D-Link DES-3326 User Manual - Link Aggregation
DES-3326 Layer 3 Fast Ethernet Switch User’s Guide
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Configuring the Switch Using the Console Interface
Link Aggregation
Link aggregation allows several ports to be grouped together and
to act as a single link. This gives a bandwidth that is a multiple of
a single link’s bandwidth.
Link Aggregation is most commonly used to link a bandwidth
intensive network device or devices – such as a server or server
farm – to the backbone of a network.
The configuration of the lowest numbered port in the group
becomes the configuration for all of the ports in the aggregation
group. This port is called the base port of the group, and all
configuration options – including the VLAN configuration – that
can be applied to the base port are applied to the entire link
aggregation group.
Load balancing is automatically applied to the links in the
aggregation group, and a link failure within the group causes the
network traffic to be directed to the remaining links in the group.
Note: The Spanning Tree Protocol will treat a link
aggregation group as a single link, on the switch level. On
the port level, the STP will use the port parameters of the
base port in the calculation of port cost and in determining
the state of the link aggregation group. If two redundant
link aggregation groups are configured on the switch, STP
will block one entire group – in the same way STP will
block a single port that has a redundant link.
To configure a link aggregation group:
Highlight Link Aggregation on the Main Menu and press enter.