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Link Aggregation Menu Screen (802.3ad Main Menu Screen)
Port Configuration Menu Screens 5-23
5.8 LINK AGGREGATION MENU SCREEN (802.3ad MAIN MENU
SCREEN)
Screen Navigation Path
Password > Device Menu > Device Configuration Menu > Port Configuration Menu > Link
Aggregation Menu
When to Use
To access the Port, Aggregator, or System information screens, and to configure port trunking
according to the IEEE 802.3ad standard.
Usage Notes
In normal usage (and typical implementations) there is no need to modify any of these parameters.
The default values will result in the maximum number of aggregation possible. If the switch is
placed in a configuration with its peers not running the protocol, no aggregations will be formed
and the switch will function normally (that is, will block redundant paths).
IEEE 802.3ad determines if ports are physically capable of aggregating by comparing the
operational keys of ports.With this IEEE 802.3ad implementation, the operation key is the same as
the administrative key assigned by management, so ports assigned different administrative key
values will then have different operational key values, and will not aggregate.
Aggregators also have an administrative and operational key. If a group of ports are in the same
LAG (Link Aggregation Group) but there is no aggregator with a matching operational key, they
will not be able to aggregate.
IEEE 802.3ad allows groups of ports to be considered as being in different systems within the
same switch. The system priority is used in conjunction with the System Identifier to determine the
switch’s system ID. Similarly to Keys, if ports are given different system priority values they will
not aggregate. In addition, this system priority has to match the system priority of an aggregator or
no connection can be made.
According to the IEEE 802.3ad standard, a port does not detach from an aggregator because of link
loss. If a port is attached to an aggregator and the link is removed, the port’s mux machine will
transition from COLLECTING to ATTACHED; however, it will remain attached to the same
aggregator.
CAUTION: These screens should be used only by personnel who are knowledgeable
about Spanning Tree and Link Aggregation and fully understand the ramifications of
modifications beyond defaults. Otherwise, the proper operation of the network could be
at risk.