Tema 7

Module 1: STP
Concepts
Adriano Nuhani

Internet, Arkitekture dhe Protokolle

Module Objectives
Module Title: STP Concepts

Module Objective: Explain how STP enables redundancy in a Layer 2 network.

Topic Title Topic Objective

Explain common problems in a redundant, L2
Purpose of STP
switched network.
Explain how STP operates in a simple switched
STP Operations
network.
Evolution of STP Explain how Rapid PVST+ operates.
1.1 Purpose of STP
Purpose of STP
Redundancy in Layer 2 Switched Networks
• This topic covers the causes of loops in a Layer 2 network and briefly explains how spanning tree
protocol works. Redundancy is an important part of the hierarchical design for eliminating single
points of failure and preventing disruption of network services to users. Redundant networks
require the addition of physical paths, but logical redundancy must also be part of the design.
Having alternate physical paths for data to traverse the network makes it possible for users to
access network resources, despite path disruption. However, redundant paths in a switched
Ethernet network may cause both physical and logical Layer 2 loops.
• Ethernet LANs require a loop-free topology with a single path between any two devices. A loop in
an Ethernet LAN can cause continued propagation of Ethernet frames until a link is disrupted and
breaks the loop.
Purpose of STP
Spanning Tree Protocol
• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is
a loop-prevention network
protocol that allows for
redundancy while creating a
loop-free Layer 2 topology.
• STP logically blocks physical
loops in a Layer 2 network,
preventing frames from circling
the network forever.
Purpose of STP
STP Recalculation

