You can use it to aggregate a group of interfaces of the same speed and duplex setting. Table 3-1 on page 42 summarizes the bonding methods and descriptions of the associated network layers. The 802.3ad standard does not mandate any particular distribution algorithms. However, no distribution algorithm ensures that the following actions do not occur: 

GLYPH<SM590000> Misordering frames that are part of any conversation 

GLYPH<SM590000> Duplicating frames 

The standard suggests, but does not mandate, that the algorithm can assign one or more conversations to the same port; however, it must not allocate some of the frames of a conversation to one port and the remainder to different ports. The information that is used to assign conversations to ports could include the following items: 

GLYPH<SM590000> Source MAC address 

GLYPH<SM590000> Destination MAC address 

GLYPH<SM590000> Source IP address 

GLYPH<SM590000> Destination IP address 

GLYPH<SM590000> The reception port 

GLYPH<SM590000> The type of destination address (individual or group MAC address) 

GLYPH<SM590000> Ethernet Length/Type value (protocol identification) 

GLYPH<SM590000> Higher layer protocol information (for example, addressing and protocol identification information from the LLC sub layer or above) 

GLYPH<SM590000> Combinations of these items 

The transmit hash policy decides, according to parameters or a combination of parameters, the frames that are distributed. For example, when you have a server that exchanges information with several hosts on the same subnet, configuring a source/destination MAC hash usually produces a reasonable load distribution. If you want to use load balancing over a router, then a Layer 3 hash does not help because the server sees only one IP address (of the router), and therefore all traffic is sent over the same interface. In this case, a Layer 4 hash must be used. 

## Notes:  T 

GLYPH<SM590000> The 802.3ad dynamic link aggregation method is suitable to increase your throughput when you use 1 Gb network interfaces in combination with a single backup server. 

GLYPH<SM590000> Combining all 1 Gb network interfaces into one single link aggregation group is not a preferred practice. Use multiple groups of two interfaces or four interfaces instead. 

