intersite connectivity - dual fiber, dual cores, dual vendor cores - suggestions?

[Kevin_Sanders]

Here is what I have today:
1. Two sites with interconnected dual core (chassis) switches. Site 1 is Extreme BD8810s. Site 2 is Brocade chassis switches.
2. Both sites running vrrp (for local vlans) and ospf.
3. Each site has it's own default gateway (local firewall) as well as partner routers (to same partner) at each site redistributing bgp routes into the ospf core. Redundancy for each site works beautifully for the partner sites - each site uses it's local partner router unless it stops putting out routes (goes to other site if it does).
4. Core 1 to Core 1 connection is a 1Gbps LX fiber on a Core 1 to Core 1 only ospf vlan. Core 2 to Core 2 connection is a 100Mbps LX fiber on a Core 2 to Core 2 only ospf vlan. Routes for other site always go through Core 1 to Core 1 link unless the link stops passing traffic in which case it fail over beautifully to the 100Mbps link on Core 2 to Core 2.
5. All attached devices at each site are split between the cores in an active (core 1)/standby (core 2) configuration.

Here is the change:
New Core 2 to Core 2 connection that is 1Gbps LX fiber.

Where I want to go:
I want to actively use both links for 2Gbps between sites.

Questions
1. Will the link speed change and OSPF simply accomplish this in the current configuration? (I do have ospf equal cost sharing enabled)
2. Should I make a single ospf vlan across all 4 switches for this (as opposed to a core1 to core1 vlan and a core2 to core2 vlan)?
3. Extreme side is not running stp but Brocade side is running stp. Will this mess with things?
4. Is there a better way to do this considering I do not want to move away from the current config with local vrrp vlans and ospf?

Redundancy is very important to us as it is a call center environment; I do not want to introduce any single points of failure. I have looked at a couple "smarter" solutions that would let us granularly control traffic between sites but seeing that the connections are fiber (and always up to the demarc even if it is down somewhere in between) a routing or health check type solution is preferred.

Thanks for your advice. I can upload a quickie visio if needed but I think it should be clear from the above.

[Kevin_Sanders]

Thanks all ... I looked at SummitStack-V and it is only for 10GB ports (our links are 1Gbps from the ISPs and the x440-8t is not supported. I'll take a look at MLAG on both the Extreme and the Brocade.

[Mrxlazuardin]

Hi Kevin,

I have tried bonding of stacked X460s, but I don't think BD support stacking. At least you can use MLAG which is supported by BD. Both solution, need the same way on Brocade side. If your site to site link is on your own (not leased one from NSP/ISP) you can try stacked X670 for 10Gbps site to site link.

Best regards,

[Kevin_Sanders]

Wong Peng Leong, thank you very much for your reply. I still have the x440-8t switches at each site. I am going to read up on SummitStack-V tomorrow as I am unfamiliar with it. Unfortunately, the ISPs are different for each of the 1Gbps dark fiber connections ... we specifically had them provisioned using different ISPs with completely different paths between sites. Thanks again - Kevin

[Mel78__CISSP__E]

Hi Kevin,

You may look for more info here. Do note the switch model constraints on the usage of 10Gbps for stacking. http://documentation.extremenetworks.com/summit/Summit_Family_HW_Install/Stacking/c_using-the-summit...

Also you may want to use EAPS over SummitStack-V... more configuration for you to manage per switchs, but they both have the same failover timing of <50ms.... totally seamlessly or undetectable for VoiP calls.