CHAPTER
4-1
Ethernet Card Software Feature and Configuration Guide, R7.2
January 2009
4
Configuring Interfaces
This chapter describes basic interface configuration for the ML-Series card to help you get your
ML-Series card up and running. Advanced packet-over-SONET/SDH (POS) interface configuration is
covered in Chapter 5, “Configuring POS.” For more information about the Cisco IOS commands used in
this chapter, refer to the Cisco IOS Command Reference publication.
This chapter contains the following major sections:
General Interface Guidelines, page 4-1
Basic Interface Configuration, page 4-3
Basic Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and POS Interface Configuration, page 4-4
CRC Threshold Configuration, page 4-11
Monitoring Operations on the Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethe rnet Interfaces, page 4-12
Note Complete the initial configuration of your ML-Series card before proceeding with configuring
interfaces.

General Interface Guidelines

The main function of the ML-Series card is to relay packets from one data link to another. Consequently,
you must configure the characteristics of the interfaces that receive and send packets. Interface
characteristics include, but are not limited to, IP address, address of the port, data encapsulation method,
and media type.
Many features are enabled on a per-interface basis. Interface configura tion mode contains commands
that modify the interface operation (for example, of an Ethernet port). When you enter the interface
command, you must specify the interface type and number.
The following general guidelines apply to all physical and virtu al interface configuration processes:
All interfaces have a name that is composed of an interface type (word) and a Port ID (number). For
example, FastEthernet 2.
Configure each interface with a bridge-group or IP address and IP s ubnet mask.
VLANs are supported through the use of subinterfaces. The subinterface is a logical interface
configured separately from the associated physical interface.
Each physical interface, including the internal POS interfaces, has an assigned MAC address.