Configuring Load-Sharing Port Groups - Nortel 2300 Series Configuration Manual

Configuring Load-Sharing Port Groups

A port group is a set of physical ports that function together as a single link and provide load sharing and link redun-
dancy. Only network ports can participate in a port group.
You can configure up to 16 ports in a port group, in any combination of ports. The port numbers do not need to be
contiguous and you can use 10/100 Ethernet ports and gigabit Ethernet ports in the same port group.
Load Sharing
An WSS switch balances the port group traffic among the group's physical ports by assigning traffic flows to ports based
on the traffic's source and destination MAC addresses. The switch assigns a traffic flow to an individual port and uses
the same port for all subsequent traffic for that flow.
Link Redundancy
A port group ensures link stability by providing redundant connections for the same link. If an individual port in a group
fails, the WSS reassigns traffic to the remaining ports. When the failed port starts operating again, the WSS switch
begins using it for new traffic flows. Traffic that belonged to the port before it failed continues to be assigned to other
ports.
Configuring a Port Group
To configure a port group, use the following command:
set port-group name group-name port-list mode {on | off}
Enter a name for the group and the ports contained in the group.
The mode parameter adds or removes ports for a group that is already configured. To modify a group:
• Adding ports—Enter the ports you want to add, then enter mode on.
• Removing ports—Enter the ports you want to remove, then enter mode off.
To configure a port group named server1 containing ports 1 through 5 and enable the link, type the following command:
23x0# set port-group name server1 1-5 mode on
success: change accepted.
After you configure a port group, you can use the port group name with commands that change Layer 2 configuration
parameters to apply configuration changes to all ports in the port group. For example, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and
VLAN membership changes affect the entire port group instead of individual ports. When you make Layer 2 configura-
tion changes, you can use a port group name in place of the port list. Ethernet port statistics continue to apply to
individual ports, not to port groups.
To configure a port group named server2 containing ports 15 and 17 and add the ports to the default VLAN, type the
following commands:
23x0# set port-group name server2 15,17 mode on
success: change accepted.
23x0# set vlan default port server2
success: change accepted.
Configuring and Managing Ports and VLANs 87
Nortel WLAN Security Switch 2300 Series Configuration Guide