Overview - HP StorageWorks MSA 2/8 - SAN Switch User Manual

Introducing ISL Trunking

Overview

ISL Trunking allows the formation of trunking groups that distribute traffic across
the shared bandwidth of all the Interswitch Links (ISLs) in the trunking group.
ISL Trunking is an optionally licensed product provided on the Fabric Operating
System (FOS) on all HP StorageWorks 2 Gbps switches.
The ISL Trunking feature optimizes network performance by allowing up to four
ISL connections between two switches to merge logically into a single link. This
enables traffic to be routed through any available ISL in the group rather than be
restricted to a specific, potentially congested ISL. ISL Trunking distributes traffic
dynamically across the merged ISLs at the Fibre Channel frame level while
preserving in-order delivery of the frames.
ISL Trunking is compatible with both short wavelength (SWL) and long
wavelength (LWL) fiber optic cables and transceivers.
14 ISL Trunking Version 3.1.x/4.1.x User Guide