Aggregation Switch EML Technical Parameters

Aggregation switches combine multiple physical Ethernet links into high-bandwidth logical links with redundancy, LACP support, and advanced traffic management features.Core Technical Parameters

Bandwidth and Performance: Modern aggregation switches support high-density throughput, such as 1.8 Tbps for 100G/25G Layer 3 Etherlighting™ switches, enabling high-capacity data forwarding and low-latency performance for enterprise networks . Link Aggregation (EML): Aggregation switches bundle multiple physical Ethernet links into a single logical aggregate link, increasing bandwidth and providing redundancy. Traffic is distributed across member ports, and if a port fails, traffic is automatically switched to remaining ports . Aggregation Modes:

• Static Aggregation: Member ports are manually configured and remain stable regardless of peer device state.
• Dynamic Aggregation (LACP): Uses IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation Control Protocol to negotiate port membership dynamically. LACP can operate in active or passive mode, exchanging LACPDUs to determine selected ports and maintain link reliability . Layer Support:
• Layer 2 Aggregation: Member ports are limited to Layer 2 Ethernet interfaces, supporting VLAN tagging, QinQ, and protocol-based VLAN configurations.
• Layer 3 Aggregation: Supports routing and forwarding at Layer 3, enabling high-performance inter-VLAN and inter-subnet traffic handling . Traffic Management and QoS: Aggregation switches can prioritize special traffic using ACLs, traffic classifiers, and 802.1p re-marking. Traffic policies can be applied to downlink interfaces to ensure VIP or latency-sensitive traffic receives preferential forwarding . Redundancy and High Availability: Aggregation switches often support MC-LAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation) for device-level backup, ensuring continuous connectivity and load balancing across multiple switches . Interface Density: High-density aggregation switches provide multiple 25G/100G ports, allowing flexible stacking and expansion to meet campus or data center requirements . Configuration Flexibility: Each aggregate interface has an aggregation group containing member ports. Protocol configurations like MAC learning or spanning tree do not affect aggregation state, allowing independent traffic management . Key Benefits:
• Increased bandwidth beyond single-link limits
• Improved link reliability and failover
• Dynamic load balancing across member ports
• Support for advanced QoS and traffic prioritization
• High-density port aggregation for scalable network design These parameters make aggregation switches ideal for enterprise campus networks, data centers, and high-availability deployments, providing both performance and resilience.