Link Aggregation between a Proxmox Server and Cisco 2960-X Switch

Link Aggregation 802.3ad LACP:

What is Link Aggregation and LACP (802.3ad)?

Link aggregation is a networking technique that combines multiple network connections into a single logical link, increasing bandwidth and providing redundancy. By grouping several physical connections together, it can enhance data transfer speeds and prevent network downtime if one link fails. This approach is particularly important for high-traffic environments where maintaining high performance and reliability is crucial. Additionally, link aggregation helps balance the load across multiple links, preventing congestion and improving overall network efficiency. It is widely used in data centers, enterprise networks, and high-availability systems.

In my setup, I'm using an r710 Dell server running Proxmox connected to my patch panel via two Cat 5e patch cables running from the server's dual port NIC to the panel. The patch panel then routes these cables neatly to ports 37 and 38 on a Cisco switch. These two ports are aggregated using Ethernet bonding (LACP), which combines them into a single logical connection. As a result, my virtualization server benefits from a 2 Gbps connection to the switch, along with redundancy in case of port or cable failure. Additionally, this configuration enables load balancing across the links, which helps to optimize network performance.

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