Setting The Aging Time Of Mac Address Entries; Setting The Maximum Number Of Mac Addresses A Port Can Learn - 3Com WX3000 Series Operation Manual

Setting the Aging Time of MAC Address Entries

Setting aging time properly helps effective utilization of MAC address aging. The aging time that is too
long or too short affects the performance of the device.
If the aging time is too long, excessive invalid MAC address entries maintained by the device may
fill up the MAC address table. This prevents the MAC address table from being updated with
network changes in time.
If the aging time is too short, the device may remove valid MAC address entries. This decreases
the forwarding performance of the device.
Follow these steps to set the aging time of MAC address entries:
To do...
Enter system view
Set the aging time of MAC
address entries
Normally, you are recommended to use the default aging time, namely, 300 seconds. The no-aging
keyword specifies that MAC address entries do not age out.
MAC address aging configuration applies to all ports, but only takes effect on dynamic MAC addresses
that are learnt or configured to age.

Setting the Maximum Number of MAC Addresses a Port Can Learn

The MAC address learning mechanism enables the device to acquire the MAC addresses of the
network devices on the segment connected to the ports of the device. By searching the MAC address
table, the device directly forwards the packets destined for these MAC addresses through the hardware,
improving the forwarding efficiency. A MAC address table too big in size may prolong the time for
searching MAC address entries, thus decreasing the forwarding performance of the device.
By setting the maximum number of MAC addresses that can be learned from individual ports, the
administrator can control the number of the MAC address entries the MAC address table can
dynamically maintain. When the number of the MAC address entries learnt from a port reaches the set
value, the port stops learning MAC addresses.
Follow these steps to set the maximum number of MAC addresses a port can learn:
To do...
Enter system view
Enter Ethernet port view
Use the command...
system-view
mac-address timer { aging
age | no-aging }
Use the command...
system-view
interface interface-type
interface-number
1-6
Remarks
—
Required
The default aging time is 300
seconds.
Remarks
—
—