Routing with Layer 3 Alcatel Omniswitch 6850-48 help needed...

[alexsanger]

We have a small network of MACs which are running independantly of the main LAN. Currently, they connect to a windows server which serves as the router onto the LAN to give internet access. The media department have decided to "upgrade" to a MAC mini server which will manage the MACs completely.

Fine by me - we can take out the windows box. The mac mini only has one nic though, but we found the switch in the media cabinet is an all singing and dancing Alcatel OS6850-48 (total overkill!). Only problem is we don't know how to configure it to route to the main LAN. Anyone have any experience with this or similar? I know the Alcatel CLI is quite different from Cisco, but the concepts remain... I've downloaded the 3600 page CLI reference, but am still struggling as this is my first attempt with L3 routing.

The switch uplinks on a fibre GBIC, all devices are patched directly and the switch was running in its default configuration. Any help gratefully recieved.

[cpjitservices]

Usually switches don't route unless it's a layer switch, you'll have to make sure whether it is indeed a layer switch do some digging on google to find out.

IF it isnt a layer / switch youll need a router to plug into the switch with the server.

I have no idea on configuring an Alcatel switch never really come accross them but google might be your friend

Hope this helps

[robk]

Is the Mac mini running mac os x server? If so you should be able to use vlan tagging to create a virtual nic within the mac mini and route the same way. I Guess you want to keep broadcast traffic and mac dhcp off your main lan? Otherwise I would suggest combining the two networks at the ip level, and just leave the media dept to manage the mac software and restrictions etc.

[alexsanger]

Hi CPJITServices,

It is indeed a fully fledged Layer 3 switch, as all the routing commands in the CLI reference will attest. Even our Layer 2 Procurve 2610's are capable of basic routing though. Unfortunately, I, the person responsible for programming them, am not yet! There seem to be relatively few people talking about configuring Alcatel gear out there on t'interweb thus far...

[alexsanger]

Hi Robk

The Mac mini will indeed be running OSX server, and yes, those are the exact reasons we need to keep the MAC network separate - we just want them to be able to get out to the smartcache and nothing else. The MAC server is part of a solution being implemented by an outside company, so I'll see if they can configure the virtual NIC. Thanks for the suggestion - we might win an expensive switch to play with out of this now!

[alexsanger]

FYI,

Found an old redundant Netgear router which I configured in under half an hour, and will do the job just nicely until I figure this Alcatel kit out.

[DavidSmith]

The Alcatel is a very easy switch to config.

You can run multiple networks on the switch

ex:
Windows network could be a 192.168.16.x /24
MAC network could be a 172.16.1.x /24
and if running voice on the switch is could run on a 10.10.10.x /24 network

and all networks could talk to each other

and have one default route to the internet.

send me quick email and i'll send you the config.