Understanding the basic of EtherChannel

On this lesson, pag-uusapan naman natin ang basic of EtherChannel. Kasama ito sa new CCNA exam kaya malaki ang maitutulong nito kung ikaw ay nagre-ready at naghahanda para maging CCNA. Ready ka na ba? 

Let’s do this!

What is EtherChannel?

Ang EtherChannel ay ang proseso ng pag-bubundle or pag-gogroup ng mga physical interfaces ng isang switch to act like one.

Meaning, kapag nag-EtherChannel tayo ng 4 interfaces sa isang switch, it will be considered as 1 port only or 1 virtual port or 1 EtherChannel link. 1 group of ports to be exact pero in reality, 4 ports ang nasa loob ng naturang port-channel or EtherChannel.

In our sample image sa taas, meron tayong tag-apat na physical ports na naka-bundle or naka-EtherChannel. Although we have 4 physical ports used, ito ay nakikita lamang as 1 logical link or connection sa ating EtherChannel configuration. In most cases, ito ay magiging port-channel 1 sa side ng parehong switches.

Why do we need EtherChannel?

Kung tutuusin marami at kanya-kanyang reason ang pag-gamit ng EtherChannel. Pwedeng dahil nagtitipid dahil hindi mo na kailangan bumili ng high capacity port na switches or devices or pwede din redundancy para in case mag-down ang isang port meron p rin tayong connection going to the other device or in general gingagamit ito para ma-extend ang capacity ng mga ports or interfaces.

Let me give a basic example.

Sa ating sample image sa taas meron tayong common fastethernet switch. Fastethernet meaning 100Mbps ang capacity ng kada-port(shown in A). Kung ibu-bundle natin siya or iimplement natin ang EtherChannel sa dalawang ports, magkakaroon na tayo ng 200Mpbs capacity logically (shown in B). 

Bakit? 

Eh kasi dalawang 100Mbps acting as one eh, so kaya siya nag-increase ng capacity as 200Mpbs. Kung apat yan siyempre 400Mpbs.

Ibig sabihin we can increase the capacity of the ports na wala tayong binibiling bagong device. Nakatipid ika nga. And then we can also say na naging reduntant ang connection for both switches kasi they are connected in multiple ports.

Please take note na we can only bundle 8 ports maximum per device. 

Ibig sabihin, 800Mbps lang ang kaya natin ma-achieve na capacity using EtherChannel kung fastethernet. Later makikita natin kung pano mag-configure ng EtherChannel para mas maunawaan niyo pa ng mas maayos. 

Gets mo idol? 

Hindi mahirap intindihin ang EtherChannel, alam ko sisiw lang sayo yan.

Different types of EtherChannel

Para mas maintindihan pa natin ang fundamentals at basic of EtherChannel, let’s also take a look on its different types or categories. Here are the 3 different types of EtherChannel na karaniwang ginagamit sa real world at siyempre na kasama sa new CCNS.

1. Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) 
2. Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) 
3. Static (“On”)

Let’s discuss each para mas maintindihan natin at makita ang pagkaka-iba nila.

1. PAgP or Port Aggregation Protocol

Si PagP ay isang Cisco proprietary protocol. Meaning, ginagamit at gumagana lamang ito sa mga Cisco devices. Parang si EIGRP(before), gawa ni Cisco para lamang sa mga Cisco devices din. Si PAgP din ay automatic na nag-nenegotiate para makapag-form ng EtherChannel. 

Let say on the Switch 1 port 1 & 2 at Switch 2 port 1 & 2 nag-configure ka ng EtherChannel using PAgP, automatic na mag-foform ng EtherChannel as long as tama ang mode and configurations.

Meron tayong two modes of PAgP, ito ay ang sumusunod.

1.1 Auto

Kapag ang port mode ng switch nan aka-PAgP ay naka-auto, tatanggapin niya lang automatically kung ano yung port mode or config nung katapat niya na port. Tumatanggap lang siya, meaning hindi siya nag-iinitiate ng formation. So kapag naka-auto ang config ng isang port, kelangan hindi naka-auto yung katapat niya. 

Why? 

Kasi pareho lang silang mag-aantayan. Magkakahiyaan kumbaga. Kasi nga ndi sila nag-iinitiate ng formation.

So dapat kung auto ang config ng isang port, ang kabilang port or katapat niya na port ay nasa Desirable mode, which is the second mode of PAgP.

1.2 Desirable

Kapag desirable mode naman, it always look or initiate for formation of EtherChannel. Kumbaga siya yung volunteer na nakikipag-usap sa kabilang port para makabuo sila ng EtherChannel. Kung si auto mode ay naghihintay lang, si desirable naman ay siyang kumikilos to form the bundling of ports. Hokage ika nga. Lol. 

Hindi gaya ni auto mode, si desirable ay pwedeng mag-form ng connection or ng EtherChannel kahit naka-auto or naka-desirable mode pa yung magkabilang dulo ng ports. Ibig sabihin kahit anong modes ang makatapat niya, makakabuo pa rin isya ng EtherChannel.

To summarize, here’s a sample image showing the two PAgP modes combination that will work and not.

2. LACP or Link Aggregation Protocol

Si LACP ay isang open-standard protocol. Meaning, it is an industry standard and can be use to any device, hindi siya vendor specific. Meron din ibang name pero the concept is almost the same with PAgP. Here they are.

2.1 Passive

Kapag ang LACP EtherChannel port ay naka-passive mode, ibig sabihin mag-rerespond lang din siya sa kung ano ang config ng katapat niya na port. Hindi siya mag-iinitiate ng formation ng EtherChannel. Ito ay katumbas ng auto mode kung naka-PAgP.

2.2 Active

Ang active mode naman ni LACP ang katumbas ni desirable ng PAgP. Meaning, it initiate the formation of the EtherChannel and build the bundle whatever mode of LACP is on the other side of the port.

In summary, LACP will form if ports are like this.

3. Static

Ang pinaka-huling type ng EtherChannel na meron tayo is ang tinatawag natin na static. So from the word itself, static EtherChannel means manual natin kino-config ang EtherChannel ports sa mgakabilang devices. 

Ibig sabihin din nito, lahat ng ports na gusto mong maging member ng EtherChannel is kelangan i-configure natin isa-isa. In this mode, no negotiation is needed. Kelangan lang natin manually i-on ang EtherChannel sa kada ports and we’re good to go.

Here is a snapshot of how static EtherChannel works.

Note: Kung static EtherChannel ang gagamitin natin, both sides of devices should use static at kelangan din na identical or pareho ang kanilang mga port settings.

That’s basically it!

You now learned the fundamentals of EtherChannel and how it works.

On the new CCNA Fundamentals Ebook, we do have some basic EtherChannel configuration para makita naman natin kung papaano gumagana ang mga ito in action. We have sample configuration for each para ma-distinguish mo yung pagkaka-iba at maunawaan mo pa lalo kung papaano ito gumagana.

Click here to see the details about the new CCNA Fundamentals.

If you want more deeper explanation in video format, send me an email so I can let you know when the CCNA Masterclass will open again for enrollment.

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Let’s move on the another lesson.