Whats VOSS option when initializing new 5520 switches?

[Keith9]

We are rolling out new 5520 switches at our locations and one of the questions you get when you first power on a new device prior to its initial configuration is Would you like to change the switch OS to VOSS?  What is VOSS?

What benefits does it have?  Is it good?  Any references you can provide as to why one would choose this option over EXOS would be appreciated.

[EXTR_Paul · Accepted solution]

VOSS is the Switch O/S that runs on VSP switches.  Traditionally this was seen on Avaya VSPs. But has continued to be developed with the newest Extreme VSPs.(4900, 7400, 8600).   And now going forward Extreme switches will give customers the options to run the unified hardware platforms in either EXOS or VOSS mode on the 5000 series.

VOSS’s main differentiator compared to traditional switches comes to topology deployment and inter-switch communication.  In a regular switch, inter-switch links will be L2 trunks or Routed interfaces.  Switches running VOSS uses Shortest Path Bridging (SPBm) as single protocol for the topology. And allows you to deploy Layer 2, Layer 3, or VRF services at the network edge only.  you don’t need to touch every single link or switch in the network.

As for Pro’s/Con’s.

VSPs can’t stack.  So when you need high density switch ports.  It makes sense to deploy the switches in EXOS mode.

However, I do have customers who deploy VSPs in the closet.  They simply use SPBm has the inter-switch protocol.  But you do need to be mindful how many switches you are cascading in the IDF. 

VSPs are great for Data Center, Core and Distribution because you can get very creative in topology designs.  And VOSS switches do support clusters of two with MC-LAG/vIST.

VSPs are also great for CCTV deployments because SPBm routes multicast traffic natively.  No need for PIM, rendezvous points, manually setting queirier addresses or igmp ranges.   Yuck.

Another caveat is if you are using XMC/Control with L7 policies it makes sense to deploy the switch in EXOS.  Today VOSS does not support Policy.

IMHO, if your network is a single switch or just a simple topology of 4 or 6 switches it really doesn’t matter what you use, EXOS or VOSS.

But VOSS really shines when you have dozens and dozens, or hundreds of switches in a single fabric.  The ease of configuration is something to be seen.   12 lines of switch code and you are off.

Here is a great paper talking about it.

https://documentation.extremenetworks.com/TCG-TSG/SPBVOSS_TCG_CG.pdf?_ga=2.240576579.1362158379.1612...

[Chris_H]

Just as an addition, as it wasn’t mentioned and the question was “what is VOSS”: VOSS is the operating system that’s coming from the VSP and ERS types of switches in our portfolio.

The 5520 has unified hardware, so the same hardware can run either EXOS or VOSS.

[n5yzv]

I too am considering VOSS and SPBM for a large network.  We just happen to have 60 5520 switches in boxes ready to start rolling it out.  What I was surprised to see was, no stacking.  In larger closets, at least in my possible brain washed mind, I feel I “need” stacking.  Lastly, I get the idea of how it works, except how the client is placed in the network with the correct vlan and ip permissions.  Yes.  I’m reading and have a scheduled call with the Local SE and a “higher up” engineer.  I drank the XOS cool-aid a long time ago..I am very comfortable with XOS.  But dam this looks interesting.

[OscarK]

If you want to do stacking EXOS is the only OS on the 5520 that supports stacking.

Other than that choosing EXOS or VOSS is a personal choice, choose the option that suits your needs.

[Miguel-Angel_RO]

Hi Bill,

Just imagine what you could do if:

• you can stretch the fabric up to the edge and create the VLAN:i-sid assignment per port on-demand via Radius with no Fabric Attach
• drive with your radius igmp, dhcp snooping, ports speed/duplex, SLPP Guard, BPDU Guard settings
• auto-configure the ports with auto-sense
• scale to thousand nodes in the Fabric

This is for “tomorrow” on 5520 running VOSS.

We already have the two first bullets on BOSS running SPBM up to the edge and coupled with the NAC it is already Sci-Fi for the customers.

With VOSS on the edge the customer stays with one OS on all the network.

I also deploy EXOS networks and my preference is clearly for the fabric up to the edge.

Just a matter of personal preferences, I had long discussions with the local Extreme SE and he didn’t found the killer argument to make me change

Regards

Mig