TRUNKING Meaning and
Definition
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Trunking, in the context of telecommunications and computer networking, refers to the method of combining multiple communication channels into a single, high-capacity link. It is employed to increase the efficiency and utilization of a network by aggregating several lower-bandwidth connections into a single, higher-bandwidth pathway for transmission.
In traditional telephony, trunking usually involves connecting multiple phone lines to a central telephone exchange or private branch exchange (PBX) system. This allows for the consolidation of phone lines and the sharing of resources, such as call routing and switching, among various users. It helps optimize the usage of telecommunications infrastructure while providing cost-effective communication services.
In computer networking, trunking is commonly used in local area networks (LANs) to aggregate multiple Ethernet connections, typically between switches, into a single logical link known as a trunk. By doing so, it enables greater bandwidth capacity, load balancing, and redundancy in network connections. Trunking protocols, such as Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) or Cisco's proprietary Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP), are utilized to establish trunk links and facilitate the automatic distribution of data traffic across the aggregated channels.
Trunking, whether in telecommunications or computer networking, enables efficient utilization of network resources, improves performance, and enhances network reliability by consolidating multiple connections into a single high-capacity pathway.
Common Misspellings for TRUNKING
Etymology of TRUNKING
The word "trunking" has multiple etymological origins, as it can be used to describe different things in various contexts. Here are the main origins for two different meanings of "trunking":
1. Telecommunications Meaning:
In the context of telecommunications and networking, "trunking" refers to the act of combining multiple communication channels into one trunk line. The term comes from the use of physical cables, often called "trunks", that were historically used to carry multiple voice or data signals simultaneously. The etymology of this meaning of "trunking" is derived from the Middle English word "trunk", which originally referred to a large box or storage container. Over time, "trunk" started being used to describe the main body or stem of a tree, and later extended to mean a large conduit or channel for carrying various things, including communication signals.
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