Users Guide

As soon as you configure a port channel, Dell Networking OS treats it like a physical interface. For example, IEEE 802.1Q tagging is
maintained while the physical interface is in the port channel.
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. With this implementation, load balancing yields predictable results across line card resets and chassis reloads.
A physical interface can belong to only one port channel at a time.
Each port channel must contain interfaces of the same interface type/speed.
Port channels can contain a mix of 1G/10G/40G. The interface speed (10, 100, or 1000 Mbps) the port channel uses is determined by the
first port channel member that is physically up. Dell Networking OS disables the interfaces that do match the interface speed that the first
channel member sets. That first interface may be the first interface that is physically brought up or was physically operating when
interfaces were added to the port channel. For example, if the first operational interface in the port channel is a Gigabit Ethernet interface,
all interfaces at 1000 Mbps are kept up, and all 10/100/1000 interfaces that are not set to 1000 speed or auto negotiate are disabled.
Dell Networking OS brings up the interfaces interfaces that are set to auto negotiate so that their speed is identical to the speed of the
first channel member in the port channel.
Interfaces in Port Channels
When 1/10/40 Gbps 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.
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 128 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.
Interfaces
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