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CHAPTER
16-1
Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)SG
OL-7659-03
16
Understanding and Configuring EtherChannel
This chapter describes how to use the command-line interface (CLI) to configure EtherChannel on the
Catalyst 4500 series switch Layer 2 or Layer 3 interfaces. It also provides guidelines, procedures, and
configuration examples.
This chapter includes the following major sections:
• Overview of EtherChannel, page 16-1
• EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions, page 16-5
• Configuring EtherChannel, page 16-6
Note The commands in the following sections can be used on all Ethernet interfaces on a Catalyst 4500 series
switch, including the uplink ports on the supervisor engine.
Note For complete syntax and usage information for the switch commands used in this chapter, refer to the
Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Cisco IOS Command Reference and related publications at
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios122/122cgcr/index.htm.
Overview of EtherChannel
These subsections describe how EtherChannel works:
• Understanding Port-Channel Interfaces, page 16-2
• Understanding How EtherChannels Are Configured, page 16-2
• Understanding Load Balancing, page 16-5
EtherChannel bundles individual Ethernet links into a single logical link that provides bandwidth up to
1600 Mbps (Fast EtherChannel full duplex),16 Gbps (Gigabit EtherChannel), or 40 Gbps (10 Gigabit
Etherchannel) between a Catalyst 4500 series switch and another switch or host.
A Catalyst 4500 series switch supports a maximum of 64 EtherChannels. You can form an EtherChannel
with up to eight compatibly configured Ethernet interfaces across modules in a Catalyst 4500 series
switch. All interfaces in each EtherChannel must be the same speed and must be configured as either
Layer 2 or Layer 3 interfaces.