ASR920 L3 Multi-path and Ether-channel Link-Aggregation
Load-balancing behavior
Port-channel (LAG/LACP) for MPLS links (i.e. LAG)
Port-channel (LAG-/LACP) load-share algorithms
for MPLS
Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) Support
Number of ECMP Paths
LAG Load-sharing
LACP 1:1 (Active/Standby) support
Max. 2 member links and 1 Active link
LAG: Maximum groups and maximum links per group
LAG: Configure min-links and max-bundle for
Etherchannel
S Yes
P router:
1.L3VPN Traffic , - default is SRC MAC, change it to src/dst
IP address
2.L2VPN traffic – By default it will loadbalance on inner
VC label
S
PE router:
1. L2VPN traffic – Load-balanced based configured port-
channel mode (default is SRC MAC)
2. L3VPN traffic – Load-Balanced based configured port-
channel mode (default is SRC MAC).
P router:
1. L3VPN traffic , default it will load balance on src/dst ip
hash
S 2. L2VPN traffic loadbalance via inner label
PE router
1. L3VPN traffic – based on src/ds tip hash
2. L2vpn traffic – based on local labels..
S Four
Supports “per-flow” load balancing. The
ASIC supports 16 hash buckets and links
are mapped sequentially to these buckets
based on a CRC32 hash. Non-labelled
flows are hashed using Destination IP;
Destination MAC; Source XOR Destination
S
IP Addr; Source XOR Destination MAC;
Source IP; or Source MAC as inputs.
Labelled flows are based on ip src/dst
hash for l3vpn and inner labels for
l2vpn(P router). For PE router, it depends
on configuration.
S Yes
Max 64 Groups (with maximum 8 Active Links
S
and 8 standby links)
S
 LAG (IEEE802.3ad/802.1ax) supported across Yes; 10G acting in one gig cannot be bundled
S
slots/modules with one-gig ports.
Yes, on member links; Refer configuration
LAG: QOS with Etherchannel/Port-channel/LAG S
guide for details.
Load-balancing without total throughput degradation S Yes
Able to load balance the traffic by hashing MAC address
S Yes
(source/destination)
Able to load balance the traffic by hashing IP address
S Yes
(source/destination)

ME-3600 / ME-3800 L3 Multi-path and Ether-channel Link-

Aggregation Load-balancing behavior

Scenario L3 Multipath Ether-Channel Link-Aggregation

Nile capability Current Nile capability Current programming

programming

IP Routing / IP-SA and IP-DA IP-SA and IP-DA MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both Based on:

MPLS-VPN (Global configuration)

(MPLS -> IP) port-channel load-balance { dst-ip|src-ip|src-dst-ip|dst-
OR mac| src-mac|src-dst-mac}

IP-SA, IP-DA or both

(Global configuration)

Bridging / N/A N/A MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both Based on:

(Global configuration)
port-channel load-balance { dst-ip|src-ip|src-dst-ip|dst-
OR mac| src-mac|src-dst-mac}
VPWS (MPLS IP-SA, IP-DA or both
-> EFP/SVI X-
connect) / (Global configuration)

VPLS (MPLS - OR
> Bride-
domain) VLAN (per-Bridge-domain)

MPLS VPN (IP IP-SA and IP-DA IP-SA and IP-DA MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both Based on:
-> MPLS)
(Global configuration)
port-channel load-balance { dst-ip|src-ip|src-dst-ip|dst-
mac| src-mac|src-dst-mac}

OR

IP-SA, IP-DA or both

(Global configuration)

VPWS IP Packet: IP-SA and IP-DA VC-Label MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both Based on:

(EFP/SVI X- (hashing and distribution of (Global configuration)

connect -> PWs to ECMP paths is done port-channel load-balance { dst-ip|src-ip|src-dst-ip|dst-
MPLS) Non-IP Packet: MAC-SA and by software) OR mac| src-mac|src-dst-mac}
MAC-DA
IP-SA, IP-DA or both

(Global configuration)
OR
OR

VLAN (per-Bridge-domain)
VLAN (per-Bridge-domain)

VPLS IP Packet: IP-SA and IP-DA VC-Label MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both Based on:

(Bride- (Global configuration)

domain -> port-channel load-balance { dst-ip|src-ip|src-dst-ip|dst-
MPLS) Non-IP Packet: MAC-SA and (hashing and distribution of OR mac| src-mac|src-dst-mac}
MAC-DA PWs to ECMP paths is done
by software) IP-SA, IP-DA or both

(Global configuration)
OR
OR

VLAN (per-Bridge-domain)
VLAN (per-Bridge-domain)

P-router/LSR Nile has 2 limitations for label Select 1-path per ingress- If V4-Payload beneath EOS, IP- If configure MAC-Hash:
/ load-balancing: label forwarding-entry – SA, IP-DA or both
st
the 1 path provided by Only Outer MAC-SA, MAC-DA or both (irrespective of
MPLS-VPN software If V6-Payload beneath EOS, IP- payload determination)
(MPLS -> SA, IP-DA or both
- Load-balance paths for a If configure IP-Hash:
label need to be either
ALL MPLS or IP, not a
MPLS mix since the MPLS label If control-word beneath EOS, If V4-Payload beneath EOS, IP-SA, IP-DA or both
Disposition) forwarding operation Inner MAC-SA, MAC-DA or
(SWAP/POP) is both If V6-Payload beneath EOS, IP-SA, IP-DA or both
associated with the
Label forwarding entry Else Last/EOS-Label
OR
and not with the
destination path
If V4-Payload beneath EOS, IP- So, if we configure MAC-Hash:
selected based on load-
balancing SA, IP-DA or both
Hash = Selects only 1-link since MAC-addresses are same
If V6-Payload beneath EOS, IP- between P-routers
- Nile cannot do load- SA, IP-DA or both
balancing on last-label
conditional on the Else Last/EOS-Label
control-word (it does it
unconditionally if it OR
doesn’t find V4 and V6).

Summary of the capabilities

Only Outer MAC-SA, MAC-DA
(with the above limitations):
or both (irrespective of payload
determination)
If V4-Payload beneath EOS, IP-
SA, IP-DA or both

If V6-Payload beneath EOS,

IP-SA, IP-DA or both

If control-word beneath EOS,

Inner MAC-SA, MAC-DA or
both

OR

If V4-Payload beneath EOS,

IP-SA, IP-DA or both

If V6-Payload beneath EOS,

IP-SA, IP-DA or both Else

Last/EOS-Label

OR

Only Outer MAC-SA, MAC-DA

or both (irrespective of
payload determination)

OR

Only Inner MAC-SA, MAC-DA

or both , beneath EOS

(irrespective of payload
determination)

OR
Only Last/EOS label
(irrespective of payload
determination)