Overview Of Etherchannel - Cisco 4500M Software Manual

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:
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The commands in the following sections can be used on all Ethernet interfaces on a Catalyst 4500 series
Note
switch, including the uplink ports on the supervisor engine.
For complete syntax and usage information for the switch commands used in this chapter, refer to the
Note
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:
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EtherChannel bundles individual Ethernet links into a single logical link that provides bandwidth up to
1600 Mbps (Fast EtherChannel full duplex) or 16 Gbps (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.
OL-6696-01
Overview of EtherChannel, page 17-1
EtherChannel Configuration Guidelines and Restrictions, page 17-5
Configuring EtherChannel, page 17-6
Understanding Port-Channel Interfaces, page 17-2
Understanding How EtherChannels Are Configured, page 17-2
Understanding Load Balancing, page 17-5
C H A P T E R
Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)EW
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