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CHAPTER
25-1
Catalyst 2940 Switch Software Configuration Guide
78-15507-02
25
Configuring EtherChannels
This chapter describes how to configure EtherChannel on the Layer 2 interfaces of a Catalyst 2940
switch. EtherChannel provides fault-tolerant high-speed links between switches, routers, and servers.
You can use it to increase the bandwidth between the wiring closets and the data center, and you can
deploy it anywhere in the network where bottlenecks are likely to occur. EtherChannel provides
automatic recovery for the loss of a link by redistributing the load across the remaining links. If a link
fails, EtherChannel redirects traffic from the failed link to the remaining links in the channel without
intervention.
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, refer to the command
reference for this release.
This chapter consists of these sections:
• Understanding EtherChannels, page 25-1
• Configuring EtherChannels, page 25-7
• Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status, page 25-14
Understanding EtherChannels
An EtherChannel consists of individual Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet links bundled into a single
logical link as shown in Figure 25-1. The EtherChannel provides full-duplex bandwidth up to 800 Mbps
(Fast EtherChannel) or 2 Gbps (Gigabit EtherChannel) between your switch and another switch or host.