In RiOS v9.1 and later, you can deploy SteelHeads across Ethernet links that are logically aggregated using EtherChannel or IEEE 802.3ad. These links use protocols such as Cisco Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) or the IEEE Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) to negotiate how multiple physical links are bundled into a single logical link. The SteelHead passes through negotiation protocols without participating in them.

When deploying SteelHeads on aggregated links, you must:

The SteelHead must be physically in-path to use EtherChannel—you cannot use EtherChannel in a logical in-path configuration. You can configure SteelHeads with connection forwarding to neighbor appliances, which might or might not be deployed on port aggregated interfaces.

Figure 9‑3 shows two SteelHeads with two links each deployed in series on a two-link EtherChannel. Each SteelHead in-path interface has its own unique IP address in the EtherChannel link's subnet. Router 1 and Router 2 each have a single IP address for the two physical links, but each SteelHead has two IP addresses, one for each in-path interface.

The following example shows the CLI configuration for the in-path and ARP filter configuration for SteelHead 1 as shown in Figure 9‑3:

The SteelHead supports the port channel or channels through all of its available interfaces, including the four 10-Gbps in-path interfaces, or up to ten 1-Gbps interfaces. All links within the port channel must pass through the same SteelHead.

To ensure the SteelHead bundles interfaces appropriately in an EtherChannel, the following parameters must be consistent on all in-path interfaces: