How does bandwidth aggregation work?
Bandwidth aggregation is simple in concept: you simply combine the bandwidth of two or more connections to provide a single connection. Implementation can be simple or complex and can include load balancing and failover. Bandwidth aggregation can be done via software, a dedicated appliance, or built into a broadband or T-1 router. Consequently, bandwidth aggregation solutions vary in price from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. Combining multiple Internet connections to get more bandwidth is not a new concept. In fact, Windows Multilink is a feature that’s been around since NT and still exists in Windows XP and, at the time of this writing, the Windows Vista beta. It only works with dialup modem connections, but lets you attach two modems and phone lines to a computer (or a two-channel ISDN line and adapter) and combine the bandwidth of both–if your ISP’s dialup server is configured to support Multilink. You can even configure conditions under which extra lines are used or d
