LLDP

The IEEE 802.1AB Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) provides a standards-based method for network devices to discover each other and exchange information about their capabilities. An LLDP device advertises itself to adjacent (neighbor) devices by transmitting LLDP data packets on all interfaces on which outbound LLDP is enabled, and reading LLDP advertisements from neighbor devices on ports on which inbound LLDP is enabled. Inbound packets from neighbor devices are stored in a special LLDP MIB (management information base). This information can then be queried by other devices through SNMP.

LLDP information is used by network management tools to create accurate physical network topologies by determining which devices are neighbors and through which interfaces they connect. LLDP operates at layer 2 and requires an LLDP agent to be active on each interface that sends and receives LLDP advertisements. LLDP advertisements can contain a variable number of TLV (type, length, value) information elements. Each TLV describes a single attribute of a device such as: system capabilities, management IP address, device ID, port ID.

Packet boundaries

When multiple LLDP devices are directly connected, an outbound LLDP packet travels only to the next LLDP device. An LLDP-capable device does not forward LLDP packets to any other devices, regardless of whether they are LLDP-enabled.

An intervening hub or repeater forwards the LLDP packets it receives in the same manner as any other multicast packets it receives. Therefore, two LLDP switches joined by a hub or repeater handle LLDP traffic in the same way that they would if directly connected.

Any intervening 802.1D device or Layer-3 device that is either LLDP-unaware or has disabled LLDP operation drops the packet.

LLDP-MED

LLDP-MED (ANSI/TIA-1057/D6) extends the LLDP (IEEE 802.1AB) industry standard to support advanced features on the network edge for Voice Over IP (VoIP) endpoint devices with specialized capabilities and LLDP-MED standards-based functionality. LLDP-MED in the switches uses the standard LLDP commands described earlier in this section, with some extensions, and also introduces new commands unique to LLDP-MED operation. The show commands described elsewhere in this section are applicable to both LLDP and LLDP-MED operation. LLDP-MED enables:

  • Configure Voice VLAN and advertise it to connected MED endpoint devices.
  • Power over Ethernet (PoE) status and troubleshooting support via SNMP.