24 
•  Install the interface cards in proper slots as needed. Each S5120-EI series provides two expansion 
slots.  
•  Determine the ports on different devices to be connected.  
When 2-port interface cards are used to constitute an IRF fabric and the ports are not assigned to any 
aggregation group, ports of the interface card in slot 1 (MOD 1) can be connected to ports of MOD 1 
or MOD 2. However, the left port can be connected to only the right port of another interface card, that 
is, two ports at the same side cannot be connected, as shown in Figure 27.  
Figure 27 Cable connections of an 
IRF fabric in the non-aggregate mode with 2-port interface cards 
 
 
•  When 2-port interface cards are adopted in an IRF fabric with ports operating in the aggregation 
mode, ports of MOD 1 can only be connected to ports of MOD 2, and the locations of the ports of 
the interface cards are not limited.  
Figure 28 Cable connections in an IRF fabric in the aggregation mode with 2-port interface cards 
 
 
•  1-port interface cards do not support port aggregation in the IRF fabric. When 1-port interface 
cards are connected for an IRF fabric, the port of MOD 1 can only be connected to the port on 
MOD 2, as shown by callout 1 in Figure 29;
 when a 1-port interface card is connected to a 2-port 
interface card for an IRF fabric, the port of MOD 1 can only be connected to the right port of the 
2-port interface card, as shown by callout 2 in Figure 29.