This post is more than 5 years old
3 Posts
0
24638
Inter-series stacking
Hi,
Before I begin let me exercise the per-functionary 'help I'm not a network guy' sentence!
I have just bought 2 x N2048 L2 switches with stacking cables. I need to configure these to work with an existing stack of L3 PC 6224. the 6224 stack has 2 x 10GB sfp module up links and is configured as an access and management with all the VLANS terminated at a firewall.
the order for for the N2048 states (no inter-series stacking) the stacking is very different between these 2 switches so it's no surprising - so it looks like I should LAG these? - what would that look like?
thanks and apologies if this is very fuzzy
Rob.
vt1012
212 Posts
1
July 7th, 2015 08:00
Hi Rob!
The LAG (link aggregation) is simply two or more cables connecting between any two networking devices. A single cable connection can also work but using multiple cables can provide higher availability (backup in case one cable/port goes down) and higher bandwidth. LAGs (also known as channel groups or port channels) can be created across 2 or more ports of different stack member switches.
In your case it looks like you will want to go ahead and stack your N2000 switches using the stacking cables that came with them. Once that is done, you can use two or more cables to connect the two stacks together. Each stack will look like a single switch to any other network device that connects to it. So in this case, each of your stacks thinks it is only connecting to another switch even though it actually is being connected to another stack (multiple switches).
For high-availability, plugging one cable into one stack member (any port) and the second cable into a second stack member (any port) of the same stack is the best practice. Do the same for the other stack when connecting the two stacks. This way if one member goes down, connectivitiy between the two stacks will remain up. This example is just using a 2-port LAG, but the same could be done if using more ports.
-B
Rob Duncan
3 Posts
0
July 7th, 2015 11:00
Hi Barrett, - thanks for this,- can you confirm that this loose procedure is correct.
1. Connect the N2048 switches with supplied stacking cables from SW1-P1 TO SW1.P2 and vice versa.
2. Connect console to switch for initial configuration, ip address, password etc.
3. Create the same VLANS on N2048 stack (all are terminated on the firewall at the end of the 6224 SFP modules)
4 Connect x number of cables between both switches
5. On both switches add these ports to a port group, and set the port group to general mode, tag the native VLAN.
--------------Switch 01
interface ethernet 1/g24
channel-group 10 mode auto
exit
!
interface ethernet 1/g23
channel-group 10 mode auto
exit
!
interface port-channel 10
description 'LAG1
switchport mode general
switchport general allowed vlan add 999 tagged
exit
-----------------Switch 02
interface ethernet 1/g47
channel-group 10 mode auto
exit
!
interface ethernet 1/g48
channel-group 10 mode auto
exit
interface port-channel 10
description 'LAG1'
switchport mode general
switchport general allowed vlan add 999 tagged
exit
am I going the right way?
thanks again
Rob.
DELL-Victor
98 Posts
0
July 7th, 2015 13:00
I believe this should work. Be sure to use both N2000 stack cables, going from stack port 1 on one switch to stack port 2 on the other, then vice versa with the other stack cable.
Once stacked, only the master switch console port can be used for management. The second switch in the stack will then have interfaces that start with a 2, something like "interface ethernet 2/g47" as it will then be part of the larger switch.
Rob Duncan
3 Posts
0
July 8th, 2015 03:00
thanks guys, it's much appriciated