Link Layer Discovery Protocol - Frame Structure

Frame Structure

LLDP information is sent by devices from each of their interfaces at a fixed interval, in the form of an Ethernet frame. Each frame contains one LLDP Data Unit (LLDPDU). Each LLDPDU is a sequence of type-length-value (TLV) structures.

The Ethernet frame used in LLDP has its destination MAC address typically set to a special multicast address that 802.1D-compliant bridges do not forward Other multicast and unicast destination addresses are permitted. The EtherType field is set to 0x88cc.

Each LLDP frame starts with the following mandatory TLVs: Chassis ID, Port ID, and Time-to-Live. The mandatory TLVs are followed by any number of optional TLVs. The frame ends with a special TLV, named end of LLDPDU in which both the type and length fields are 0.

Accordingly, an Ethernet frame containing an LLDPDU has the following structure:

LLDP Ethernet frame structure
Preamble Destination MAC Source MAC Ethertype Chassis ID TLV Port ID TLV Time to live TLV Optional TLVs End of LLDPDU TLV Frame check sequence
01:80:c2:00:00:0e, or
01:80:c2:00:00:03, or
01:80:c2:00:00:00
Station's address 0x88CC Type=1 Type=2 Type=3 Zero or more complete TLVs Type=0, Length=0

Each of the TLV components has the following basic structure:

TLV structure
Type Length Value
7 bits 9 bits 0-510 octets

Custom TLVs, are supported via a TLV type 127. The value of a custom TLV starts with a 24-bit organizationally unique identifier and a 1 byte organizationally specific subtype followed by data. The basic format for an organizationally specific TLV is show below:

Organizationally specific TLV
Type Length Organizationally unique identifier (OUI) Organizationally defined subtype Organizationally defined information string
7 bits—127 9 bits 24 bits 8 bits 0-507 octets

According to IEEE Std 802.1AB, §9.6.1.3, "The Organizationally Unique Identifier shall contain the organization's OUI as defined in IEEE Std 802-2001." Each organization is responsible for managing their subtypes.

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