STP compensates for a failure in

the network by recalculating and
opening up previously blocked
ports.
Purpose of STP
Issues with Redundant Switch Links
• Path redundancy provides multiple network services by eliminating the possibility of a single point
of failure. When multiple paths exist between two devices on an Ethernet network, and there is no
spanning tree implementation on the switches, a Layer 2 loop occurs. A Layer 2 loop can result in
MAC address table instability, link saturation, and high CPU utilization on switches and end-
devices, resulting in the network becoming unusable.
• Layer 2 Ethernet does not include a mechanism to recognize and eliminate endlessly looping
frames. Both IPv4 and IPv6 include a mechanism that limits the number of times a Layer 3
networking device can retransmit a packet. A router will decrement the TTL (Time to Live) in every
IPv4 packet, and the Hop Limit field in every IPv6 packet. When these fields are decremented to 0,
a router will drop the packet. Ethernet and Ethernet switches have no comparable mechanism for
limiting the number of times a switch retransmits a Layer 2 frame. STP was developed specifically
as a loop prevention mechanism for Layer 2 Ethernet.
Purpose of STP
Layer 2 Loops
• Without STP enabled, Layer 2 loops can form, causing broadcast, multicast and unknown
unicast frames to loop endlessly. This can bring down a network quickly.
• When a loop occurs, the MAC address table on a switch will constantly change with the updates
from the broadcast frames, which results in MAC database instability. This can cause high CPU
utilization, which makes the switch unable to forward frames.
• An unknown unicast frame is when the switch does not have the destination MAC address in its
MAC address table and must forward the frame out all ports, except the ingress port.
Purpose of STP
Broadcast Storm
• A broadcast storm is an abnormally high number of broadcasts overwhelming the network
during a specific amount of time. Broadcast storms can disable a network within seconds by
overwhelming switches and end devices. Broadcast storms can be caused by a hardware
problem such as a faulty NIC or from a Layer 2 loop in the network.
• Layer 2 broadcasts in a network, such as ARP Requests are very common. Layer 2
multicasts are typically forwarded the same way as a broadcast by the switch. IPv6 packets
are never forwarded as a Layer 2 broadcast, ICMPv6 Neighbor Discovery uses Layer 2
multicasts.
• A host caught in a Layer 2 loop is not accessible to other hosts on the network. Additionally,
due to the constant changes in its MAC address table, the switch does not know out of which
port to forward unicast frames.
• To prevent these issues from occurring in a redundant network, some type of spanning tree
must be enabled on the switches. Spanning tree is enabled, by default, on Cisco switches to
prevent Layer 2 loops from occurring.
Purpose of STP
The Spanning Tree Algorithm
• STP is based on an algorithm invented by Radia Perlman while working for Digital Equipment
Corporation, and published in the 1985 paper "An Algorithm for Distributed Computation of a
Spanning Tree in an Extended LAN.” Her spanning tree algorithm (STA) creates a loop-free
topology by selecting a single root bridge where all other switches determine a single least-cost
path.
• STP prevents loops from occurring by configuring a loop-free path through the network using
strategically placed "blocking-state" ports. The switches running STP are able to compensate for
failures by dynamically unblocking the previously blocked ports and permitting traffic to traverse
the alternate paths.
Purpose of STP
The Spanning Tree Algorithm (Cont.)
How does the STA create a loop-free topology?
• Selecting a Root Bridge: This bridge (switch) is the reference point for the entire network to build a
spanning tree around.
• Block Redundant Paths: STP ensures that there is only one logical path between all destinations on
the network by intentionally blocking redundant paths that could cause a loop. When a port is
blocked, user data is prevented from entering or leaving that port.
• Create a Loop-Free Topology: A blocked port has the effect of making that link a non-forwarding link
between the two switches. This creates a topology where each switch has only a single path to the
root bridge, similar to branches on a tree that connect to the root of the tree.
• Recalculate in case of Link Failure: The physical paths still exist to provide redundancy, but these
paths are disabled to prevent the loops from occurring. If the path is ever needed to compensate for
a network cable or switch failure, STP recalculates the paths and unblocks the necessary ports to
allow the redundant path to become active. STP recalculations can also occur any time a new
switch or new inter-switch link is added to the network.
1.2 STP Operations
STP Operations
Steps to a Loop-Free Topology
Using the STA, STP builds a loop-free topology in a four-step process:
1. Elect the root bridge.
2. Elect the root ports.
3. Elect designated ports.
4. Elect alternate (blocked) ports.
• During STA and STP functions, switches use Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) to share
information about themselves and their connections. BPDUs are used to elect the root bridge, root
ports, designated ports, and alternate ports.
• Each BPDU contains a bridge ID (BID) that identifies which switch sent the BPDU. The BID is
involved in making many of the STA decisions including root bridge and port roles.
• The BID contains a priority value, the MAC address of the switch, and an extended system ID. The
lowest BID value is determined by the combination of these three fields.
STP Operations
Steps to a Loop-Free Topology (Cont.)
• Bridge Priority: The default priority value for all Cisco switches is the decimal value 32768. The
range is 0 to 61440 in increments of 4096. A lower bridge priority is preferable. A bridge priority of 0
takes precedence over all other bridge priorities.
• Extended System ID: The extended system ID value is a decimal value added to the bridge
priority value in the BID to identify the VLAN for this BPDU.
• MAC address: When two switches are configured with the same priority and have the same
extended system ID, the switch having the MAC address with the lowest value, expressed in
hexadecimal, will have the lower BID.
STP Operations
1. Elect the Root Bridge
• The STA designates a single switch as the root
bridge and uses it as the reference point for all
path calculations. Switches exchange BPDUs
to build the loop-free topology beginning with
selecting the root bridge.
• All switches in the broadcast domain
participate in the election process. After a
switch boots, it begins to send out BPDU
frames every two seconds. These BPDU
frames contain the BID of the sending switch
and the BID of the root bridge, known as the
Root ID.
• The switch with the lowest BID will become the
root bridge. At first, all switches declare
themselves as the root bridge with their own
BID set as the Root ID. Eventually, the
switches learn through the exchange of BPDUs
which switch has the lowest BID and will agree
on one root bridge.
STP Operations
Impact of Default BIDs
• Because the default BID is 32768, it is possible for
two or more switches to have the same priority. In
this scenario, where the priorities are the same,
the switch with the lowest MAC address will
become the root bridge. The administrator should
configure the desired root bridge switch with a
lower priority.
• In the figure, all switches are configured with the
same priority of 32769. Here the MAC address
becomes the deciding factor as to which switch
becomes the root bridge. The switch with the
lowest hexadecimal MAC address value is the
preferred root bridge. In this example, S2 has the
lowest value for its MAC address and is elected
as the root bridge for that spanning tree instance.
• Note: The priority of all the switches is 32769. The
value is based on the 32768 default bridge priority
and the extended system ID (VLAN 1 assignment)
associated with each switch (32768+1).
STP Operations
Determine the Root Path Cost
• When the root bridge has been elected for a given spanning tree instance, the STA starts determining the best paths to
the root bridge from all destinations in the broadcast domain. The path information, known as the internal root path cost,
is determined by the sum of all the individual port costs along the path from the switch to the root bridge.
• When a switch receives the BPDU, it adds the ingress port cost of the segment to determine its internal root path cost.
• The default port costs are defined by the speed at which the port operates. The table shows the default port costs
suggested by IEEE. Cisco switches by default use the values as defined by the IEEE 802.1D standard, also known as
the short path cost, for both STP and RSTP.
• Although switch ports have a default port cost associated with them, the port cost is configurable. The ability to
configure individual port costs gives the administrator the flexibility to manually control the spanning tree paths to the
root bridge.

