Fabric attach: SMLT Vlan, SMLT-LACP loop protection

[tfsnetman]

Hello,

I am trying to get my head around how to connect a fabric attach stack switch to a VSP cluster.

I was using this as a reference:

http://documentation.extremenetworks.com/VOSS/SW/82x/ConfigLinkAggVOSS_8.2_CG.pdf

Page 73 could be our scenario with:

2 x VSPs in a cluster with SMLT
1 x X460-G2 stack - fabric attach client, link aggregation with LACP

Questions:

SMLT VLAN

• Why would I need VLAN 33 for the SMLT, if the SMLT client is a switch?
• If a vlan is needed on the VSPs do I have to configure it on the x460 client switch and add the vlan to the uplinks as tagged?

Loop protection:

• SLPP doesn’t seem to work with LACP
• the X460 disables spanning tree on port groups
• Should I use LACP on the X460-G2 stack?
• should I keep spanning-tree enabled on the SMLT/ MLT ports on the VSPs?
• What would you recommended as loop protection?

Thanks, Klaus

[StephanH]

Hello Klaus,

regarding SMLT VLAN:

if your edge switch is a xos (like your X460) and you want add this switch with fabric attached  (FA), than you do not need the vlan 33 from the example you mentioned. No vlan ins needed on the uplink between edge switch an vsp, because fabric attache informations are transported via LLDP.

Here is a example for FA configuration with XOS:

https://gtacknowledge.extremenetworks.com/articles/How_To/000040556

Regarding Loop protection:

Enable sharing (with LACP) on XOS and include both port (to peer A and B in the example)
Use SMLT for the connections from XOS to VSP

SLPP on LACP ports is not supported (as you mentioned)!

Disable Spanning Tree and consider to work without a loop protection mechanism on interswitch links.