Core switch

[itssemi]

We have Netgear GS728TS switches with 10 Module and I had them stack initially. But stack failed few times and I had do the firmware upgrade etc. To do the maintenance or upgrading of their firmwares requires to break the stack and reboot the switches.

 

Also if one of the switches in the stack crashes as we had happen, it takes out the entire set and no redundancy.

 

We have purchased some procurve switches and I am going to use 10GbE SFP+ Module to connect with 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable. So main core switches will run 10Gig.

 

Shall configure as Chain Topologies? Up to 4 switches may be stacked in an open-ended chain with single cables between each pair of switches. But Chain topologies are not recommended because a single failure (switch, stacking module, or cable) will cause switch-to-switch communication

failures between switches that are located on opposite sides of the failure.

 

I think Ring Topologies are better and recommended and better.

 

Shall I configure all the switches stand alone and connected in closed ring topologies? Or stack?

 

Thanks

[ITGURU]

I don't like chain topologies - I only have a couple where by external buildings are a long distance from the server room so are uplinked from an existing switch nearby, so if I have to take that switch down I lose connect to external buildings.

 

All other switches are directly linked back to the core so limits impact to users should the switch go down.

 

We had a new site built some years ago and the contractors got people in to do the fibre, but luckily we got in before they finished and they had run one fibre run from server room to first classroom, then fibre between classrooms so if the first switch went down you'd lose the other 4!

 

We told them straight away to stop and got our own contractors in so each switch is back to the core!

 

I do wonder sometimes where they get these people from!

[itssemi]

Hi,

 

Can anyone suggest me what is the best way to configure these switches?

 

Thanks

[njc235]

What is or will be the core switches and what Procurves have you bought?

[itssemi]

HP procurve 2920

[njc235]

You can stack the 2920 properly with stacking modules and cables. The J9733A module is a 2 port module which will connect with J9734A 1m stacking cable - 2 of them will obviouysly doubly the inter-stack bandwidth. One of the advantages of the 2920 is the possibility to add up to 2 x J9731 2 port SFP+ modules as well as the stacking module ready for you to move to 10G.

[itssemi]

Hi,

 

I am planning to buy below..

3x HP 2920 2-port 10GbE SFP+ Module 3 and 3x SQI J9281B - HP X242 10G SFP+ to SFP+ 1m Direct Attach Copper Cable. But if one of the switches in the stack crashes then it takes out the entire set and no redundancy. Shall I configure all the switches stand alone and connected in ring topologies or stack?

[njc235]

I would use the stacking kit rather than the SFP+ ports. The remainder of the stack will survive should a switch fail. It's similar to IRF in the Comware range like the 5800s mentioned earlier.