Static Link Aggregation Overview; Static Link Aggregation Operation - Alcatel OmniSwitch 6800 Series Network Configuration Manual

Configuring Static Link Aggregation

Static Link Aggregation Overview

Link aggregation allows you to combine 2, 4, or 8 physical connections into large virtual connections
known as link aggregation groups. You can create up to 32 link aggregation groups on a standalone switch
and up to 32 groups stack consisting of up to 8 OmniSwitch 6800 Series switches.
You can create Virtual LANs (VLANs), configure Quality of Service (QoS) conditions, 802.1Q framing,
and other networking features on link aggregation groups because the switch's software treats these virtual
links just like physical links. (See
how link aggregation interacts with other software features.)
Load balancing for Layer 2 non IP packets is on a MAC address basis and for IP packets the balancing
algorithm uses IP address as well. Ports must be the same speed within the same link aggregate group.
Alcatel's link aggregation software allows you to configure the following two different types of link
aggregation groups:
Static link aggregate groups
•
Dynamic link aggregate groups
•
This chapter describes static link aggregation (also known as OmniChannel). For information on dynamic
link aggregation, please refer to

Static Link Aggregation Operation

Static link aggregate groups, also known as OmniChannel, are virtual links between two nodes consisting
of 2, 4, or 8 physical links. Up to 32 static and or dynamic link aggregation groups can be configured on a
standalone switch or a stack consisting of up to eight OmniSwitch 6800 Series switches.
Static aggregate groups can be created between two OmniSwitch 6800 Series switches; between an
OmniSwitch 6800 Series switch and an OmniSwitch 7700/7800, 8800 or OmniSwitch 6600 Family
switch; or between an OmniSwitch 6800 Series switch and an early-generation Alcatel switch such as an
Omni Switch/Router. However, static aggregate groups cannot be created between OmniSwitch 6800
Series switches and some switches from other vendors.
The figure below shows a static aggregate group that has been configured between Switch A and Switch
B. The static aggregate group links four 100 Mbps ports on Switch A to four 100 Mbps ports on Switch B.
The network administrator has created a separate VLAN for this group so users can use this high speed
link.
Switch software treats the
static aggregate groups as
one large virtual link.
OmniSwitch 6800 Series Network Configuration Guide
"Relationship to Other Features" on page 10-6
Chapter 11, "Configuring Dynamic Link Aggregation."
Switch A
Example of a Static Link Aggregate Group Network
Static Group
November 2004
Static Link Aggregation Overview
for more information on
Switch B
page 10-5