Understanding Port Channels And Vsan Trunking - Cisco nexus 5000 series Cli Configuration Manual

Information About SAN Port Channels
S e n d f e e d b a c k t o n x 5 0 0 0 - d o c f e e d b a c k @ c i s c o . c o m
This section describes SANs and includes the following topics:
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Understanding Port Channels and VSAN Trunking

Switches in the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series implement VSAN trunking and port channels as follows:
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See
Figure 1-1
Switch 1
You can create a SAN port channel with members that are E ports, as shown on the left side of
In this configuration, the port channel implements a logical ISL (carrying traffic for one VSAN).
You can create a SAN port channel with members that are TE-ports, as shown on the right side of
Figure
multiple VSANs).
Figure 1-2
Switch 1
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch CLI Software Configuration Guide
1-2
Understanding Port Channels and VSAN Trunking, page 1-2
Understanding Load Balancing, page 1-3
A SAN port channel enables several physical links to be combined into one aggregated logical link.
An industry standard E port can link to other vendor switches and is referred to as inter-switch link
(ISL), as shown on the left side of
VSAN trunking enables a link transmitting frames in the EISL format to carry traffic for multiple
VSAN . When trunking is operational on an E port, that E port becomes a TE port. EISLs connects
only between Cisco switches, as shown on the right side of
Chapter 1, "Configuring VSAN Trunking"
VSAN Trunking Only
Any other
switch
ISL
E port E port
1-2. In this configuration, the port channel implements a logical EISL (carrying traffic for
Port Channels and VSAN Trunking
Switch 2
ISL 1
ISL 2
ISL 3
Port channel
Figure 1-1.
Figure
for information on trunk interfaces.
Switch 1
EISL
TE port TE port
Trunking
Switch 1
EISL 1
EISL 2
EISL 3
Port channel
and trunking
Chapter 1 Configuring SAN Port Channels
1-1.
Switch 2
Figure
Switch 2
OL-16597-01
1-2.