topic Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches in ExtremeSwitching (VSP/Fabric Engine)

Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

ExtremeNewbie — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:50:05 GMT

Hello Community,

I have a setup question. I have 2 sites with and Extreme 8404 core switch at each site.

I have 2x top of rack switches in a port channel on each site going into their respective Extreme core ports.

However, I do not have a core connection from Extreme core switch site A to top of rack site B and Extreme core switch site B to top of rack switch site A.

Can anyone advise the best way to do this please?

I have a fibre link between the the 2 sites with free fibre cores to use. The top of rack switches are currently using 2 core ports at each site going into the Extreme core switch (LACP).

The below is what I need.

Any thoughts or advice?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

XTRMUser — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:03:19 GMT

We have a similar setup. In ours, our two Cores are vIST'ed together. Then on each site, our two top of racks (running VOSS) are vISTed to each other. Then from site A, there is an uplink to Site A core, and one uplink to Site B core. You can either do both uplink from one top of rack (TOR), or (what we do) one uplink from first TOR to site A, and one uplink from second TOR to site B.

Somebody correct me if I missed something, or didn't explain this very well.

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

ExtremeNewbie — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:25:44 GMT

@XTRMUser - many thanks for your reply. This is what I was thinking too. For Site A:

TOR switches stacked.
1x 10GB link to Extreme site A
1x 10GB link to Extreme site B
Extreme site A and B 10GB ports in MLT
Similar for Site B.

Currently I have this setup in MLT with no port members assigned so it's classed as a NormalMLT. I'm thinking once setup and the correct port members are assigned this will change to SplitMLT.

I am also thinking have 2 MLT's. One for each pair of TOR switches from site A to site B rather than 1 MLT with 2 port members? Is this how you would do this?

Many thanks,

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

XTRMUser — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:42:08 GMT

I think your cores are running VOSS correct? What about your TOR's?

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

ExtremeNewbie — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:05:47 GMT

@XTRMUser - Yes on the cores it is VOSS and the TOR switches are Dell and Use OS10 Smart Fabric.

Thanks,

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

WillyHe — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:04:33 GMT

When the CORE's are in SMLT cluster configuration then you can connect the DELL switch/stacks wit one LAG (static or LACP active) the SMLT LAG's on the CORE's.

When the CORE's are not SMLT cluster configuration, then you must connect each DELL switch/stack with separate links/LAG's to the local and to the remote CORE and rely on spanning tree (MSTP) for loop prevention and recovery.

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

ExtremeNewbie — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 12:19:08 GMT

@WillyHe I can confirm the cores are in SMLT Cluster configuration. I have a multitude of SMLT links set up to other switches etc.

Thanks,

Re: Extreme core switch and Top of rack switches

XTRMUser — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:12:02 GMT

I think WillyHe did a good job of explaining what you need to do. In our situation, all the switches (Cores and TOR's) are VOSS, which is why we did what we did.