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

Configuring Dynamic Link Aggregation

Dynamic 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 in a 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 switch software treats these virtual links
just like physical links. (See
link aggregation interacts with other software features.)
Link aggregation groups are identified by unique MAC addresses, which are created by the switch but can
be modified by the user at any time. 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 aggregate group.
Alcatel's link aggregation software allows you to configure the following two different types of link
aggregation groups:
Static link aggregate (OmniChannel) groups
•
Dynamic link aggregate groups
•
This chapter describes dynamic link aggregation. For information on static link aggregation (also known
as OmniChannel), please refer to

Dynamic Link Aggregation Operation

Dynamic aggregate groups are virtual links between two nodes consisting of 2, 4, or 8 10 Mbps, 100
Mbps, or 1 Gbps fixed physical links. Dynamic aggregate groups use the standard IEEE 802.3ad Link
Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) to dynamically establish the best possible configuration for the
group. This task is accomplished by special Link Aggregation Control Protocol Data Unit (LACPDU)
frames that are sent and received by switches on both sides of the link to monitor and maintain the
dynamic aggregate group.
The figure on the following page shows a dynamic aggregate group that has been configured between
Switch A and Switch B. The dynamic aggregate group links four ports on Switch A to four ports on
Switch B.
OmniSwitch 6800 Series Network Configuration Guide
"Relationship to Other Features" on page 11-9
Chapter 10, "Configuring Static Link Aggregation."
November 2004
Dynamic Link Aggregation Overview
for more information on how
page 11-7