Today we will be configuring LACP to interconnect some switch stacks as part of a network upgrade. Please keep in mind that part of configuring the LAG will result in the ports losing connectivity, so while it is not necessary to use a console cable, please keep in mind how you are connecting to the switch and if you will interrupt that connection by any of your actions, and plan accordingly.
This environment is a small environment, which consists of a stacked pair of Dell Powerconnect 6248 as the core. Which uses 2 10Gb connections (per pair) to connect to 2 stacked pairs of Dell Powerconnect 5548 (one for servers and one for users), the user 5548 stack also has 2 10 Gb connections which connect to a third Dell Powerconnect 5548 stack which is in an IDF for some more users.
Configuring LACP
So each vendor and in some cases each model of switch can do LACP slightly differently, but the basics of it are this, if the LACP protocol configurations match on both side of the connection then the LAG is successfully created. One thing I want to make clear is that while the configuration of the protocol has to match that doesn’t mean that you execute the same commands to get there, or that the applicable running-configs will match. Each vendor and in some cases switch firmware has its own way of configuring LACP, it is the underlying configuration which matters NOT the visible configuration. In most cases the same terminology is used which can simplify the configuration.
Powerconnect 6248 LAG Configuration
Now this section will need to be done on the 6248 side. I have tested this configuration with 55xx, but not with another 62xx.
Configure Port Channel (LAG)
> enable# configure (config)# interface port-channel 2 (config-if)# description "Downlink - stack-5548-user-1"
Really all we need on the Port Channel is a description so that we know what it is. However if you have any specific port configs then you will put them here and NOT on the port itself. So for example below I am setting the pvid as 10.
(config-if)# switchport mode general (config-if)# switchport general pvid 10 (config-if)# switchport general allowed vlan add 10 (config-if)# exit
Configure Port Members
> enable# configure (config)# interface ethernet 1/xg4 (config-if)# description "stack-5548-user-1 te1/0/2" (config-if)# channel group 2 mode auto (config-if)# exit (config)# interface ethernet 2/xg4 (config-if)# description "stack-5548-user-1 te2/0/2" (config-if)# channel group 2 mode auto (config-if)# exit
Powerconnect 5548 LAG Configuration
This section should be done on the 5548 side. I have tested this with both the 62xx and other 55xx switches.
Configure Port Channel (LAG)
> enable# configure (config)# interface port-channel 1 (config-if)# description "Uplink - stack-6248-core"
Really all we need on the Port Channel is a description so that we know what it is. However if you have any specific port configs then you will put them here and NOT on the port itself. So for example below I am setting the pvid as 10.
(config-if)# switchport mode general (config-if)# switchport general pvid 10 (config-if)# switchport general allowed vlan add 10 (config-if)# exit
Configure Port Members
> enable# configure (config)# interface tengigabitethernet 1/0/2 (config-if)# description "stack-6248-core 1/xg4" (config-if)# channel group 1 mode auto (config-if)# exit (config)# interface tengigabitethernet 2/0/2 (config-if)# description "stack-6248-core 2/xg4" (config-if)# channel group 1 mode auto (config-if)# exit
Check Status
That about wraps it up the only thing left to do is check the status of our configured LAG.
Powerconnect 62xx
#show interfaces port-channel 2 Channel Ports Hash Algorithm Type ------- ----------------------------- ------------------- ch2 Active: 1/xg4, 2/xg4 3 Hash Algorithm Type 1 - Source MAC, VLAN, EtherType, source module and port Id 2 - Destination MAC, VLAN, EtherType, source module and port Id 3 - Source IP and source TCP/UDP port 4 - Destination IP and destination TCP/UDP port 5 - Source/Destination MAC, VLAN, EtherType, source MODID/port 6 - Source/Destination IP and source/destination TCP/UDP port
Powerconnect 55xx
# show interfaces port-channel 1 Load balancing: src-dst-mac. Gathering information... Channel Ports ------- ----- Po1 Active: te1/0/1-2
So we can see that both switches are showing the LAG as Active, and showing the correct memberships. Notice that the hashing algorithm is different. That is due to the 6248 being a L3 switch and the 5548 being L2. Depending on the type of traffic it will negotiate that algorithm.
