> # Ethernet PortChannels and Fibre Channel PortChannels

> Ethernet PortChannels offer link redundancy between the Cisco MDS 9000 Family switch’s Gigabit Ethernet ports and the connecting Ethernet switch. Fibre Channel PortChannels also offer (E)ISL link redundancy between Fibre Channel switches. FCIP is an (E)ISL link and is only applicable for a Fibre Channel PortChannel. Beneath the FCIP level, an FCIP link can run on top of an Ethernet PortChannel or on one Gigabit Ethernet port. This link is totally transparent to the Fibre Channel layer.

> An Ethernet PortChannel restriction only allows two contiguous IPS ports, such as ports 1–2 or 3–4, to be combined in one Ethernet PortChannel (see "Configuring IP Storage" for more information). This restriction only applies to Ethernet PortChannels. The Fibre Channel PortChannel (to which FCIP link can be a part of) does not have a restriction on which (E)ISL links can be combined in a Fibre Channel PortChannel as long as it passes the compatibility check, The maximum number of Fibre Channel ports that can be put into a Fibre Channel PortChannel is 16 .

> To configure Fibre Channel PortChannels, see the Interfaces Configuration Guide, Cisco DCNM for SAN.

> To configure Ethernet PortChannels, see the High Availability and Redundancy Configuration Guide,Cisco DCNM for SAN.

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