STP Cost: IEEE RSTP Cost: IEEE

Link Speed
802.1D-1998 802.1w-2004
10 Gbps 2 2,000
1 Gbps 4 20,000
100 Mbps 19 200,000
10 Mbps 100 2,000,000
STP Operations
2. Elect the Root Ports
• After the root bridge has been determined, the
STA algorithm is used to select the root port.
Every non-root switch will select one root port.
The root port is the port closest to the root bridge
in terms of overall cost to the root bridge. This
overall cost is known as the internal root path
cost.
• The internal root path cost is equal to the sum of
all the port costs along the path to the root
bridge, as shown in the figure. Paths with the
lowest cost become preferred, and all other
redundant paths are blocked. In the example, the
internal root path cost from S2 to the root bridge
S1 over path 1 is 19 while the internal root path
cost over path 2 is 38. Because path 1 has a
lower overall path cost to the root bridge, it is the
preferred path and F0/1 becomes the root port
on S2.
STP Operations
3. Elect Designated Ports
• Every segment between two switches will have one
designated port. The designated port is a port on the
segment that has the internal root path cost to the
root bridge. In other words, the designated port has
the best path to receive traffic leading to the root
bridge.
• What is not a root port or a designated port becomes
an alternate or blocked port.
• All ports on the root bridge are designated ports.
• If one end of a segment is a root port, the other end
is a designated port.
• All ports attached to end devices are designated
ports.
• On segments between two switches where neither of
the switches is the root bridge, the port on the switch
with the least-cost path to the root bridge is a
designated port.
STP Operations
4. Elect Alternate (Blocked) Ports
If a port is not a root port or a
designated port, then it becomes an
alternate (or backup) port. Alternate
ports are in discarding or blocking
state to prevent loops. In the figure,
the STA has configured port F0/2 on
S3 in the alternate role. Port F0/2 on
S3 is in the blocking state and will
not forward Ethernet frames. All
other inter-switch ports are in
forwarding state. This is the loop-
prevention part of STP.
STP Operations
Elect a Root Port from Multiple Equal-Cost Paths
When a switch has multiple equal-cost paths to the root bridge, the switch will determine a port using
the following criteria:
• Lowest sender BID
• Lowest sender port priority
• Lowest sender port ID
STP Operations
Elect a Root Port from Multiple Equal-Cost Paths (Cont.)
Lowest Sender BID: This topology has four switches with switch S1 as the root bridge. Port F0/1 on switch S3 and
port F0/3 on switch S4 have been selected as root ports because they have the root path cost to the root bridge for
their respective switches. S2 has two ports, F0/1 and F0/2 with equal cost paths to the root bridge. The bridge IDs of
S3 and S4, will be used to break the tie. This is known as the sender’s BID. S3 has a BID of 32769.5555.5555.5555
and S4 has a BID of 32769.1111.1111.1111. Because S4 has a lower BID, the F0/1 port of S2, which is the port
connected to S4, will be the root port.
STP Operations
Elect a Root Port from Multiple Equal-Cost Paths (Cont.)
Lowest Sender Port Priority: This topology has two switches which are connected with two equal-
cost paths between them. S1 is the root bridge, so both of its ports are designated ports.
• S4 has two ports with equal-cost paths to the root bridge. Because both ports are connected to
the same switch, the sender’s BID (S1) is equal. So the first step is a tie.
• Next, is the sender’s (S1) port priority. The default port priority is 128, so both ports on S1 have
the same port priority. This is also a tie. However, if either port on S1 was configured with a lower
port priority, S4 would put its adjacent port in forwarding state. The other port on S4 would be a
blocking state.
STP Operations
Elect a Root Port from Multiple Equal-Cost Paths (Cont.)
• Lowest Sender Port ID: The last tie-breaker is the lowest sender’s port ID. Switch S4 has
received BPDUs from port F0/1 and port F0/2 on S1. The decision is based on the sender’s port
ID, not the receiver’s port ID. Because the port ID of F0/1 on S1 is lower than port F0/2, the port
F0/6 on switch S4 will be the root port. This is the port on S4 that is connected to the F0/1 port on
S1.
• Port F0/5 on S4 will become an alternate port and placed in the blocking state.
STP Operations
STP Timers and Port States
STP convergence requires three timers, as follows:
• Hello Timer -The hello time is the interval between BPDUs. The default is 2 seconds but can be
modified to between 1 and 10 seconds.
• Forward Delay Timer -The forward delay is the time that is spent in the listening and learning
state. The default is 15 seconds but can be modified to between 4 and 30 seconds.
• Max Age Timer -The max age is the maximum length of time that a switch waits before attempting
to change the STP topology. The default is 20 seconds but can be modified to between 6 and 40
seconds.
Note: The default times can be changed on the root bridge, which dictates the value of these timers for
the STP domain.
STP Operations
STP Timers and Port States (Cont.)
STP facilitates the logical loop-free path throughout the broadcast domain. The spanning tree is determined through the
information learned by the exchange of the BPDU frames between the interconnected switches. If a switch port
transitions directly from the blocking state to the forwarding state without information about the full topology during the
transition, the port can temporarily create a data loop. For this reason, STP has five ports states, four of which are
operational port states as shown in the figure. The disabled state is considered non-operational.
STP Operations
Operational Details of Each Port State

The table summarizes the operational details of each port state

Forwarding Data
Port State BPDU MAC Address Table
Frames
Blocking Receive only No update No

