Channel Modes - Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Configuration Manual

Understanding LACP

Channel Modes

Individual interfaces in EtherChannels are configured with channel modes. When you run static EtherChannels,
with no protocol, the channel mode is always set to on. After you enable LACP globally on the device, you
enable LACP for each channel by setting the channel mode for each interface to active or passive. You can
configure either channel mode for individual links in the LACP channel group.
Note You must enable LACP globally before you can configure an interface in either the active or passive
channel mode.
The following table describes the channel modes.
Table 13: Channel Modes for Individual Links in an EtherChannel
Channel Mode
passive
active
on
Both the passive and active modes allow LACP to negotiate between ports to determine if they can form an
EtherChannel, based on criteria such as the port speed and the trunking state. The passive mode is useful when
you do not know whether the remote system, or partner, supports LACP.
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series NX-OS Layer 2 Switching Configuration Guide, Release 5.0(3)N1(1)
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◦ Port physical characteristics, such as the data rate, the duplex capability, and the point-to-point or
shared medium state
◦ Configuration restrictions that you establish
Description
LACP mode that places a port into a passive
negotiating state, in which the port responds to LACP
packets that it receives but does not initiate LACP
negotiation.
LACP mode that places a port into an active
negotiating state, in which the port initiates
negotiations with other ports by sending LACP
packets.
All static EtherChannels, that is, that are not running
LACP, remain in this mode. If you attempt to change
the channel mode to active or passive before enabling
LACP, the device returns an error message.
You enable LACP on each channel by configuring
the interface in that channel for the channel mode as
either active or passive. When an LACP attempts to
negotiate with an interface in the on state, it does not
receive any LACP packets and becomes an individual
link with that interface; it does not join the LACP
channel group.
Configuring EtherChannels