Exchanging Network Connectivity Information With LLDP

On any local area network, individual components such as systems and switches are not configured in isolation. To host network traffic efficiently, the configuration of systems on the network must be coordinated with each other. Thus, packet exchange occurs based on the components' capabilities, link property configuration, bandwidth limits, and so on. You can manually configure each system, switch, and other components to ensure compatibility among these components. However, this method is risky and can easily cause misconfigurations, particularly if different administrators work independently on different systems. A better alternative is to use a technology that enables systems to transmit their individual configuration information to peer systems. With this technology, risk is diminished and network administration becomes easier. Oracle Solaris supports Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) for this specific purpose.

This chapter describes how to enable systems to exchange system and network connectivity information throughout the local network by using LLDP. The following topics are covered:

• Overview of LLDP in Oracle Solaris

• Information the LLDP Agent Advertises

• TLV Units and Their Properties

• Enabling LLDP on the System

• Monitoring LLDP Agents