A method supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group at a network device, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled via links of the link aggregation group with a second portal including of one or more remote network devices, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port using an intra-portal link, the method comprising: initializing the network device for operating distributed resilient control protocol (DRCP) on the IPP coupled to the neighbor network device using the IPL, wherein the initialization includes setting default parameter values for the neighbor network device on the IPP to be operational parameters of the neighbor network device provided by an administrator of the first portal; checking that DRCP is enabled at the IPP, wherein the checking includes determining a variable indicating that the IPP is operating DRCP; entering an expired state at the network device, wherein the network device performs: setting a distributed relay control protocol (DRCP) state parameter of the network device to expired, setting an IPP activity of the neighbor network device to be inactive, and setting a timer for receiving a distributed relay control protocol data unit (DRCPDU); upon receiving a DRCPDU before expiration of the timer, wherein the DRCPDU includes neighbor network device's state information; determining that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal; determining, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal, that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, wherein the determination comprises determining that administratively configured values associated with the first portal are consistent with that of the received DRCPDU; and recording, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, neighbor network device's state information included in the received DRCPDU as state operational variables of the neighbor network device at the network device, wherein the neighbor network device's state information includes DRCP variables for the IPP. initializing the network device for operating distributed resilient control protocol (DRCP) on the IPP coupled to the neighbor network device using the IPL, wherein the initialization includes setting default parameter values for the neighbor network device on the IPP to be operational parameters of the neighbor network device provided by an administrator of the first portal; checking that DRCP is enabled at the IPP, wherein the checking includes determining a variable indicating that the IPP is operating DRCP; entering an expired state at the network device, wherein the network device performs: setting a distributed relay control protocol (DRCP) state parameter of the network device to expired, setting an IPP activity of the neighbor network device to be inactive, and setting a timer for receiving a distributed relay control protocol data unit (DRCPDU); setting a distributed relay control protocol (DRCP) state parameter of the network device to expired, setting an IPP activity of the neighbor network device to be inactive, and setting a timer for receiving a distributed relay control protocol data unit (DRCPDU); upon receiving a DRCPDU before expiration of the timer, wherein the DRCPDU includes neighbor network device's state information; determining that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal; determining, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal, that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, wherein the determination comprises determining that administratively configured values associated with the first portal are consistent with that of the received DRCPDU; and recording, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, neighbor network device's state information included in the received DRCPDU as state operational variables of the neighbor network device at the network device, wherein the neighbor network device's state information includes DRCP variables for the IPP. determining that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal; determining, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is associated with the first portal, that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, wherein the determination comprises determining that administratively configured values associated with the first portal are consistent with that of the received DRCPDU; and recording, if it was determined that the received DRCPDU is compatible with the network device, neighbor network device's state information included in the received DRCPDU as state operational variables of the neighbor network device at the network device, wherein the neighbor network device's state information includes DRCP variables for the IPP.