Link Aggregation Control Protocol

(LACP)
Definition - What does Link Aggregation Control
Protocol (LACP) mean?
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) is a protocol for the collective handling of
multiple physical ports that can be seen as a single channel for network traffic purposes.
This serves the general principle of link aggregation which describes the effort of
setting up parallel network structures to provide redundancy or to improve
performance.
Techopedia explains Link Aggregation Control
Protocol (LACP)
The !nstitute of "lectrical and "lectronics "ngineers (!""") has its own #$%.&ad LACP
standard but there are also proprietary types of LACP developed by companies like
Cisco. LACP developed throughout the '(($s and the initial release of !""" standards
happened in the year %$$$. ")perts feel that LACP has advantages over some other
types of backup like conventional failover systems.
!n terms of actual methodology aggregation can be performed at layers two and three of
the *+! model and devices can share one logical !P or ,AC address. Link aggregation
can help with limitations on bandwidth in cabled networks. !n general these systems
help to support more powerful and efficient networks where the drive toward big data
has left tech companies scrambling to offer ever more capable network systems built in
radically different ways.
Posted by- Cory .anssen
Link Aggregation (LAG)
Definition - What does Link Aggregation (LAG) mean?
Link aggregation (LA/) is used to describe various methods for using multiple parallel
network connections to increase throughput beyond the limit that one link (one
connection) can achieve. 0or link aggregation physical ports must reside on a single
switch. +plit ,ulti1Link Trunking (+,LT) and 2outed1+,LT (2+,LT) remove this
limitation and physical ports are allowed to connect3split between two switches. This
term is also known as ,ulti1Link Trunking (,LT) Link 4undling
"thernet35etwork35!C 4onding or 5!C teaming.
Techopedia explains Link Aggregation (LAG)
Link aggregation is a techni6ue used in a high1speed1backbone network to enable the
fast and ine)pensive transmission of bulk data. The best feature of link aggregation is its
ability to enhance or increase the network capacity while maintaining a fast
transmission speed and not changing any hardware devices thus reducing cost. Cost
ffecti!eness LAG is a !er" common techni#$e for esta%lishing a ne& net&ork
infrastr$ct$re $sing extra ca%ling a%o!e the c$rrent re#$irements' La%or cost is
m$ch more than the cost of ca%ling' Th$s( &hen a net&ork extension is re#$ired(
the extra ca%les are $sed &itho$t inc$rring an" additional la%or' )o&e!er( this can
%e done onl" &hen extra ports are a!aila%le' )igher-Link A!aila%ilit" This is the
%est feat$re of LAG' A comm$nication s"stem keeps &orking e!en &hen a link
fails' *n s$ch sit$ations( link capacit" is red$ced %$t data flo& is not interr$pted'
+et&ork ,ack%one -ormerl"( there &ere man" techni#$es $sed for net&orking(
%$t * standards are al&a"s preferred' LAG s$pports net&ork load %alancing'
Different load %alancing algorithms are set %" net&ork engineers or
administrators' -$rthermore( net&ork speed is increased %" small increments(
sa!ing %oth reso$rces and cost' Limitations With all kinds of implementations(
each link and piece of hard&are is standardi.ed and engineered to not affect the
net&ork efficienc" or link speed' Additionall"( &ith single-s&itching all kind of
ports (/01'2ad( %roadcast( etc') m$st reside on a single s&itch or the same logical
s&itch'
Posted by- Cory .anssen