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CHAPTER
30-1
Catalyst 2950 and Catalyst 2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
OL-10101-02
30
Configuring EtherChannels
This chapter describes how to configure EtherChannel on the Layer 2 interfaces of a Catalyst 2950 or
Catalyst 2955 switch.
This chapter consists of these sections:
• Understanding EtherChannels, page 30-1
• EtherChannel On Mode, page 30-6
• Configuring EtherChannels, page 30-7
• Displaying EtherChannel, PAgP, and LACP Status, page 30-14
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the commands used in this chapter, see the command
reference for this release.
Understanding EtherChannels
EtherChannel provides fault-tolerant high-speed links between switches, routers, and servers. You can
use it to increase the bandwidth among 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.
An EtherChannel consists of individual Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet links bundled into a single
logical link as shown in
Figure 30-1. 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.