Listening Receive and send No update No

Learning Receive and send Updating table No

Forwarding Receive and send Updating table Yes

Disabled None sent or received No update No

STP Operations
Per-VLAN Spanning Tree

STP can be configured to operate in an environment with multiple VLANs. In Per-VLAN Spanning Tree
(PVST) versions of STP, there is a root bridge elected for each spanning tree instance. This makes it
possible to have different root bridges for different sets of VLANs. STP operates a separate instance of
STP for each individual VLAN. If all ports on all switches are members of VLAN 1, then there is only
one spanning tree instance.
1.3 Evolution of STP
Evolution of STP
Different Versions of STP
• Many professionals generically use spanning tree and STP to refer to the various implementations
of spanning tree, such as Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) and Multiple Spanning Tree
Protocol (MSTP). In order to communicate spanning tree concepts correctly, it is important to refer
to the implementation or standard of spanning tree in context.
• The latest IEEE documentation on spanning tree (IEEE-802-1D-2004) says, "STP has now been
superseded by the Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)."The IEEE uses "STP" to refer to the
original implementation of spanning tree and "RSTP" to describe the version of spanning tree
specified in IEEE-802.1D-2004.
• Because the two protocols share much of the same terminology and methods for the loop-free
path, the primary focus will be on the current standard and the Cisco proprietary implementations
of STP and RSTP.
• Cisco switches running IOS 15.0 or later, run PVST+ by default. This version incorporates many of
the specifications of IEEE 802.1D-2004, such as alternate ports in place of the former non-
designated ports. Switches must be explicitly configured for rapid spanning tree mode in order to
run the rapid spanning tree protocol.
Evolution of STP
Different Versions of STP (Cont.)
STP
Description
Variety
This is the original IEEE 802.1D version (802.1D-1998 and earlier) that provides a loop-free topology in a
STP network with redundant links. Also called Common Spanning Tree (CST), it assumes one spanning tree
instance for the entire bridged network, regardless of the number of VLANs.
Per-VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST+) is a Cisco enhancement of STP that provides a separate 802.1D spanning
PVST+ tree instance for each VLAN configured in the network. PVST+ supports PortFast, UplinkFast, BackboneFast,
BPDU guard, BPDU filter, root guard, and loop guard.
802.1D-
This is an updated version of the STP standard, incorporating IEEE 802.1w.
2004
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) or IEEE 802.1w is an evolution of STP that provides faster
RSTP
convergence than STP.
Rapid This is a Cisco enhancement of RSTP that uses PVST+ and provides a separate instance of 802.1w per
PVST+ VLAN. Each separate instance supports PortFast, BPDU guard, BPDU filter, root guard, and loop guard.
Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) is an IEEE standard inspired by the earlier Cisco proprietary Multiple
MSTP
Instance STP (MISTP) implementation. MSTP maps multiple VLANs into the same spanning tree instance.
Multiple Spanning Tree (MST) is the Cisco implementation of MSTP, which provides up to 16 instances of
MST RSTP and combines many VLANs with the same physical and logical topology into a common RSTP
instance. Each instance supports PortFast, BPDU guard, BPDU filter, root guard, and loop guard.
Evolution of STP
RSTP Concepts
• RSTP (IEEE 802.1w) supersedes the original 802.1D while retaining backward compatibility. The
802.1w STP terminology remains primarily the same as the original IEEE 802.1D STP terminology.
Most parameters have been left unchanged. Users that are familiar with the original STP standard
can easily configure RSTP. The same spanning tree algorithm is used for both STP and RSTP to
determine port roles and topology.
• RSTP increases the speed of the recalculation of the spanning tree when the Layer 2 network
topology changes. RSTP can achieve much faster convergence in a properly configured network,
sometimes in as little as a few hundred milliseconds. If a port is configured to be an alternate port it
can immediately change to a forwarding state without waiting for the network to converge.

