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Ethernet PortChannels and Fibre Channel PortChannels
S e n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o m d s f e e d b a c k - d o c @ c i s c o . c o m .
Ethernet PortChannels
Figure 33-13
addresses the problem caused by individual Gigabit Ethernet link failures.
Figure 33-13 Ethernet PortChannel-Based High Availability
The following characteristics set Ethernet PortChannel solutions apart from other solutions:
•
•
•
Ethernet PortChannels and Fibre Channel PortChannels
Ethernet PortChannels offer link redundancy between the Cisco MDS 9000 Family switch's Gigabit
Ethernet ports and the connecting ethernet switch. On the other hand, Fibre Channel PortChannels offer
(E)ISL link redundancy between Fibre Channel switches. FCIP is an (E)ISL link and is only applicable
for a Fibre Channel PortChannel. Beneath the FCIP level, an FCIP link can run on top of an Ethernet
PortChannel or just on one Gigabit Ethernet port. This link is totally transparent to the Fibre Channel
layer.
An Ethernet PortChannel restriction only allows two contiguous IPS ports, such as ports 1–2 or 3–4, to
be combined in one Ethernet Portchannel (see the
section on page
PortChannel (to which FCIP link can be a part of), does not have a restriction on which (E)ISL links can
be combined in a Fibre Channel PortChannel as long as it passes the compatibility check (see the
"Compatibility Check" section on page
be put into a Fibre Channel PortChannel is 16 (see
Cisco MDS 9000 Family Configuration Guide
33-32
displays an Ethernet PortChannel-based high availability FCIP example. This solution
FC fabric
Ethernet ports are
in PortChannel
The Gigabit Ethernet link level redundancy ensures a transparent failover if one of the Gigabit
Ethernet links fails.
Two Gigabit Ethernet ports in one Ethernet PortChannel appear like one logical Gigabit Ethernet
link.
The FCIP link stays up during the failover.
37-15). This restriction only applies to Ethernet PortChannels. The Fibre Channel
FCIP link
IP
network
"Configuring Gigabit Ethernet High Availability"
13-10). The maximum number of Fibre Channel ports that can
Figure
33-14).
Chapter 33
Configuring FCIP
FC fabric
OL-6973-03, Cisco MDS SAN-OS Release 2.x
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