6-9
Optimizing Port Usage Through Traffic Control and Port Trunking
Port Trunking
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Port Trunking
Port Status and ConfigurationFeature
s
Port trunking allows you to assign up to four physical links to one logical link
(trunk) that functions as a single, higher-speed link providing dramatically
increased bandwidth. This capability applies to connections between back-
bone devices as well as to connections in other network areas where traffic
bottlenecks exist. A
trunk group
is a set of up to four ports configured as
members of the same port trunk. Note that the ports in a trunk group do not
have to be consecutive. For example:
Figure 6-3. Conceptual Example of Port Trunking
With full-duplex operation in a four-port trunk group, trunking enables the
following bandwidth capabilities:
Table 6-2.
Bandwidth Capacity for Trunk Groups Configured for Full-Duplex
Feature
Default
Menu
CLI
Web
viewing port trunks
n/a
page 6-15
page 6-17
page 6-22
configuring a static trunk
group
none
page 6-15
page 6-20
—
configuring a dynamic LACP
trunk group
LACP passive —
page 6-21
—
10 Mbps Links
100 Mbps Links
1000 Mbps Links
2 Ports
Up to 40 Mbps
Up to 400 Mbps
Up to 4000 Mbps
3 Ports
Up to 60 Mbps
Up to 600 Mbps
n/a*
4 Ports
Up to 80 Mbps
Up to 800 Mbps
n/a*
*
The SMC6624M offers a maximum of two gigabit links if optional gigabit modules are installed.
Switch 1:
Ports 1 - 4
configured
as a port
trunk group.
The multiple physical links in a trunk behave as one logical link
port 1
port 2
port 3
port 4
port 5
port 6
port 7
.
.
.
port 1
port 2
port 3
port 4
port 5
port 6
port 7
.
.
.
Switch 2:
Ports 3 - 6
configured
as a port
trunk group