Note: Rapid PVST+ is the Cisco implementation of RSTP on a per-VLAN basis. With Rapid PVST+ an
independent instance of RSTP runs for each VLAN.
Evolution of STP
RSTP Port States and Port Roles
There are only three port states Root ports and designated ports are the
in RSTP that correspond to the same for both STP and RSTP. However,
three possible operational states there are two RSTP port roles that
in STP. The 802.1D disabled, correspond to the blocking state of STP. In
blocking, and listening states are STP, a blocked port is defined as not being
merged into a unique 802.1w the designated or root port. RSTP has two
discarding state. port roles for this purpose.
Evolution of STP
RSTP Port States and Port Roles (Cont.)
The alternate port has an alternate path to the root bridge. The backup port is a backup to a shared
medium, such as a hub. A backup port is less common because hubs are now considered legacy
devices.
Evolution of STP
PortFast and BPDU Guard
• When a device is connected to a switch port or when a switch powers up, the switch port goes
through both the listening and learning states, each time waiting for the Forward Delay timer to
expire. This delay is 15 seconds for each state for a total of 30 seconds. This can present a
problem for DHCP clients trying to discover a DHCP server because the DHCP process may
timeout. The result is that an IPv4 client will not receive a valid IPv4 address.
• When a switch port is configured with PortFast, that port transitions from blocking to forwarding
state immediately, avoiding the 30 second delay. You can use PortFast on access ports to allow
devices connected to these ports to access the network immediately. PortFast should only be used
on access ports. If you enable PortFast on a port connecting to another switch, you risk creating a
spanning tree loop.
• A PortFast-enabled switch port should never receive BPDUs because that would indicate that
switch is connected to the port, potentially causing a spanning tree loop. Cisco switches support a
feature called BPDU guard. When enabled, it immediately puts the switch port in an errdisabled
(error-disabled) state upon receipt of any BPDU. This protects against potential loops by effectively
shutting down the port. The administrator must manually put the interface back into service.
Evolution of STP
Alternatives to STP
• Over the years, organizations required greater resiliency and availability in the LAN. Ethernet
LANs went from a few interconnected switches connected to a single router, to a sophisticated
hierarchical network design including access, distribution and core layer switches.
• Depending on the implementation, Layer 2 may include not only the access layer, but also the
distribution or even the core layers. These designs may include hundreds of switches, with
hundreds or even thousands of VLANs. STP has adapted to the added redundancy and complexity
with enhancements, as part of RSTP and MSTP.
• An important aspect to network design is fast and predictable convergence when there is a failure
or change in the topology. Spanning tree does not offer the same efficiencies and predictabilities
provided by routing protocols at Layer 3.
• Layer 3 routing allows for redundant paths and loops in the topology, without blocking ports. For
this reason, some environments are transitioning to Layer 3 everywhere except where devices
connect to the access layer switch. In other words, the connections between access layer switches
and distribution switches would be Layer 3 instead of Layer 2.
1.4 Module Practice and Quiz
• Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module?
• Redundant paths in a switched Ethernet network may cause both physical and logical Layer 2 loops.
• A Layer 2 loop can result in MAC address table instability, link saturation, and high CPU utilization on switches and end-
devices. This results in the network becoming unusable.
• STP is a loop-prevention network protocol that allows for redundancy while creating a loop-free Layer 2 topology. Without
STP, Layer 2 loops can form, causing broadcast, multicast and unknown unicast frames to loop endlessly, bringing down a
network.
• Using the STA, STP builds a loop-free topology in a four-step process: elect the root bridge, elect the root ports, elect
designated ports, and elect alternate (blocked) ports.
• During STA and STP functions, switches use BPDUs to share information about themselves and their connections. BPDUs
are used to elect the root bridge, root ports, designated ports, and alternate ports.
• When the root bridge has been elected for a given spanning tree instance, the STA determines the best paths to the root
bridge from all destinations in the broadcast domain. The path information, known as the internal root path cost, is
determined by the sum of all the individual port costs along the path from the switch to the root bridge.
• After the root bridge has been determined the STA algorithm selects the root port. The root port is the port closest to the root
bridge in terms of overall cost, which is called the internal root path cost.
• After each switch selects a root port, switches will select designated ports. The designated port is a port on the segment
(with two switches) that has the internal root path cost to the root bridge.
• If a port is not a root port or a designated port, then it becomes an alternate (or backup) port. Alternate ports and backup
ports are in discarding or blocking state to prevent loops.
Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module? (Cont.)
• When a switch has multiple equal-cost paths to the root bridge, the switch will determine a port using the following criteria:
lowest sender BID, then the lowest sender port priority, and finally the lowest sender port ID.
• STP convergence requires three timers: the hello timer, the forward delay timer, and the max age timer.
• Port states are blocking, listening, learning, forwarding, and disabled.
• In PVST versions of STP, there is a root bridge elected for each spanning tree instance. This makes it possible to have
different root bridges for different sets of VLANs.
• STP is often used to refer to the various implementations of spanning tree, such as RSTP and MSTP.
• RSTP is an evolution of STP that provides faster convergence than STP.
• RSTP port states are learning, forwarding and discarding.
• PVST+ is a Cisco enhancement of STP that provides a separate spanning tree instance for each VLAN configured in the
network. PVST+ supports PortFast, UplinkFast, BackboneFast, BPDU guard, BPDU filter, root guard, and loop guard.
• Cisco switches running IOS 15.0 or later, run PVST+ by default.
• Rapid PVST+ is a Cisco enhancement of RSTP that uses PVST+ and provides a separate instance of 802.1w per VLAN.
• When a switch port is configured with PortFast, that port transitions from blocking to forwarding state immediately, bypassing
the STP listening and learning states and avoiding a 30 second delay.
• Use PortFast on access ports to allow devices connected to these ports, such as DHCP clients, to access the network
immediately, rather than waiting for STP to converge on each VLAN.
Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module? (Cont.)
• Cisco switches support a feature called BPDU guard which immediately puts the switch port in an error-disabled state upon
receipt of any BPDU to protect against potential loops.
• Over the years, Ethernet LANs went from a few interconnected switches that were connected to a single router, to a
sophisticated hierarchical network design. Depending on the implementation, Layer 2 may include not only the access layer,
but also the distribution or even the core layers. These designs may include hundreds of switches, with hundreds or even
thousands of VLANs. STP has adapted to the added redundancy and complexity with enhancements as part of RSTP and
MSTP.
• Layer 3 routing allows for redundant paths and loops in the topology, without blocking ports. For this reason, some
environments are transitioning to Layer 3 everywhere except where devices connect to the access layer switch.
Module 2: EtherChannel
Module Objectives
Module Title: EtherChannel

Module Objective: Troubleshoot EtherChannel on switched links.

