README

   1 lldpd: implementation of IEEE 802.1ab (LLDP)
   2 --------------------------------------------
   3
   4   https://trac.luffy.cx/lldpd/
   5
   6 LLDP (Link Layer Discovery Protocol) is an industry standard protocol
   7 designed to supplant proprietary Link-Layer protocols such as
   8 Extreme's EDP (Extreme Discovery Protocol) and CDP (Cisco Discovery
   9 Protocol). The goal of LLDP is to provide an inter-vendor compatible
  10 mechanism to deliver Link-Layer notifications to adjacent network
  11 devices.
  12
  13 lldpd implements both reception and sending. It also implements an
  14 SNMP subagent for net-snmp to get local and remote LLDP
  15 information. The LLDP MIB is partially implemented but the most useful
  16 tables are here.
  17
  18 lldpd supports bridge, vlan and bonding. bonding need to be done on
  19 real physical devices, not on bridges, vlans, etc. However, vlans can
  20 be mapped on the bonding device. You can bridge vlan but not add vlans
  21 on bridges. More complex setups may give false results.
  22
  23 lldpctl allows to query information collected through the command line.
  24
  25 lldpd also implements CDP (Cisco Discovery Protocol), FDP (Foundry
  26 Discovery Protocol), SONMP (Nortel Discovery Protocol) and EDP
  27 (Extreme Discovery Protocol). However, recent versions of IOS should
  28 support LLDP and most Extreme stuff support LLDP. When a EDP, CDP or
  29 SONMP frame is received on a given interface, lldpd starts sending
  30 EDP, CDP, FDP or SONMP frame on this interface. Informations collected
  31 through EDP/CDP/FDP/SONMP are integrated with other informations and
  32 can be queried with lldpctl or through SNMP.
  33
  34 For bonding, you need 2.6.24 (in previous version, PACKET_ORIGDEV
  35 affected only non multicast packets). See:
  36  http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commitdiff;h=80feaacb8a6400a9540a961b6743c69a5896b937
  37  http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commitdiff;h=8032b46489e50ef8f3992159abd0349b5b8e476c
  38
  39 Otherwise, real device will be choosen randomly.
  40
  41 On 2.6.27, we are able to receive packets on real interface for bonded
  42 devices. This allows to get neighbor information on active/backup
  43 bonds. Without the 2.6.27, lldpd won't receive any information on
  44 inactive slaves. Here are the patchs (thanks to Joe Eykholt):
  45  http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commit;h=0d7a3681232f545c6a59f77e60f7667673ef0e93
  46  http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commit;h=cc9bd5cebc0825e0fabc0186ab85806a0891104f
  47  http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commit;h=f982307f22db96201e41540295f24e8dcc10c78f
  48
  49 More information:
  50  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LLDP
  51  http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/download/802.1AB-2005.pdf
  52  http://wiki.wireshark.org/LinkLayerDiscoveryProtocol
  53
  54 lldpd is distributed under the following license:
  55  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
  56  * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
  57  * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
  58  *
  59  * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
  60  * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
  61  * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
  62  * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
  63  * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
  64  * ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
  65  * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  66
  67 OpenLLDP is another implementation of LLDP. It supports several OS
  68 (Windows, Mac OS X, *BSD) and LLDP-MED extensions but does not include
  69 an SNMP subagent or the support for CDP/SONMP.
  70  http://openlldp.sourceforge.net/