Dell Networking OS9 How to Create a Port Channel

Summary: How to Create a Port Channel Link Aggregation Group (LAG) on Dell Networking OS9 and Legacy Force10 switches

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Instructions

This article discusses the process to create a new port channel or Link Aggregation Group (LAG), and allowing multiple VLANs on Dell Networking switches running OS9. This example uses Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP).

Table of Contents

  1. Interface Configuration for LACP Port Channel
  2. Hybrid Switchport on a Port channel
  3. Show LACP Port Channel status
  4. VLAN Configuration for Port Channel LAG
  5. Optional:  LACP Long Timeout
 

Interface Configuration for LACP Port Channel

First, remove the current configuration from the port, then add the new port channel. For more information about static port channels, see Dell Networking: How to Configure VLANs and Associate Ports to VLANs on OS9 FTOS.
For Firmware 9.9 or newer:

Command Parameter 
FTOS> enable 
 Enter enable mode.  
FTOS# configure 
 Enter configuration mode  
FTOS(conf)# default interface te 0/10 
 Remove all interface configuration  
FTOS(conf)# default interface te 0/11 
 Remove all interface configuration  
FTOS(conf)# interface range te 0/10-0/11 
 Select the range of ports that to be used for the Port Channel.  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11)# no shutdown 
 Enable the ports 
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11)# port-channel-protocol lacp 
 Enter LACP configuration mode for the interface range  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11-lacp)# port-channel 5 mode active 
 Add Port Channel 5, use "active" to specify LACP.  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11-lacp)# end 
 Leave configuration mode 

 
The command:

default interface te 0/10

will clear the port configuration, including the VLAN configuration on the port, instead having to remove each setting manually. Firmware 9.9 or newer is required to use this command.

For Firmware 9.8 and older:

Command Parameter 
FTOS> enable
 Enter enable mode. 
FTOS# configure
 Enter configuration mode 
FTOS(conf)# interface range te 0/10-0/11
 Select the range of ports that will be used for the Port Channel.  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11)# no portmode hybrid 
 Remove current configuration, if needed 
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11)# no switchport 
 Remove current configuration, if needed  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11)# port-channel-protocol lacp
 Enter LACP configuration mode for the interface range  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11-lacp)# port-channel 5 mode active 
 Add Port Channel 5, use "active" to specify LACP.  
FTOS(conf-if-range-te-0/10-11-lacp)# end 
 Leave configuration mode 


The port is required to be in a default configuration when making the above changes. If the following error is received: 
Error: Te 0/10 Port is part of a non-default VLAN
there is VLAN configuration that has to be removed. The below example shows removing VLAN 2 tagged from port Te 0/10: 
FTOS# config
FTOS(conf)# Interface VLAN 2
FTOS(conf-if-vl-2)# no tagged te 0/10

After all the non-default VLANs are removed from the interface, the VLAN error will not appear. 

Hybrid Switchport on a Port channel

Hybrid switchport is recommended for port channels. For more information about switchport, see Dell Networking: How to Configure VLANs and Associate Ports to VLANs on OS9 FTOS. Configure the new port channel with hybrid switchport:  
FTOS(conf)# interface port-channel 5  
FTOS(conf-if-po-5)# portmode hybrid
FTOS(conf-if-po-5)# switchport
 

Show LACP Port Channel status

Verify that the new port channel is working. The connected device has to be configured for a LACP LAG before the status shows up. 
FTOS# show lacp 5

Port-channel 5 admin up, oper up, mode lacp
LACP Fast Switch-Over Disabled
Actor System ID:Priority 32768, Address 0001.e800.a12b
Partner System ID:Priority 32768, Address 0001.e801.45a5
Actor Admin Key 1, Oper Key 1, Partner Oper Key 1
LACP LAG 5 is a normal LAG

A - Active LACP, B - Passive LACP, C - Short Timeout, D - Long Timeout
E - Aggregatable Link, F - Individual Link, G - IN_SYNC, H - OUT_OF_SYNC
I - Collection enabled, J - Collection disabled, K - Distribution enabled
L - Distribution disabled, M - Partner Defaulted, N - Partner Non-defaulted,
O - Receiver is in expired state, P - Receiver is not in expired state

Port Te 0/10 is enabled, LACP is enabled and mode is lacp
  Actor   Admin: State ACEHJLMP Key 1 Priority 128
           Oper: State ACEGIKNP Key 1 Priority 128
  Partner Admin: State BDFHJLMP Key 0 Priority 0
           Oper: State BCEGIKNP Key 1 Priority 128

Port Te 0/11 is enabled, LACP is enabled and mode is lacp
  Actor   Admin: State ACEHJLMP Key 1 Priority 128
           Oper: State ACEGIKNP Key 1 Priority 128
  Partner Admin: State BDFHJLMP Key 0 Priority 0
           Oper: State BCEGIKNP Key 1 Priority 128

 

NOTE: If there is unexpected behavior when connected to a Cisco device, check to see if the Cisco device is configured with Passive LACP instead of Active LACP.

 

VLAN Configuration for Port Channel LAG 

To add an untagged VLAN to a port channel, input the following commands: 
FTOS(conf)# interface vlan 100
FTOS(conf-if-vl-100)# untagged port-channel 5
To add an 802.1Q tagged VLAN to a port channel, input the following commands: 
FTOS(conf)# interface vlan 200
FTOS(conf-if-vl-100)# tagged port-channel 5

For more information about VLANs, see Dell Networking: How to Configure VLANs and Associate Ports to VLANs on OS9 FTOS.
 
NOTE: Save your changes by running: 
copy running-configuration startup-configuration
or 
write
when finished. 

 

Set Up LACP Long Timeout (Optional)

  
NOTE: Protocol Data Units (PDU)s are exchanged between port channel (LAG) interfaces to maintain LACP sessions. PDUs are transmitted at either a slow or fast transmission rate, depending upon the LACP timeout value. The timeout value is the amount of time that a LAG interface waits for a PDU from the remote system before bringing the LACP session down. The default timeout value is 1 second. You can configure the default timeout value to be 30 seconds. Invoking the longer timeout might prevent the LAG from flapping if the remote system is up but temporarily unable to transmit PDUs due to a system interruption.

Example or LACP Long Timeout configuration:

Dell(conf)# interface port-channel 32
Dell(conf-if-po-32)# no shutdown
Dell(conf-if-po-32)# switchport
Dell(conf-if-po-32)# lacp long-timeout
Dell(conf-if-po-32)# end


 

Affected Products

OS9, Force10 S25N-S50N, Force10 S25-01-GE-24P, Force10 S25-01-GE-24T, Force10 S25-01-GE-24V, Force10 S50-01-GE-48T-V, Force10 S50-01-GE-48T, PowerSwitch S3048-ON, PowerSwitch S4048-ON, PowerSwitch S4810P, PowerSwitch S4810-ON, PowerSwitch S4820T , PowerSwitch S5000, Force10 S50P, Force10 S55T, Force10 S60-44T, PowerSwitch S6000, PowerSwitch S6000 ON, Force10 Z9000, Dell Networking Z9500, Dell Networking S3100 Series, PowerSwitch S4048T-ON, PowerSwitch S6010-ON, PowerSwitch S6100-ON, PowerSwitch Z9100-ON ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000106935
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2024
Version:  4
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