Topic Title Topic Objective

EtherChannel Operation Describe EtherChannel technology.

Configure EtherChannel Configure EtherChannel.

Verify and Troubleshoot
Troubleshoot EtherChannel.
EtherChannel
2.1 EtherChannel Operation
EtherChannel Operation
Link Aggregation
• There are scenarios in which more bandwidth or redundancy between devices is
needed than what can be provided by a single link. Multiple links could be connected
between devices to increase bandwidth. However, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP),
which is enabled on Layer 2 devices like Cisco switches by default, will block
redundant links to prevent switching loops.
• A link aggregation technology is needed that allows redundant links between devices
that will not be blocked by STP. That technology is known as EtherChannel.
• EtherChannel is a link aggregation technology that groups multiple physical Ethernet
links together into one single logical link. It is used to provide fault-tolerance, load
sharing, increased bandwidth, and redundancy between switches, routers, and
servers.
• EtherChannel technology makes it possible to combine the number of physical links
between the switches to increase the overall speed of switch-to-switch
communication.
EtherChannel Operation
EtherChannel
EtherChannel technology was
originally developed by Cisco as a
LAN switch-to-switch technique of
grouping several Fast Ethernet or
Gigabit Ethernet ports into one
logical channel.

When an EtherChannel is
configured, the resulting virtual
interface is called a port channel.
The physical interfaces are
bundled together into a port
channel interface, as shown in the
figure.
EtherChannel Operation
Advantages of EtherChannel
EtherChannel technology has many advantages, including the following:
• Most configuration tasks can be done on the EtherChannel interface instead of on each
individual port, ensuring configuration consistency throughout the links.
• EtherChannel relies on existing switch ports. There is no need to upgrade the link to a faster
and more expensive connection to have more bandwidth.
• Load balancing takes place between links that are part of the same EtherChannel.
• EtherChannel creates an aggregation that is seen as one logical link. When several
EtherChannel bundles exist between two switches, STP may block one of the bundles to
prevent switching loops. When STP blocks one of the redundant links, it blocks the entire
EtherChannel. This blocks all the ports belonging to that EtherChannel link. Where there is only
one EtherChannel link, all physical links in the EtherChannel are active because STP sees only
one (logical) link.
• EtherChannel provides redundancy because the overall link is seen as one logical connection.
Additionally, the loss of one physical link within the channel does not create a change in the
topology.
EtherChannel Operation
Implementation Restrictions
EtherChannel has certain implementation restrictions, including the following:
• Interface types cannot be mixed. For example, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
cannot be mixed within a single EtherChannel.
• Currently each EtherChannel can consist of up to eight compatibly-configured
Ethernet ports. EtherChannel provides full-duplex bandwidth up to 800 Mbps (Fast
EtherChannel) or 8 Gbps (Gigabit EtherChannel) between one switch and another
switch or host.
• The Cisco Catalyst 2960 Layer 2 switch currently supports up to six EtherChannels.
• The individual EtherChannel group member port configuration must be consistent on
both devices. If the physical ports of one side are configured as trunks, the physical
ports of the other side must also be configured as trunks within the same native
VLAN. Additionally, all ports in each EtherChannel link must be configured as Layer 2
ports.
• Each EtherChannel has a logical port channel interface. A configuration applied to the
port channel interface affects all physical interfaces that are assigned to that interface.
EtherChannel Operation
AutoNegotiation Protocols
EtherChannels can be formed through negotiation using one of two protocols, Port
Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) or Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP). These
protocols allow ports with similar characteristics to form a channel through dynamic
negotiation with adjoining switches.

Note: It is also possible to configure a static or unconditional EtherChannel without PAgP

or LACP.
EtherChannel Operation
PAgP Operation
PAgP (pronounced “Pag - P”) is a Cisco-proprietary protocol that aids in the automatic creation of
EtherChannel links. When an EtherChannel link is configured using PAgP, PAgP packets are sent
between EtherChannel-capable ports to negotiate the forming of a channel. When PAgP identifies
matched Ethernet links, it groups the links into an EtherChannel. The EtherChannel is then added to
the spanning tree as a single port.

When enabled, PAgP also manages the EtherChannel. PAgP packets are sent every 30 seconds.
PAgP checks for configuration consistency and manages link additions and failures between two
switches. It ensures that when an EtherChannel is created, all ports have the same type of
configuration.

