[c-nsp] Cisco Fast EtherChannel vs. IEEE 802.3ad ?

[Ed Ravin]

We're using a Cisco Fast EtherChannel trunk between our 7513 and
an elderly HP ProCurve.  The ProCurve has a config setting for trunks
where it explicitly says "FEC mode". The Cisco is set up with a
"Port-Channel" interface and all is well.

But I'm shopping for a new switch to replace the ProCurve, and the newer
ProCurve switches seem to all support IEEE 802.3ad / LACP, with no mention
of EtherChannel.  Googling around a bit, it seems that Cisco Fast EtherChannel
might be a subset of IEEE 802.3ad or vice versa, but it's not clear, since
I also see mention that Cisco Fast EtherChannel is proprietary and had to
be specially licensed to HP.

Can anyone shed some light on the subject?

Thanks,

	-- Ed