Overview of MultiLink Trunking
MultiLink Trunking (MLT) is a point-to-point connection that aggregates multiple ports so that they logically act like a single port with the aggregated bandwidth. Grouping multiple ports into a logical link allows you to achieve higher aggregate throughput on a switch-to-switch or switch-to-server application. MultiLink Trunking provides media and module redundancy.
A number of Nortel Networks products implement MultiLink Trunking and have different features and requirements based on the architecture of the device. The Passport 8000 Series switch has the following general requirements and features:
- The ports in a MultiLink Trunk (MLT) can be on different modules in the switch.
- MultiLink Trunking is supported on 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 100BASE-FX, and Gigabit Ethernet ports.
- All ports in an MLT must be of the same media type (copper or fiber) and have the same settings (speed and duplex).
- All ports in an MLT must be in the same spanning tree group.
- MultiLink Trunking is compatible with the Spanning Tree Protocol.
- IEEE 802.1Q tagging is supported on an MLT.
The Passport 8600 modules have the following characteristics:
- As many as 32 MLTs, each containing up to eight ports, are supported.
- For bridge traffic, the algorithm that distributes traffic across an MLT is based on the source and destination MAC addresses.
- For routed traffic, the algorithm that distributes traffic across an MLT is based on the source and destination IP addresses.
The Passport 8100 modules have the following characteristics:
- As many as six MLTs, each containing up to four ports, are supported.
- To optimize speed, the switch will distribute traffic to an MLT on the same module. If there is no MLT on the module, a round robin algorithm will then determine which MLT should receive the traffic. The round robin algorithm is based on the source MAC address and the port on which that MAC address was learned.
For more information about MultiLink Trunking in your network, see Networking Concepts for the Passport 8000 Series Switch.
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