VRF Aware EtherChannel

[s.nasheet]

Hello,

I am trying to confiure Layer 3 port channel between 6006  and cisco 4503 switch.

Existing connection between them is a layer 3 link with IP address and VRF configured.

Can I move the VRF and IP address on to the Port-channel interface and hope all to work well ?

Existing config.

interface GigabitEthernet0/1

ip vrf forwarding ABC

ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.248

New Port-channel config

interface port-channel 1

ip vrf forwarding ABC

ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.248

interface GigabitEthernet0/1

switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q

switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,2,3,4,5

switchport mode trunk

channel-group 1 mode on

interface GigabitEthernet0/2

switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q

switchport trunk allowed vlan 1,2,3,4,5

switchport mode trunk

channel-group 1 mode on

Thanks

[Peter Paluch]

Hi,

It is possible to put a Layer3 EtherChannel into VRF without problems. However, the configuration would be as follows:

!

interface GigabitEthernet0/1

no switchport

channel-group 1 mode on

!

interface GigabitEthernet0/2

no switchport

channel-group 1 mode on

!

interface port-channel 1

ip vrf forwarding ABC

ip address 10.10.10.1 255.255.255.248

Notice that the no switchport commands must be present on the physical interfaces, removing the Layer2 switching functionality from the Gi0/1 and Gi0/2 before creating an L3 EtherChannel.

Best regards,

Peter

[s.nasheet]

Thanks Peter. I believe Gig 0/1 and 0/2 are native layer 3 interface but I will keep no switchport in mind when configuring.

Thanks

Salmaa

[Peter Paluch]

Hi Salmaa,

Oh, on 6500 and similar platforms, they are L3 by default - you're right. I am more accustomed to 3560 and similar which default to L2 operation. In any case - if they are L3 by default then all the switchport mode trunk and switchport trunk ...  commands you've indicated in your config have no meaning anyway.

Best regards,

Peter