Deployment Guide

Inter-chassis Links
● Inter-chassis links .........................................................................................................483
● ICLs for the Brocade DCX 8510 Backbone family........................................................ 484
● ICLs for the Brocade DCX Backbone family................................................................. 486
● Virtual Fabrics considerations for ICLs......................................................................... 487
● Supported topologies for ICL connections.................................................................... 487
Inter-chassis links
An inter-chassis link (ICL) is a licensed feature used to interconnect two Brocade DCX or DCX 8510
Backbones. ICL ports in the core blades are used to interconnect the Backbones, potentially increasing
the number of usable ports in the Backbone chassis.
The Brocade Backbones support two types of ICLs:
• The Brocade DCX 8510 Backbone family supports optical ICL QSFPs.
• The Brocade DCX Backbone family supports proprietary copper ICL connectors.
When two Brocade Backbones are interconnected by ICLs, each chassis requires a unique domain and
is managed as a separate switch.
NOTE
You cannot interconnect a Brocade DCX Backbone family chassis to a Brocade DCX 8510 Backbone
family chassis.
The ICL ports appear as regular ports, with some restrictions. All port parameters associated with ICL
ports are static, and all portCfg commands are blocked from changing any of the ICL port parameters,
except for EX_Port and FEC port parameters. The only management associated with ICL ports and
cables is monitoring the status of the LEDs on the ICL ports and any maintenance if the Attention LED
is blinking yellow.
The ICL ports are managed as E_Ports. For the Brocade DCX_8510 Backbone family, you can also
configure EX_Ports on the ICLs. Refer to Using FC-FC Routing to Connect Fabrics on page 533 for
instructions.
When you connect two Brocade Backbones, the following features are supported:
• Trunking
• Buffer-to-buffer credit sharing
• QoS
NOTE
A Brocade trunking license is not required for trunking on ICL connections.
Refer to the specific hardware reference manuals for additional information about LED status meanings
and ICL connections, including instructions on how to cable ICLs.
Fabric OS Administrators Guide
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