Configuring a Static / Dynamic LAG on a SecureStack

[FAQ_User]

Article ID: 5531

Products
SecureStack C3, B3, B2, A2; all firmware
SecureStack C2, firmware 2.00.48 and higher
C5-Series, B5-Series, A4-Series; all firmware

Protocols/Features
Link Aggregation
Static LAG
Dynamic LAG
LACP

Standards
802.3ad

Goals
Sample configuration

Solution
CLI-based LAG configuration is supported with C2 firmware 2.00.48 and higher, and with any C5/C3/B5/B3/B2/A4/A2 firmware.

To help explain firmware changes implemented as of around March 2006, releases since that time (any C5 firmware, any C3 firmware, C2 firmware 3.03.23 and higher, any B5 firmware, any B3 firmware, B2 firmware 2.01.10 and higher, any A4 firmware, and A2 firmware 1.01.46 and higher) are collectively termed "later firmware" in the remainder of this document, and releases prior to those are collectively termed "earlier firmware".

There are several key differences with later firmware:

• The 'set lacp static enable' command, previously necessary in order to create a Static LAG, is no longer present with later firmware.
• The 'set lacp static...' command has a different format and issues a different set of functional commands.
• By default both the LAG aadminkeys ('set lacp aadminkey <Lag_ID> <aadminkey>') and the Port aadminkeys ('set port lacp port <port#> aadminkey <aadminkey>') have a value of 32768, so LAGs will readily form without having to in all cases adjust the key values.

Finally; as of C5/C3/B5/B3/A4 firmware 6.61.02.0007, "Flexible LAGs" allow the user to select the number of LAG groups desired while still limiting the maximum number of underlying physical ports to 48. The user may choose 24 groups of 2 ports, 12 groups of 4 ports, or 6 groups of 8 ports (default). These counts are per stack, and are the same regardless of how many switch units are in the stack. The new commands are 'set lacp groups <number>', 'clear lacp groups', and 'show lacp groups'. Changing the maximum number of groups requires a system reset, upon which the LACP configuration will be returned to default values.
Attempting to exceed the maximum number of supported underlying LAG ports for the group yields error message "

code:

One or more ports was not added to the LAG. The maximum number of LAG members was reached (

x

code:

).

"

Examples:C5(su)->set lacp groups 24
Changing group limits will result in a system reset and loss of LACP configuration.
Do you wish to proceed? (y/n)

C5(su)->clear lacp groups
Changing group limits will result in a system reset and loss of LACP configuration.
Do you wish to proceed? (y/n)

C5(su)->show lacp groups
LACP groups supported 6Default aadminkey settings with earlier firmware

By default, logical LAG (Aggregator) ports have the following aadminkey (Actor Admin Key) values. For best, most consistent results; these values should remain at their defaults: LAG aadminkey

lag.0.1 418
lag.0.2 419
lag.0.3 420
lag.0.4 421
lag.0.5 422
lag.0.6 423By default, physical ports have an aadminkey equaling the port instance. For example, port ge.1.8 defaults to aadminkey=8. In order for Dynamic or Static LAGs to form, it is necessary to configure port aadminkey values to match the aadminkey of an available LAG Aggregator.

Default aadminkey settings with later firmware

By default, logical LAG (Aggregator) ports and physical ports have aadminkey 32768.

Configuring a Dynamic LAG with earlier firmware

1. Choose the logical LAG port (Aggregator) you wish to utilize (ex: lag.0.1).
2. Choose the underlying physical ports that will comprise the LAG (ex: ge.1.1-8).
3. Configure the underlying physical ports to use the same aadminkey as the chosen logical LAG port.
   CLI command format: set port lacp port <PortString> aadminkey <aadminkey>
   Example: C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 aadminkey 418
   
   • Verify the Dynamic LAG status, after the physical connection has been made.
     CLI command format: show lacp <LagPortString>
     Example: C2(rw)->show lacp lag.0.1
   To clear the example configuration:
   C2(rw)->clear port lacp port ge.1.1-8 aadminkey
   
   See also: 5340.
   
