Specifications

IP Networking
139
IP-Trunk Connection Limitations
Prior to Release MCD 5.0 there were some IP-Trunk limitations to consider. These include:
• The number of IP-Trunk channels per connection, or route - 200 per route
• The total number of IP-Trunk channels on the node, gateway or controller is limited to a
total 2000 provisioned channels
• The number of IP-XNet Trunk Groups (321)
Prior to Release MCD 5.0, all IP-Trunk connections, or routes, had to be associated with an
IP/XNet trunk group and this restricted the number of IP-Trunk connections to 321 on a particular
unit, or node. This provides an upper limit to a meshed IP-Trunk network of 322 nodes.
At Release MCD 5.0 the following changes were made:
• The number of IP-Trunk channels per connection, or route, is increased up to 2000. The
number of channels in use can still be restricted in the IP/XNet trunk group configuration
• The total number of IP-Trunk channels on the node, gateway or controller is limited to 2000
active channels, i.e. it is possible to overprovision
• The number of IP/XNet trunk groups was increased to 999 at Release MCD 5.0 SP2 PR2
• Provision for IP-Trunk connections, or routes, can now be made via "Direct-IP" rather than
through IP/XNet Trunk Groups
The use of "Direct IP" and IP/Xnet Trunk Groups are mutually exclusive for a connection from
a programming point of view, but usage of both methods can be intermixed on the same node.
Use of Direct-IP removes the channel provisioning limit, or requirement, and also the need to
program up an additional IP/XNet Trunk Groups form.
For existing systems that migrate to Release MCD 5.0, or later, IP-XNet Trunk Groups can still
be used. The IP/XNet Trunk Groups can also be expanded, if needed. MCD 5.0 SP2 PR2
increases the number of connections up to 999.
For new installations it is recommended to use the Direct-IP setting for simplification of
management. Bandwidth management with zones should be used to provide a more accurate
bandwidth consumption analysis for remotely connected units.