SmartConnect User’s Guide
Trunking Rules
The trunking feature operates according to specific rules of operation. When working with trunks, consider the following rules to determine how a trunk reacts in any network topology:
Trunking to
For any specific trunk, only one physical port type can be active at any given time. If ports of different types (such as 1G ports and 10G ports) are mixed in a trunk (as occurs in the default configuration), the switch uses the Best Link algorithm to select the best port type for trunk operation. The
For any specific trunk, although any number of ports can be assigned to the trunk, a maxi- mum of eight ports may have an active link at any given time. If more than eight ports are included in a trunk, the switch will automatically disable links on the extra trunk ports while eight ports are in operation.
Each trunk may consist of internal ports only, or external ports only. Internal and external ports cannot be mixed in the same trunk.
Each external trunk must consist of member ports belonging to only one VSG. External ports for different VSGs cannot be trunked together.
Each external trunk must originate from one logical device (one switch or different switches in the same stack), and lead to one logical destination device (such as a switch, stack, or other network device).
Internal trunks require that stacking is enabled.
Internal trunks may have member ports belonging to one VSG or multiple VSGs.
Each internal trunk may group internal ports from the same switch or multiple switches in a stack, and may lead to one or more network devices.
Internal trunks do not support VMs that are assigned to VSGs. Trunking ports that include
These rules apply to any switch when operating independently, or to the set as a whole when multiple switches are placed in a stacked configuration.
32 Chapter 3: Switch Virtualization | BMD00082, February 2009 |
