Question On LACP

When you "force" a channel to negotiate a link with another device, how is it different from it being in the "on" state?
How do I know whether to do it on device A or device B?

If I put one in "force" mode while the other is "passive", will it work?

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Dieg0M

There is only 3 modes for LACP and they are passive, active and on. "force" is not used to negotiate a link with another device but to force the physical interface to take on the parameters of the port channel and ignore the port profile. As far as I know it is only used for specific Cisco UCS interfaces configuration.

realdreams

I think on isn't an LACP mode... on just means it does not use a negotiating protocol..IMO it's used when the other end doesn't support LACP, like a server NIC (notably vSphere, i heard the latest release added LACP support)

Demystifying LACP vs Static EtherChannel for vSphere

Dieg0M

realdreams wrote: »

I think on isn't an LACP mode... on just means it does not use a negotiating protocol..IMO it's used when the other end doesn't support LACP, like a server NIC (notably vSphere, i heard the latest release added LACP support)

Demystifying LACP vs Static EtherChannel for vSphere

Sorry, I didn't express myself clearly. There is only 3 modes that allow LACP to be negotiated and they are passive, active and on.

ChrisWahl

Dieg0M wrote: »

There is only 3 modes that allow LACP to be negotiated and they are passive, active and on.

Mode "On" forms a static LAG that does not use LACP. LACP is a protocol that negotiates a LAG, and can be either be set to active (engage the other end) or passive (wait to be engaged).

And yes, the Distributed vSwitch does allow for LACP in vSphere 5.1 and later.

Dieg0M

I stand corrected. I never used the "on" mode and thought it would negotiate with an LACP active interface. Thanks for the info. Either way, force does not create a LAG but forces an interface to take on the parameters of the port channel.