Administrator Guide

10/100/1000 Mbps Interfaces in Port Channels
When both 10/100/1000 interfaces and GigE interfaces are added to a port channel, the interfaces must share a common
speed. When interfaces have a configured speed different from the port channel speed, the software disables those interfaces.
The common speed is determined when the port channel is first enabled. At that time, the software checks the first interface
listed in the port channel configuration. If you enabled that interface, its speed configuration becomes the common speed of the
port channel. If the other interfaces configured in that port channel are configured with a different speed, Dell Networking OS
disables them.
For example, if four interfaces (TenGig 1/1, 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4) in which Gi 1/1 and Gi 1/2are set to speed 1000 Mb/s and the
others (te 1/3 and 1/4)are set to 10000 Mb/s, with all interfaces enabled, and you add them to a port channel by entering
channel-member tengigabitethernet 1/1-4 while in port channel interface mode, and Dell Networking OS determines
if the first interface specified (TenGig 1/1) is up. After it is up, the common speed of the port channel is 1000 Mb/s. Dell
Networking OS disables those interfaces configured with speed 10000 Mb/s or whose speed is 10000 Mb/s as a result of
auto-negotiation.
In this example, you can change the common speed of the port channel by changing its configuration so the first enabled
interface referenced in the configuration is a 1000 Mb/s speed interface. You can also change the common speed of the port
channel here by setting the speed of the Te 1/1 interface to 1000 Mb/s.
Configuration Tasks for Port Channel Interfaces
To configure a port channel (LAG), use the commands similar to those found in physical interfaces. By default, no port channels
are configured in the startup configuration.
These are the mandatory and optional configuration tasks:
● Creating a Port Channel (mandatory)
● Adding a Physical Interface to a Port Channel (mandatory)
● Reassigning an Interface to a New Port Channel (optional)
● Configuring the Minimum Oper Up Links in a Port Channel (optional)
● Adding or Removing a Port Channel from a VLAN (optional)
● Assigning an IP Address to a Port Channel (optional)
● Deleting or Disabling a Port Channel (optional)
● Load Balancing Through Port Channels (optional)
Creating a Port Channel
You can create up to 512 port channels with up to 16 port members per group on the platform.
To configure a port channel, use the following commands.
1. Create a port channel.
CONFIGURATION mode
interface port-channel id-number
2. Ensure that the port channel is active.
INTERFACE PORT-CHANNEL mode
no shutdown
After you enable the port channel, you can place it in Layer 2 or Layer 3 mode. To place the port channel in Layer 2 mode or
configure an IP address to place the port channel in Layer 3 mode, use the switchport command.
You can configure a port channel as you would a physical interface by enabling or configuring protocols or assigning access
control lists.
272
Interfaces