etherchannel for fallover trunks

[carl_townshend]

I was told that it is a good idea to run etherchannel on my trunk links so if one interface goes down it will still work, is this true and how would i configure it ?

[nitishh]

Dont know what switch you are using but try this document it may help you

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/c3550/1218ea1/3550scg/swethchl.pdf

[carl_townshend]

the switches are cisco 3550's and 2950's

[abhishek_nandavat]

Hi!

It is indeed a good idea to do that. The resiliency is better. It is upto you whether to configure a Layer 2 or a Layer 3 etherchannel. Although in your case I believe a Layer 2 etherchannel should suffice.

For configuring etherchannel, you need to enter the following commands:

- enable

- configure terminal

- interface 'type' 'no'

- switchport mode access trunk

- switchport access vlan 'no'|

- channel-group 'channel-group no' mode desirable

You need to enter these commands for every interface you want to be as part of etherchannel.

For more, please refer the following link -->

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps646/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a00801f0a49.html#1033981

Hope that helps.

Regards,

AbhisheK

Please rate all posts!

[carl_townshend]

hi, thanks for the reply, firstly would I put all my uplinks in the same group, why do we have groups ? also If I had to fiber links between my comms room, could I utilize both of these rather than 1 being blocked via spanning tree ?

[devang_etcom]

hi carl,

you can put all the uplink in the same group... here when you creat the group... then you put desire interfaces in to that group... and all group members should have the same characteristics like speed, duplex...vlan...and yes you can utilise the both the fibre link for data transfer...

so first creat one group for the ether-channel

then make the ports member of the group...

hope this will help you to understand

rate this post if it helps

regards

Devang