Basic concepts

DLDP neighbor states

If port A can receive link-layer packets from port B on the same link, port B is a DLDP neighbor of port A. Two ports that can exchange packets are neighbors.

Table 3: DLDP neighbor states

DLDP timer

Description

Confirmed

The link to a DLDP neighbor is bidirectional.

Unconfirmed

The state of the link to a newly discovered neighbor is not determined.

DLDP port states

A DLDP-enabled port is called a DLDP port. A DLDP port can have multiple neighbors, and its state varies by the DLDP neighbor state.

Table 4: DLDP port states

State

Description

Initial

DLDP is enabled on the port, but is disabled globally.

Inactive

DLDP is enabled on the port and globally, and the link is physically down.

Bidirectional

DLDP is enabled on the port and globally, and at least one neighbor in Confirmed state exists.

Unidirectional

DLDP is enabled on the port and globally, and no neighbor in Confirmed state exists. In this state, a port does not send or receive packets other than DLDP packets any more.

DLDP timers

Table 5: DLDP timers

DLDP timer

Description

Advertisement timer

Advertisement packet sending interval (the default is 5 seconds and is configurable).

Probe timer

Probe packet sending interval. This timer is set to 1 second.

Echo timer

The Echo timer is triggered when a probe is launched for a new neighbor. This timer is set to 10 seconds.

Entry timer

When a new neighbor joins, a neighbor entry is created and the corresponding entry timer is triggered if the neighbor is in Confirmed state. When an Advertisement is received, the device updates the corresponding neighbor entry and the Entry timer.

The setting of an Entry timer is three times that of the Advertisement timer.

Enhanced timer

The Enhanced timer is triggered, together with the Echo timer, when the Entry timer expires. The Enhanced timer is set to 1 second.

DelayDown timer

If a port is physically down, the device triggers the DelayDown timer, rather than removing the corresponding neighbor entry. The default DelayDown timer is 1 second and is configurable.

When the DelayDown timer expires, the device removes the corresponding DLDP neighbor information if the port is down, and does not perform any operation if the port is up.

RecoverProbe timer

This timer is set to 2 seconds. A port in unidirectional state regularly sends RecoverProbe packets to detect whether a unidirectional link has been restored to bidirectional.

DLDP authentication mode

You can use DLDP authentication to prevent network attacks and illegal detecting.

Table 6: DLDP authentication mode

Authentication mode

Processing at the DLDP packet sending side

Processing at the DLDP packet receiving side

Non-authentication

The sending side sets the Authentication field of DLDP packets to 0.

The receiving side examines the authentication information of received DLDP packets and drops packets where the authentication information conflicts with the local configuration.

Plaintext authentication

The sending side sets the Authentication field to the password configured in plain text.

MD5 authentication

The sending side encrypts the user configured password by using MD5 algorithm, and assigns the digest to the Authentication field.