HP StorageWorks 8B FC Entry Switch - Manual (Page 9)

ISL Trunking User’s Guide 1-1
Chapter
1
Introducing ISL Trunking
This chapter provides the following information:
• Overview on page 1-1
• Advantages of ISL Trunking on page 1-1
•
Trunking Groups, Ports and Masters on page 1-3
Overview
Interswitch Link (ISL) Trunking is an optionally licensed product available on the FC Entry Switch
8B, FC Switch 8B, and FC 16B switches with Fabric OS version 3.0.1b or later. ISL Trunking is
managed using telnet commands or the Web Tools interface.
The ISL Trunking feature allows up to four ISLs, connections between two switches through an
Expansion Port (E_Port), to merge logically into a single link. When using ISL Trunking to
aggregate bandwidth of up to four ports, the throughput of the ISLs between switches in a fabric is
quadrupled. For example, at 2 Gb/Sec speeds, ISL Trunking delivers ISL throughput of up to 8
Gb/Sec.
ISL Trunking also supports high-bandwidth, large-scale Storage Area Networks (SANs) which
include core switches. The primary task of ISL Trunking is to route data and edge switches that
aggregate connections to servers and storage. ISL Trunking simplifies network design and reduces
the cost of storage management by optimizing bandwidth utilization and enabling load sharing of
traffic at the frame-level.
For a list of frequently asked questions about the ISL Trunking Feature, refer to Frequently Asked
Questions about ISL Trunking on page 3-4 .
Advantages of ISL Trunking
The ISL Trunking feature enhances switch to switch performance in Storage Area Networks while
simplifying management and improving reliability. Advantages of the ISL Trunking feature
include:
• Combining up to four ISLs into a single logical ISL
• Load sharing traffic across all ISLs in a trunk
•
Maintaining in-order delivery of frames
• Avoiding rerouting if one of the server links between two switches fails
• Simplifying management by implementing fewer ISLs