ETHERCHANNEL AND HSRP

Link Aggregation
A link aggregation technology is needed that allows redundant links
between devices that will not be blocked by STP. That technology is
known as EtherChannel.
EtherChannel
EtherChannel is a link aggregation technology that groups multiple
physical Ethernet links together into one single logical link. It is
used to provide fault-tolerance, load sharing, increased bandwidth, and
redundancy between switches, routers, and servers. EtherChannel
technology makes it possible to combine the number of physical links
between the switches to increase the overall speed of switch-to-switch
communication.
Advantages of EtherChannel
1. Most configuration tasks can be done on the EtherChannel interface
instead of on each individual port, ensuring configuration consistency
throughout the links.
2. EtherChannel relies on existing switch ports. There is no need to
upgrade the link to a faster and more expensive connection to have
more bandwidth.
3. Load balancing takes place between links that are part of the same
EtherChannel.
4. EtherChannel creates an aggregation that is seen as one logical link.
When several EtherChannel bundles exist between two switches, STP may
block one of the bundles to prevent switching loops. When STP blocks
one of the redundant links, it blocks the entire EtherChannel. This
blocks all the ports belonging to that EtherChannel link. Where there
is only one EtherChannel link, all physical links in the EtherChannel
are active because STP sees only one (logical) link.
5. EtherChannel provides redundancy because the overall link is seen as
one logical connection. Additionally, the loss of one physical link
within the channel does not create a change in the topology.
EtherChannel Implementation Restrictions
1. Interface types cannot be mixed.
2. Currently each EtherChannel can consist of up to eight compatibly-
configured Ethernet ports. EtherChannel provides full-duplex bandwidth
up to 800 Mbps (Fast EtherChannel) or 8 Gbps (Gigabit EtherChannel)
between one switch and another switch or host.
3. The Cisco Catalyst 2960 Layer 2 switch currently supports up to six
EtherChannels.
 4. The individual EtherChannel group member port configuration must be
consistent on both devices. If the physical ports of one side are
configured as trunks, the physical ports of the other side must also
be configured as trunks within the same native VLAN. Additionally, all
ports in each EtherChannel link must be configured as Layer 2 ports.
5. Each EtherChannel has a logical port channel interface. A
configuration applied to the port channel interface affects all
physical interfaces that are assigned to that interface.
AutoNegotiation Protocols
EtherChannels can be formed through negotiation using one of two
protocols, Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) or Link Aggregation
Control Protocol (LACP). These protocols allow ports with similar
characteristics to form a channel through dynamic negotiation with
adjoining switches.
PAgP Operation
PAgP is a Cisco-proprietary protocol that aids in the automatic creation
of EtherChannel links. When an EtherChannel link is configured using
PAgP, PAgP packets are sent between EtherChannel-capable ports to
negotiate the forming of a channel. When PAgP identifies matched
Ethernet links, it groups the links into an EtherChannel. The
EtherChannel is then added to the spanning tree as a single port.
Modes of PAgP
 On: This mode forces the interface to channel without PAgP. Interfaces
configured in the on mode do not exchange PAgP packets.
 PAgP desirable: This PAgP mode places an interface in an active
negotiating state in which the interface initiates negotiations with
other interfaces by sending PAgP packets.
 PAgP auto: This PAgP mode places an interface in a passive negotiating
state in which the interface responds to the PAgP packets that it
receives but does not initiate PAgP negotiation.
LACP Operation
 LACP is part of an IEEE specification (802.3ad) that allows several
physical ports to be bundled to form a single logical channel. LACP
allows a switch to negotiate an automatic bundle by sending LACP
packets to the other switch. It performs a function similar to PAgP
with Cisco EtherChannel. Because LACP is an IEEE standard, it can be
used to facilitate EtherChannels in multivendor environments. On Cisco
devices, both protocols are supported.
Modes of LACP
 On: This mode forces the interface to channel without LACP. Interfaces
configured in the on mode do not exchange LACP packets.
  LACP active: This LACP mode places a port in an active negotiating
state. In this state, the port initiates negotiations with other ports
by sending LACP packets.
 LACP passive: This LACP mode places a port in a passive negotiating
state. In this state, the port responds to the LACP packets that it
receives but does not initiate LACP packet negotiation.
First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRP)
First hop redundancy protocols (FHRPs) are mechanisms that provide
alternate default gateways in switched networks where two or more
routers are connected to the same VLANs.
Router Redundancy
One way to prevent a single point of failure at the default gateway is
to implement a virtual router. To implement this type of router
redundancy, multiple routers are configured to work together to present
the illusion of a single router to the hosts on the LAN. By sharing an
IP address and a MAC address, two or more routers can act as a single
virtual router.
A redundancy protocol provides the mechanism for determining which
router should take the active role in forwarding traffic. It also
determines when the forwarding role must be taken over by a standby
router. The transition from one forwarding router to another is
transparent to the end devices.
Steps for Router Failover
1. The standby router stops seeing Hello messages from the forwarding
router.
2. The standby router assumes the role of the forwarding router.
3. Because the new forwarding router assumes both the IPv4 and MAC
addresses of the virtual router, the host devices see no disruption in
service.
Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP)
HSRP ensures high network availability by providing first-hop routing
redundancy for IP hosts on networks configured with an IP default
gateway address. HSRP is used in a group of routers for selecting an
active device and a standby device. In a group of device interfaces,
the active device is the device that is used for routing packets; the
standby device is the device that takes over when the active device
fails, or when pre-set conditions are met. The function of the HSRP
standby router is to monitor the operational status of the HSRP group
and to quickly assume packet-forwarding responsibility if the active
router fails.
HSRP Priority and Preemption
HSRP priority can be used to determine the active router. The router
with the highest HSRP priority will become the active router.
To force a new HSRP election process to take place when a higher
priority router comes online, preemption must be enabled using
the standby preempt interface command. Preemption is the ability of an
HSRP router to trigger the re-election process. With preemption enabled,
a router that comes online with a higher HSRP priority will assume the
role of the active router.