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Cisco IE 2000 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Configuring FlexLinks and the MAC Address-Table Move Update
Finding Feature Information
Your software release may not support all the features documented in this chapter. For the latest feature
information and caveats, see the release notes for your platform and software release.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support an d Cisco software image
support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to http://www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on
Cisco.com is not required.

Restrictions for the FlexLinks and the MAC Address-Table Move

Update

To use this feature, the switch must be running the LAN Base image.

Information About Configuring the FlexLinks and the MAC

Address-Table Move Update

FlexLinks

FlexLinks are a pair of a Layer 2 interfaces (switch ports or port channels) where one interface is
configured to act as a backup to the other. The feature provides an alternative solution to the Spanning
Tree Protocol (STP). Users can disable STP and still retain basic link redundancy. FlexLinks are
typically configured in service provider or enterprise networks where customers do not wa nt to run STP
on the switch. If the switch is running STP, FlexLinks is not necessary because STP already provides
link-level redundancy or backup.
You configure FlexLinks on one Layer 2 interface (the active link) by assigning another Layer 2 interface
as the FlexLinks or backup link. When one of the links is up and forwarding traffic, the other link is in
standby mode, ready to begin forwarding traffic if the other link shuts down. At any given time, only one