Reference Guide

Port-channel interfaces
Port-channels are not configured by default. Link aggregation is a method of grouping multiple physical interfaces into a single
logical interface — a link aggregation group (LAG) or port -channel. A port-channel aggregates the bandwidth of member links,
provides redundancy, and load balances traffic. If a member port fails, the OS10 device redirects traffic to the remaining ports.
A physical interface can belong to only one port-channel at a time, and a port-channel must contain interfaces of the same
interface type and speed. OS10 supports up to 128 port-channels, with up to 32 ports per channel.
To configure a port-channel, use the same configuration commands as for Ethernet port interfaces. Port-channels are
transparent to network configurations and managed as a single interface. For example, configure one IP address for the group,
and use the IP address for all routed traffic on the port-channel.
By configuring port channels, you can create larger capacity interfaces by aggregating a group of lower speed links. For
example, you can build a 40G interface by aggregating four 10G Ethernet interfaces together — if one of the four interfaces
fails, traffic is redistributed across the three remaining interfaces.
Static Port-channels are statically configured.
Dynamic Port-channels are dynamically configured using Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP).
Member ports of a LAG are added and programmed into the hardware in a predictable order based on the port ID, instead of in
the order in which the ports come up. Load balancing yields predictable results across resets and reloads.
Create port-channel
You can create up to 128 port-channels, with up to 32 port members per group. Configure a port-channel similarly to a physical
interface — you can enable or configure protocols, or assign access control lists (ACLs) to a port channel. After you enable the
port-channel, you can place it in L2 or L3 mode.
To place the port-channel in L2 mode or configure an IP address to place the port-channel in L3 mode, use the switchport
command.
1. Create a port-channel in CONFIGURATION mode.
interface port-channel id-number
2. Ensure that the port-channel is active in PORT-CHANNEL mode.
no shutdown
Create port-channel
OS10(config)# interface port-channel 10
OS10(conf-if-po-10)# no shutdown
Add port member
When you add an interface to a port-channel:
● The administrative status is applied to the port-channel.
● The port-channel configuration is applied to the member interfaces.
● A port-channel operates in either L2 (default) or L3 mode. To place a port-channel in L2 mode, use the switchport mode
command. To place a port-channel in L3 mode and remove L2 configuration before you configure an IP address, use the no
switchport command.
● All interfaces should have the same speed.
● An interface should not contain any non-default L2/L3 configuration settings — only the description and shutdown or
no shutdowncommands are supported. You cannot add an IP address or a static MAC address to a member interface.
● You cannot enable flow control on a port-channel interface — flow control is supported on physical interfaces that are
port-channel members.
● Port-channels support LACP (802.3ad). LACP identifies similarly configured links and dynamically groups ports into a logical
channel. LACP activates the maximum number of compatible ports that the switch supports in a port-channel.
Interfaces
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