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Cisco ASA 5500 Series Configuration Guide using the CLI
Chapter6 Starting Interface Configuration (ASA 5510 and Higher)
Default Settings
•All interfaces in the channel group must be the same type and speed. The first interface added to the
channel group determines the correct type and speed.
•The device to which you connect the ASA 5500 EtherChannel must also support 802.3ad
EtherChannels; for example, you can connect to the Catalyst 6500 switch.
•All ASA configuration refers to the logical EtherChannel interface instead of the member physical
interfaces.
•You cannot use a redundant interface as part of an EtherChannel, nor can you use an EtherChannel
as part of a redundant interface. You cannot use the same physical interfaces in a redundant interface
and an EtherChannel interface. You can, however, configure both types on the ASA if they do not
use the same physical interfaces.
•You cannot use interfaces on the 4GE SSM, including the integrated 4GE SSM in slot 1 on the ASA
5550, as part of an EtherChannel.
•For failover guidelines, see the “Failover Guidelines” section on page6-10.
Default Settings
This section lists default settings for interfaces if you do not have a factory default configuration. For
information about the factory default configurations, see the “Factory Default Configurations” section
on page 2-10.
Default State of Interfaces
The default state of an interface depends on the type and the context mode.
In multiple context mode, all allocated interfaces are enabled by default, no matter what the state of the
interface is in the system execution space. However, for traffic to pass through the interface, the interface
also has to be enabled in the system execution space. If you shut down an interface in the system
execution space, then that interface is down in all contexts that share it.
In single mode or in the system execution space, interfaces have the following default states:
•Physical interfaces—Disabled.
•Redundant Interfaces—Enabled. However, for traffic to pass through the redundant interface, the
member physical interfaces must also be enabled.
•Subinterfaces—Enabled. However, for traffic to pass through the subinterface, the physical interface
must also be enabled.
•EtherChannel port-channel interfaces—Enabled. However, for traffic to pass through the
EtherChannel, the channel group physical interfaces must also be enabled.
Default Speed and Duplex
•By default, the speed and duplex for copper (RJ-45) interfaces are set to auto-negotiate.
•The fiber interface for the ASA 5550 (slot 1) and the 4GE SSM has a fixed speed and does not
support duplex, but you can set the interface to negotiate link parameters (the default) or not to
negotiate.
•For fiber interfaces for the ASA 5580 and 5585-X, the speed is set for automatic link negotiation.