   Configuring a Dynamic LAG with later firmware
   
   
   1. For the C5/B5-Series only, port-enable LACP as desired (13381) because this is by default disabled.
   2. Verify the Dynamic LAG status, after the physical connection has been made.
      CLI command format: show lacp <LagPortString>
      Example: C2(rw)->show lacp lag.0.1
      
      Configuring a Static LAG with earlier firmware
      
      
      1. Identify the logical LAG port (Aggregator) you wish to utilize (ex: lag.0.1).
      2. Identify the underlying physical ports that will comprise the LAG (ex: ge.1.1-8).
      3. Configure the underlying physical ports to use the same aadminkey as the chosen logical LAG port.
         CLI command format: set lacp static <LagPortString> <PortString> <aadminkey>
         Example: C2(rw)->set lacp static lag.0.1 ge.1.1-8 418
         Note1: This "virtual" command will not appear in the output of a 'show configuration', and actually issues the following "real" commands:
         C2(rw)->set lacp aadminkey lag.0.1 418
         C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 aadminkey 418
         Note2: Because lag.0.1's aadminkey has a default value of 418, the 'set lacp aadminkey' command shown above is only necessary if a differing aadminkey value had been selected via specification of the 'set lacp static' command's "key" subparameter. Because in this case the specified aadminkey is the default value, the command will not appear in the output of a 'show configuration'.
         
         • Disable the LACP protocol on the new Static LAG ports.
           CLI command format: set port lacp port <PortString> disable
           Example: C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 disable
           
         • Enable Static LAG functionality on the switch/stack.
           CLI command: C2(rw)->set lacp static enable
           
         • Verify the Static LAG status.
           CLI command format: show lacp <LagPortString>
           Example: C2(rw)->show lacp lag.0.1
         To clear the example configuration:
         C2(rw)->set lacp static disable
         C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 enable
         C2(rw)->clear port lacp port ge.1.1-8 aadminkey
         C2(rw)->set lacp aadminkey lag.0.1 418 (optional, here)
         
         Configuring a Static LAG with later firmware
         
         
         1. Identify the logical LAG port (Aggregator) you wish to utilize (ex: lag.0.1).
         2. Identify the underlying physical ports that will comprise the LAG (ex: ge.1.1-8).
         3. Configure the Aggregator and ports to all use the same aadminkey which is unique from the aadminkey used by other LAGs and ports.
            CLI command format: set lacp static <LagPortString> key <aadminkey> <PortString>
            Example: C2(rw)->set lacp static lag.0.1 key 1 ge.1.1-8
            Note1: The first portion of this "virtual" command will appear in the output of a 'show configuration', and when entered actually issues the following commands:
            C2(rw)->set lacp static lag.0.1
            C2(rw)->set lacp aadminkey lag.0.1 1
            C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 aadminkey 1
            C2(rw)->set port lacp port ge.1.1-8 disable
            Note2: As with any cli command issued, the above commands will only appear in the output of a 'show configuration' if they differ from the default values.
            
            • Verify the Static LAG status.
              CLI command format: show lacp <LagPortString>
              Example: C2(rw)->show lacp lag.0.1
            To clear the example configuration:
            C2(rw)->clear lacp static lag.0.1 ge.1.1-8
            C2(rw)->clear lacp static lag.0.1
            
            In general
            
            Also be aware that for both Dynamic and Static LAGs, any VLAN configurations should minimally be applied to the logical LAG port instance, rather than the underlying ports; because for a port that is also part of a LAG, the LAG's VLAN configuration will prevail for that port. However, it is common practice to VLAN-configure both the LAG and underlying ports, so the VLAN behavior will be consistent regardless of whether or not the LAG is in effect.
            
            Also see this HowTo Video which explains how to configure a Dynamic LAG.
            If more elaborate configuration is necessary, please refer to the SecureStack Configuration Guide appropriate to your product and firmware, and/or contact Enterasys Networks Technical Services for further assistance.