Note: In EtherChannel, it is mandatory that all ports have the same speed, duplex setting, and VLAN
information. Any port modification after the creation of the channel also changes all other channel ports.
EtherChannel Operation
PAgP Operation (Cont.)
PAgP helps create the EtherChannel link by detecting the configuration of each side and ensuring that links
are compatible so that the EtherChannel link can be enabled when needed. The modes for PAgP as follows:
• On - This mode forces the interface to channel without PAgP. Interfaces configured in the on mode do
not exchange PAgP packets.
• PAgP desirable - This PAgP mode places an interface in an active negotiating state in which the
interface initiates negotiations with other interfaces by sending PAgP packets.
• PAgP auto - This PAgP mode places an interface in a passive negotiating state in which the interface
responds to the PAgP packets that it receives but does not initiate PAgP negotiation.
The modes must be compatible on each side. If one side is configured to be in auto mode, it is placed in a
passive state, waiting for the other side to initiate the EtherChannel negotiation. If the other side is also set
to auto, the negotiation never starts and the EtherChannel does not form. If all modes are disabled by using
the no command, or if no mode is configured, then the EtherChannel is disabled. The on mode manually
places the interface in an EtherChannel, without any negotiation. It works only if the other side is also set to
on. If the other side is set to negotiate parameters through PAgP, no EtherChannel forms, because the side
that is set to on mode does not negotiate. No negotiation between the two switches means there is no
checking to make sure that all the links in the EtherChannel are terminating on the other side, or that there
is PAgP compatibility on the other switch.
EtherChannel Operation
PAgP Mode Settings Example

The table shows the various combination of PAgP modes on S1 and S2 and the resulting channel establishment outcome.

S1 S2 Channel Establishment

On On Yes

On Desirable/Auto No

Desirable Desirable Yes

Desirable Auto Yes

Auto Desirable Yes

Auto Auto No
EtherChannel Operation
LACP Operation
LACP is part of an IEEE specification (802.3ad) that allows several physical ports to be bundled to form
a single logical channel. LACP allows a switch to negotiate an automatic bundle by sending LACP
packets to the other switch. It performs a function similar to PAgP with Cisco EtherChannel. Because
LACP is an IEEE standard, it can be used to facilitate EtherChannels in multivendor environments. On
Cisco devices, both protocols are supported.

LACP provides the same negotiation benefits as PAgP. LACP helps create the EtherChannel link by
detecting the configuration of each side and making sure that they are compatible so that the
EtherChannel link can be enabled when needed. The modes for LACP are as follows:
• On - This mode forces the interface to channel without LACP. Interfaces configured in the on
mode do not exchange LACP packets.
• LACP active - This LACP mode places a port in an active negotiating state. In this state, the port
initiates negotiations with other ports by sending LACP packets.
• LACP passive - This LACP mode places a port in a passive negotiating state. In this state, the
port responds to the LACP packets that it receives but does not initiate LACP packet negotiation.
EtherChannel Operation
LACP Mode Settings Example

The table shows the various combination of LACP modes on S1 and S2 and the resulting channel establishment outcome.
S1 S2 Channel Establishment
On On Yes
On Active/Passive No
Active Active Yes
Active Passive Yes
Passive Active Yes
Passive Passive No
2.2 Configure EtherChannel
Configure EtherChannel
Configuration Guidelines
The following guidelines and restrictions are useful for configuring EtherChannel:
• EtherChannel support - All Ethernet interfaces must support EtherChannel with no
requirement that interfaces be physically contiguous.
• Speed and duplex - Configure all interfaces in an EtherChannel to operate at the
same speed and in the same duplex mode.
• VLAN match - All interfaces in the EtherChannel bundle must be assigned to the
same VLAN or be configured as a trunk (shown in the figure).
• Range of VLANs - An EtherChannel supports the same allowed range of VLANs on
all the interfaces in a trunking EtherChannel. If the allowed range of VLANs is not the
same, the interfaces do not form an EtherChannel, even when they are set
to auto or desirable mode.
Configure EtherChannel
Configuration Guidelines (Cont.)
• The figure shows a configuration that would allow an EtherChannel to form between S1 and
S2.
• If these settings must be changed, configure them in port channel interface configuration
mode. Any configuration that is applied to the port channel interface also affects individual
interfaces. However, configurations that are applied to the individual interfaces do not affect
the port channel interface. Therefore, making configuration changes to an interface that is
part of an EtherChannel link may cause interface compatibility issues.
• The port channel can be configured in access mode, trunk mode (most common), or on a
routed port.
Configure EtherChannel
LACP Configuration Example
Configuring EtherChannel with LACP requires the following three steps:
• Step 1. Specify the interfaces that compose the EtherChannel group using the interface
range interface global configuration mode command. The range keyword allows you to select several
interfaces and configure them all together.
• Step 2. Create the port channel interface with the channel-group identifier mode active command in
interface range configuration mode. The identifier specifies a channel group number. The mode
active keywords identify this as an LACP EtherChannel configuration.
• Step3. To change Layer 2 settings on the port channel interface, enter port channel interface configuration
mode using the interface port-channel command, followed by the interface identifier. In the example, S1 is
configured with an LACP EtherChannel. The port channel is configured as a trunk interface with the allowed
VLANs specified.
2.3 Verify and Troubleshoot
EtherChannel
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Verify EtherChannel
As always, when you configure devices in your network, you must verify your
configuration. If there are problems, you will also need to be able to troubleshoot and fix
them. There are a number of commands to verify an EtherChannel configuration:
• The show interfaces port-channel command displays the general status of the port
channel interface.
• The show etherchannel summary command displays one line of information per
port channel.
• The show etherchannel port-channel command displays information about a
specific port channel interface.
• The show interfaces etherchannel command can provide information about the role
of a physical member interface of the EtherChannel.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Common Issues with EtherChannel Configurations
All interfaces within an EtherChannel must have the same configuration of speed and
duplex mode, native and allowed VLANs on trunks, and access VLAN on access ports.
Ensuring these configurations will significantly reduce network problems related to
EtherChannel. Common EtherChannel issues include the following:
• Assigned ports in the EtherChannel are not part of the same VLAN, or not configured
as trunks. Ports with different native VLANs cannot form an EtherChannel.
• Trunking was configured on some of the ports that make up the EtherChannel, but
not all of them. It is not recommended that you configure trunking mode on individual
ports that make up the EtherChannel. When configuring a trunk on an EtherChannel,
verify the trunking mode on the EtherChannel.
• If the allowed range of VLANs is not the same, the ports do not form an
EtherChannel even when PAgP is set to the auto or desirable mode.
• The dynamic negotiation options for PAgP and LACP are not compatibly configured
on both ends of the EtherChannel.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Troubleshoot EtherChannel Example
In the figure, interfaces F0/1 and F0/2 on switches S1 and S2 are connected with an
EtherChannel. However, the EtherChannel is not operational.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Troubleshoot EtherChannel Example (Cont.)
Step 1. View the EtherChannel Summary Information: The output of the show
etherchannel summary command indicates that the EtherChannel is down.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Troubleshoot EtherChannel Example (Cont.)

