state, the associated downstream interfaces can change
to or remain in a link-up state.
For example, in Figure 35-4, downstream interfaces 1 and 2 on UPE switch A are defined in link-state
group 1 with upstream interfaces 3 and 4. Similarly, downstream interfaces 1 and 2 on UPE switch B are
defined in link-state group 2 with upstream interfaces 3 and 4.
If the link is lost on upstream interface 3, the link states of downstream interfaces 1 and 2 do not change.
If upstream interface 4 also loses link, downstream interfaces 1 and 2 change to the link-down state. The
CPE switch stops forwarding traffic to PE switch A and starts to forward traffic to PE switch B.
You can recover a downstream interface link-down condition by removing the failed downstream port
from the link-state group. To recover multiple downstream interfaces, disable the link-state group.

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Configuring Link-State Tracking

Figure 35-4 Typical Link-State Tracking Configuration

PE A PE B

Link-state Link-state
group 1 group 2 Service
Provider
POP

Customer
Site
Port 3 Port 4 Port 3 Port 4

UPE A UPE B
Port 2 Port 1
Port 1 Port 2

Link-state Link-state
group 1 group 2

141683
CPE

Configuring Link-State Tracking

These sections describe how to configure link-state tracking ports:
• Default Link-State Tracking Configuration, page 35-22
• Link-State Tracking Configuration Guidelines, page 35-22
• Configuring Link-State Tracking, page 35-23

Default Link-State Tracking Configuration

There are no link-state groups defined, and link-state tracking is not enabled for any group.

Link-State Tracking Configuration Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to avoid configuration problems:
• An interface that is defined as an upstream interface cannot also be defined as a downstream
interface in the same or a different link-state group. The reverse is also true.
• An interface cannot be a member of more than one link-state group.
• Do not configure an EtherChannel as a downstream interface.

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Configuring Link-State Tracking

Configuring Link-State Tracking

Beginning in privileged EXEC mode, follow these steps to configure a link-state group and to assign an
interface to a group:

Command Purpose
Step 1 configure terminal Enter global configuration mode.
Step 2 link state track number Create a link-state group, and enable link-state tracking. The
group number can be 1 to 2; the default is 1.
Step 3 interface interface-id Specify a physical interface or range of interfaces to configure,
and enter interface configuration mode.
Valid interfaces include switch ports in access or trunk mode
(IEEE 802.1q), routed ports, or multiple ports bundled into an
upstream EtherChannel interface (static, PAgP, or LACP), also in
trunk mode.
Note Do not enable link-state tracking on individual interfaces
that will be part of a downstream Etherchannel interface.
Step 4 link state group [number] {upstream | Specify a link-state group, and configure the interface as either
downstream} an upstream or downstream interface in the group.The group
number can be 1 to 2; the default is 1.
Step 5 end Return to privileged EXEC mode.
Step 6 show running-config Verify your entries.
Step 7 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.

This example shows how to create a link-state group and configure the interfaces:
Switch# configure terminal
Switch(config)# link state track 1
Switch(config)# interface range fastethernet1/0/9 -10
Switch(config-if)# link state group 1 upstream
Switch(config-if)# interface fastethernet1/0/1
Switch(config-if)# link state group 1 downstream
Switch(config-if)# interface fastethernet1/0/3
Switch(config-if)# link state group 1 downstream
Switch(config-if)# interface fastethernet1/0/5
Switch(config-if)# link state group 1 downstream
Switch(config-if)# end

To disable a link-state group, use the no link state track number global configuration command.

Displaying Link-State Tracking Status

Use the show link state group command to display the link-state group information. Enter this
command without keywords to display information about all link-state groups. Enter the group number
to display information specific to the group. Enter the detail keyword to display detailed information
about the group.
This is an example of output from the show link state group 1 command:
Switch> show link state group 1

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Configuring Link-State Tracking

Link State Group: 1 Status: Enabled, Down

This is an example of output from the show link state group detail command:
Switch> show link state group detail

(Up):Interface up (Dwn):Interface Down (Dis):Interface disabled

Link State Group: 1 Status: Enabled, Down

Upstream Interfaces : Fa1/0/15(Dwn) Fa1/0/16(Dwn)
Downstream Interfaces : Fa1/0/11(Dis) Fa1/0/12(Dis) Fa1/0/13(Dis) Fa1/0/14(Dis)

Link State Group: 2 Status: Enabled, Down

Upstream Interfaces : Fa1/0/15(Dwn) Fa1/0/16(Dwn) Fa1/0/17(Dwn)
Downstream Interfaces : Fa1/0/11(Dis) Fa1/0/12(Dis) Fa1/0/13(Dis) Fa1/0/14(Dis)

(Up):Interface up (Dwn):Interface Down (Dis):Interface disabled

For detailed information about the fields in the display, see the command reference for this release.

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