LLDP Overview

The Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) is a protocol that enables network managers to troubleshoot and enhance network management in multi-vendor environments. LLDP standardizes methods for network devices to advertise themselves to other systems, and to store discovered information.

LLDP enables a device to advertise its identification, configuration, and capabilities to neighboring devices that then store the data in a Management Information Base (MIB). The network management system models the topology of the network by querying these MIB databases.

LLDP is a link layer protocol. By default, the switch terminates and processes all incoming LLDP packets as required by the protocol.

The LLDP protocol has an extension called LLDP Media Endpoint Discovery (LLDP-MED), which provides and accepts information from media endpoint devices such as VoIP phones and video phones. For further information about LLDP-MED, see LLDP MED.

LLDP Configuration Workflow

Following are examples of actions that can be performed with the LLDP feature and in a suggested order. You can refer to the LLDP/CDP section for additional guidelines on LLDP configuration.

  1. Enter LLDP global parameters, such as the time interval for sending LLDP updates using the LLDP Properties page.
  2. Configure LLDP per port by using the Port Settings page.
  3. Create LLDP MED network policies by using the LLDP MED Network Policy page.
  4. Associate LLDP MED network policies and the optional LLDP-MED TLVs to the desired interfaces by using the LLDP MED Port Settings page.
  5. If Auto Smartport is to detect the capabilities of LLDP devices, enable LLDP in the Smartport Properties page.
  6. Display overloading information by using the LLDP Overloading page.