Step 2. View Port Channel Configuration: In

the show run | begin interface port-channel output,
more detailed output indicates that there are
incompatible PAgP modes configured on S1 and S2.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Troubleshoot EtherChannel Example (Cont.)
Step 3: Correct the Misconfiguration: To correct the issue, the PAgP mode on the
EtherChannel is changed to desirable.
Note: EtherChannel and STP must interoperate. For this reason, the order in which
EtherChannel-related commands are entered is important, which is why you see interface
Port-Channel 1 removed and then re-added with the channel-group command, as
opposed to directly changed. If one tries to change the configuration directly, STP errors
cause the associated ports to go into blocking or errdisabled state.
Verify and Troubleshoot EtherChannel
Troubleshoot EtherChannel Example (Cont.)
Step 4. Verify EtherChannel is Operational: The EtherChannel is now active as verified
by the output of the show etherchannel summary command.
2.4 Module Practice and Quiz
Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module?
• To increase bandwidth or redundancy, multiple links could be connected between devices.
However, STP will block redundant links to prevent switching loops. EtherChannel is a link
aggregation technology that allows redundant links between devices that will not be blocked by
STP.
• EtherChannel groups multiple physical Ethernet links together into one single logical link. It
provides fault-tolerance, load sharing, increased bandwidth, and redundancy between switches,
routers, and servers.
• When an EtherChannel is configured, the resulting virtual interface is called a port channel.
• EtherChannels can be formed through negotiation using one of two protocols, PAgP or LACP.
These protocols allow ports with similar characteristics to form a channel through dynamic
negotiation with adjoining switches.
• When an EtherChannel link is configured using Cisco-proprietary PAgP, PAgP packets are sent
between EtherChannel-capable ports to negotiate the forming of a channel. Modes for PAgP are
On, PAgP desirable, and PAgP auto.
• LACP performs a function similar to PAgP with Cisco EtherChannel. Because LACP is an IEEE
standard, it can be used to facilitate EtherChannels in multivendor environments. Modes for LACP
are On, LACP active, and LACP passive.
Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module? (Cont.)
• The following guidelines and restrictions are useful for configuring EtherChannel:
• All Ethernet interfaces on all modules must support EtherChannel with no requirement that interfaces
be physically contiguous, or on the same module.
• Configure all interfaces in an EtherChannel to operate at the same speed and in the same duplex
mode.
• All interfaces in the EtherChannel bundle must be assigned to the same VLAN or be configured as a
trunk.
• An EtherChannel supports the same allowed range of VLANs on all the interfaces in a trunking
EtherChannel.
• Configuring EtherChannel with LACP requires three steps:
• Step 1. Specify the interfaces that compose the EtherChannel group using the interface range
interface global configuration mode command.
• Step 2. Create the port channel interface with the channel-group identifier mode active command
in interface range configuration mode.
• Step 3. To change Layer 2 settings on the port channel interface, enter port channel interface
configuration mode using the interface port-channel command, followed by the interface identifier.
Module Practice and Quiz
What Did I Learn In This Module? (Cont.)
• There are a number of commands to verify an EtherChannel configuration including show
interfaces port-channel, show etherchannel summary, show etherchannel port-
channel, and show interfaces etherchannel.
• Common EtherChannel issues include the following:
• Assigned ports in the EtherChannel are not part of the same VLAN, or not configured as
trunks.
• Ports with different native VLANs cannot form an EtherChannel.
• Trunking was configured on some of the ports that make up the EtherChannel, but not all of
them.
• If the allowed range of VLANs is not the same, the ports do not form an EtherChannel even
when PAgP is set to the auto or desirable mode.
• The dynamic negotiation options for PAgP and LACP are not compatibly configured on both
ends of the EtherChannel.
Thank You