ExtremeXOS software supports two broad categories of load sharing, or link aggregation.
Dynamic load sharing includes the Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) and Health Check Link Aggregation. The Link Aggregation Control Protocol is used to dynamically determine if link aggregation is possible and then to automatically configure the aggregation. LACP is part of the IEEE 802.1AX standard and allows the switch to dynamically reconfigure the LAGs. The LAG is enabled only when LACP detects that the remote device is also using LACP and is able to join the LAG. Health Check Link Aggregation is used to create a link aggregation group that monitors a particular TCP/IP address and TCP port.
Static load sharing is a grouping of ports specifically configured to load share. The switch ports at each end must be specifically configured as part of a load-sharing group.
Note
The platform-related load sharing algorithms apply to LACP (as well as static load sharing).