ProLiant BL p-Class GbE2 Interconnect Switch Application Guide

Ports and trunking 38
For example, consider two switches, an Actor (the GbE2) and a Partner (another switch), as shown in the
following table:
Table 7 Actor vs. partner LACP configuration
Actor Switch Partner Switch 1 Partner Switch 2
Port 19 (admin key = 100) Port 1 (admin key = 50)
Port 20 (admin key = 100) Port 2 (admin key = 50)
Port 21 (admin key = 200) Port 3 (admin key = 60)
Port 22 (admin key = 200) Port 4 (admin key = 60)
In the configuration shown in the table above, Actor switch ports 19 and 20 aggregate to form an LACP trunk
group with Partner switch ports 1 and 2. At the same time, Actor switch ports 21 and 22 form a different LACP
trunk group with a different partner.
LACP automatically determines which member links can be aggregated and then aggregates them. It provides for
the controlled addition and removal of physical links for the link aggregation.
Each port in the GbE2 can have one of the following LACP modes.
• off (default)—The user can configure this port in to a regular static trunk group.
• active—The port is capable of forming an LACP trunk. This port sends LACPDU packets to partner system
ports.
• passive—The port is capable of forming an LACP trunk. This port only responds to the LACPDU packets sent
from an LACP active port.
Each active LACP port transmits LACP data units (LACPDUs), while each passive LACP port listens for LACPDUs.
During LACP negotiation, the admin key is exchanged. The LACP trunk group is enabled as long as the
information matches at both ends of the link. If the admin key value changes for a port at either end of the link,
that port’s association with the LACP trunk group is lost.
When the system is initialized, all ports by default are in LACP off mode and are assigned unique admin keys. To
make a group of ports aggregatable, you assign them all the same admin key. You must set the port’s LACP
mode to active to activate LACP negotiation. You can set other port’s LACP mode to passive, to reduce the
amount of LACPDU traffic at the initial trunk-forming stage.
Use the /info/l2/trunk command or the /info/l2/lacp/dump command to check whether the ports are
trunked.
NOTE: If you configure LACP on ports with 802.1x network access control, make sure the ports on both sides
of the connection are properly configured for both LACP and 802.1x.
Configuring LACP
Use the following procedure to configure LACP for port 19 and port 20 to participate in link aggregation.
1. Set the LACP mode on port 19.
>> # /cfg/l2/lacp/port 19 (Select port 19)
>> LACP port 19# mode active(Set port 19 to LACP active mode)
2. Define the admin key on port 19. Only ports with the same admin key can form a LACP trunk group.
>> LACP port 19# adminkey 100 (Set port 19 adminkey to 100)
Current LACP port adminkey: 17
New pending LACP port adminkey: 100
3. Set the LACP mode on port 20.
>> # /cfg/l2/lacp/port 20 (Select port 20)
>> LACP port 20# mode active (Set port 20 to LACP active mode)
4. Define the admin key on port 20.
>> LACP port 20# adminkey 100 (Set port 20 adminkey to 100)
Current LACP port adminkey: 18
New pending LACP port adminkey: 100