MLag and LACP configuration on M4500 (using CLI)

Hi asifshaikh04 ,

First, please upgrade your M4500 switches to the latest firmware; this way Auto-LAG and Auto-Trunk can be used with the AV User Interface with the other M series.

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/m4500-32c#download

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/m4500-48xf8c#download

MLAG still needs to be configured manually, using CLI, between two switches. After that, Auto-LAG and Auto-Trunk can be configured in order to have any M4250/M4300/M4350/M4500 switches connecting to both MLAG switches forming LACP LAGs automatically.

You will find the technical documentation here:

https://www.netgear.com/support/product/m4500-32c#docs

The Software Admin Manual is a collection of examples, MLAG is explained.

You can send an email to ProAVDesign@netgear.com for some more help!

I am showing an example below using two M4500 XSM4556; but you can follow it step by step with your two M4500 CSM4532, this is the exact same with different port numbers:

Example: two M4500 XSM4556 switches can be used in active-active mode, so that the GSM4248UX’s can connect to both of them using LAG as if it was a single switch at the core.

This is MLAG, not stacking. But it’s better than stacking, no multicast flooding between the two core switches.

The method is explained in the admin guide starting page 62.

• First enable MLAG and create MLAG Domain 1 on each switch, with all necessary other commands (peer-keepalive etc.)
• Second create a LAG between the two core switches, and convert this LAG into a peer link for this MLAG domain
• Third create the LAGs on each core switch, specifying the MLAG number – this way you have a MLAG across both switches every time
• On the access GSM4248UX switches, just do a standard LAG (stay default on all parameters) and connect to every core switch

Example:

If I am assuming that your left XSM4556 has a Source Management IP address of 172.20.20.101 (for instance source management is OOB port)

If I am assuming that your left XSM4556 has a Source Management IP address of 172.20.20.102 (for instance source management is OOB port)

If I am assuming that you are going to use the 8x100G ports on each XSM4556 for the 800G peer link between the two core switches

1. Enable MLAG and create MLAG Domain 1 on each core switch, with dual control plane detection (keepalive source destination)

Core Switch 101, in Global config mode: #mlag; #mlag domain 1; #mlag peer-keepalive enable; #mlag peer-keepalive destination 172.20.20.102 source 172.20.20.101; exit

Core Switch 102, in Global config mode: #mlag; #mlag domain 1; #mlag peer-keepalive enable; #mlag peer-keepalive destination 172.20.20.101 source 172.20.20.102; exit

1. Create LAG1 and make it Peer Link on both core switches, tagged mode only (no untag traffic must be found on peer link)

Core switch 101 and 102, in Config Interface Range 0/49-0/56: channel-group 1 mode active

Core Switch 101 and 102, in Config general mode: #interface port-channel 1; ch1# no staticcapability; ch1#ip igmp snooping interfacemode; ch1#switchport mode trunk; ch1#description “MLAG-Peer-Link”; ch1#no switchport trunk native vlan; ch1# mlag peer-link ;exit

If I am assuming that you want to connect two GSM4248UX with, each, 4x10G links to the first XSM4556, and 4x10G links to the second XSM4556

1. Do the MLAG2 for the first GSM4248UX on each core switch (identical on each switch)

Core switch 101 and 102, in Config Interface Range 0/1-0/4: channel-group 2 mode active

Core Switch 101 and 102, in Config general mode: #interface port-channel 2; ch2# no staticcapability; ch2#ip igmp snooping interfacemode; ch2#switchport mode trunk; ch2#description “Link-to-first-GSM4248UX”; ch2#no switchport trunk native vlan; ch2# mlag2; exit

1. Do the MLAG3 for the second GSM4248UX on each core switch (identical on each switch)

Core switch 101 and 102, in Config Interface Range 0/5-0/8: channel-group 3 mode active

Core Switch 101 and 102, in Config general mode: #interface port-channel 3; ch3# no staticcapability; ch3#ip igmp snooping interfacemode; ch3#switchport mode trunk; ch3#description “Link-to-second-GSM4248UX”; ch3#no switchport trunk native vlan; ch3# mlag3; exit

1. Etc.
2. Disable Spanning Tree on both core switches at the very end, only when all MLAG interfaces are up from the edge

Core Switch 101 and 102, in Global config mode: #no spanning-tree ;exit