Ports and Port Channels

This chapter contains the following sections.

Configuring Port Channels

Information About Port Channels

Port channels provide a mechanism for combining individual links into a group to create a single logical link that provides the aggregate bandwidth of up to eight physical links. Port channels provide increased bandwidth and redundancy and balance the traffic load between the members port. If a member port within a port channel fails, traffic previously carried over the failed port switches to the remaining member ports.

Port channels can be configured using static mode (no protocol) or the Link Access Control Protocol (LACP). Any configuration changes that you apply to the port channel are applied to each member port of the port channel. A port channel must have at least two ports. A port channel can be added to a bridge. A bond is created when a port channel has more than two members and the port channel is added to a bridge.

A port can be a member of only one port channel. All the ports in a port channel must be compatible; they must use the same speed and operate in full-duplex mode.

Port Channels Bond Mode

A port channel can be configured for the following bond modes:

  • active-backup : In this mode, one of the ports in the aggregated link is active and all others ports are in the standby mode.

  • balance-slb : In this mode, load balancing of traffic is done based on the source MAC address and VLAN.

  • balance-tcp : In this mode, 5-tuple (source and destination IP, source and destination port, protocol) is used to balance traffic across the ports in an aggregated link.

Port Channels LACP Mode

A port channel can be configured for the following LACP modes:

  • off : Indicates that no mode is applicable.

  • active : Indicates that the port initiates transmission of LACP packets.

  • passive : Indicates that the port only responds to the LACP packets that it receives but does not initiate the LACP negotiation.

Creating a Port Channel

To create a port channel: 


configure terminal
pnic pc type port_channel lacp_type active bond_mode balance-tcp trunks 10, 20
commit

Port Channel Creation APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics

/api/operational/pnics

pnic name type port_channel

show pnic

Adding a Port to a Port Channel

A port channel must have at least two ports. A bond is created when a port channel has more than two members and the port channel is added to a bridge. You can add a port to a new port channel or a port channel that already contains ports.

To add a port to a port channel: 


configure terminal
pnic eth1 member_of pc
commit

Adding a Port to a Port Channel APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics/pnic/ name /member_of

pnic name member_of portchannel_name

Adding a Port Channel to a Bridge

You can add a port channel to a new bridge or an existing bridge. When a port channel is added to a bridge, a bond is added for the port channel.

To add a port channel to a bridge: 


configure terminal
bridges bridge test-br port pc
commit

Adding a Port Channel to a Bridge APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/bridges/bridge/ bridgename

bridges bridge name port portchannel_name

Deleting a Port Channel

Before deleting a port channel, you must remove all members assigned to the port channel. If the port channel is configured on the bridge, you must remove the port channel from the bridge.

To delete a port channel: 


configure terminal
no pnic pc
commit

Port Channel Deletion APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics/pnic/ portchannel_name

/api/operational/pnics

no pnic portchannel_name

show pnic

Removing a Port from a Port Channel

To remove a port from a port channel: 


configure terminal
no pnic eth1 member_of pc
commit

Removing a Port from a Port Channel APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics/pnic/ name /member_of

no pnic name member_of portchannel_name

Removing a Port Channel from a Bridge

To remove a port channel from a bridge: 


configure terminal
no bridges bridge test-br port pc
commit

Removing a Port Channel from a Bridge APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/bridges/bridge/ bridgename

no bridges bridge bridgename port portname

Configuring LLDP

To enable LLDP on a port: 


configure terminal
pnic eth0 lldp enabled
commit

To disable LLDP on a port: 


configure terminal
pnic eth0 lldp disabled
commit

LLDP Configuration APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics/pnic/ portname /lldp

/api/operational/lldp

/api/operational/lldp?deep

pnic name lldp

show lldp

Configuring Admin Status of a Port

To bring a port up administratively: 


configure terminal
pnic eth5 adminstatus up
commit

To bring a port down administratively: 


configure terminal
pnic eth5 adminstatus down
commit

Admin Status Configuration APIs and Commands

APIs

Commands

/api/config/pnics/pnic/ portname /adminstatus

pnic name adminstatus