Topologies/Switch Throughput

[apeman]

synaesthesia

 

if i were you i would set up ip routing on the 2 core switches and just route between the 2 and on core 1 have a route out to the internet via core 2.

this would also stop any broadcast traffic going over the site link. i would also have a DHCP server at each site for redundancy / failover, DHCP doesn't need to run on anything powerful, an old pc with a free linux distro or 2003 would be fine.

 

if you need to add an ip helper address it is very simple,

ssh into the swtich >> enter config mode >> type vlan 10 (id of vlan) >> type ip helper-address 172.16.1.1 (ip of dhcp server)

if all is working remember to write the memory else next time the switch reboots the new config will be lost

[SYNACK]

synaesthesia

 

if i were you i would set up ip routing on the 2 core switches and just route between the 2 and on core 1 have a route out to the internet via core 2.

this would also stop any broadcast traffic going over the site link. i would also have a DHCP server at each site for redundancy / failover, DHCP doesn't need to run on anything powerful, an old pc with a free linux distro or 2003 would be fine.

 

if you need to add an ip helper address it is very simple,

ssh into the swtich >> enter config mode >> type vlan 10 (id of vlan) >> type ip helper-address 172.16.1.1 (ip of dhcp server)

if all is working remember to write the memory else next time the switch reboots the new config will be lost

 

If you are going that route you can probably even host DHCP on the switches.

[synaesthesia]

Cheers, worth a thought. Would prefer to keep DHCP on something we can easily belt with a slipper though DNS is already running on both sites, not sure why DHCP never was but that can be easily sorted. For the IP helper, I assume we'd just need to do that for each switch - so for Site 1 switch the IP Helper should point to the Site 1 DHCP server and Site 2 should point to Site 2 DHCP Server? (May sound obvious but would like to get this right first time )

[CyberNerd]

 

if i were you i would set up ip routing on the 2 core switches and just route between the 2 and on core 1 have a route out to the internet via core 2.

this would also stop any broadcast traffic going over the site link.

 

 

I'd second this. In the topology table that I posted earlier in the thread you see we have set up vlans of just two IP addresses for just this. One between our core and firewall, and three between near edge switches and the core.

 

A separate web cache on your other site would help too.

[synaesthesia]

As said, we need to make as few real changes as possible. That time will come in the summer. As easy as setting up another forefront server would be for the cache is, we could do without raising the amount of servers (physical or virtual).

Will keep plodding on with the 2 vlans I think for the time being.

[CyberNerd]

As said, we need to make as few real changes as possible.

 

Sorry, I figured when you posted the diagram you were asking for suggestions to improve the network.

[synaesthesia]

No worries - yes it is needed to improve the network but we need to have 0 downtime (grumbles at not being allowed in after 16th Dec) and leave major changes until late July. We just need to make sure it ticks over until then.

[dgsmith]

Just taken delivery of a pair of Procurve 5406zl 44+4SFP POE switches at a ridiculously low price

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much and where?

[synaesthesia]

£2600 a piece. PM sent for where.

[pantscat]

@synaesthesia - Could you PM me? - that's a crazy price...

[glennda]

£2600 a piece. PM sent for where.

 

Is that just the base chassis? it only starts getting expensive when you put the modules in, I think i paid that for the 5406zl with the 44 ethernet ports and 4 sfp ports

[synaesthesia]

That's the 5406zl+44G+4SFP+POE.

[glennda]

That's the 5406zl+44G+4SFP+POE.

 

Yeah very similar to what i paid, I'll see if i can dig it out. Mine only got expensive with the 2 24 Port Gig T modules and 36 SFP Gbics.

 

Did you get the Premium Software with it?

 

I Paid 3k for 5406zl+44G+4SFP+POE with an extra power supply for the base. We then got 2 Fiber Switch Modules, 36 Gbics.

 

Then about a month ago I purchased a 24 port Copper Module from @Millgate

Edited December 7, 2011 by glennda

[synaesthesia]

Indeed Millgate do offer good pricing for the individual modules (that's where the expense comes in with these switches). We don't need that functionality yet but of course the whole idea of the switch setup is to be able to add to it.

We didn't worry about the premium software as from everything I read that equates to the Procurve Manager 3.2 software which is free to download for procurve users anyway. I had actually assumed it meant the PCM+ software which is a good couple of thousand to buy on it's own but that's not necessary for us, PCM on it's own handles our switches and the Dlinks just fine.

[snoerre]

HP V1910-48g - Layer 3 switch with 104Gbps switching capacity ~ £400. Seems a bit cheap, especially for L3. I know the line between modern L2 kit and L3 is fine at least but that still concerns me.

 

I really can recommend the HP V1910 series. Take it, forget the rest. For the money you won´t get any switch with similar features, plus you get HP lifetime warranty nowadays on these. Talking about prices, I can get those for 430,-€ incl. VAT. One hint, it doesn´t support stacking.

Take a look at the firmware, Its size is currently over 10MB, yes that´s MegaByte.

 

Update: Sorry, haven´t read the rest of your topic. Keep your 5400zl for your core and please don´t take the latest K.15 software, yet. Stay with K.14 for now...

Edited December 7, 2011 by snoerre

[synaesthesia]

K15 was already installed (if I remember, K.15.0002.something) and we just updated to K.15.0066 or similar. Any particular reason?

[apeman]

As said, we need to make as few real changes as possible. That time will come in the summer. As easy as setting up another forefront server would be for the cache is, we could do without raising the amount of servers (physical or virtual).

Will keep plodding on with the 2 vlans I think for the time being.

 

if you did all the major work / config and tested it to death before you made the change you could easily do it in the lunch hour or at the end of the day. it all really depends how complicated your network is at the moment.

[apeman]

K15 was already installed (if I remember, K.15.0002.something) and we just updated to K.15.0066 or similar. Any particular reason?

 

i would say the opposite, stay on K15 unless there is anything in the known issues that is going to affect you.

 

also the main features of switch premium licence are (VRRP, OSFP and PIM SM/DM) if you don't need any of these features then i wouldn't worry about it

Edited December 7, 2011 by apeman

[synaesthesia]

if you did all the major work / config and tested it to death before you made the change you could easily do it in the lunch hour or at the end of the day. it all really depends how complicated your network is at the moment.

 

At the moment it's a far cry from complicated. With how things are running at the moment it is merely a collection of hubs that happen to have IP addresses

[snoerre]

K15 was already installed (if I remember, K.15.0002.something) and we just updated to K.15.0066 or similar. Any particular reason?

 

Well, Bugs, bugs, bugs, at least those which affected me. So, I´m staying on K14 on my 5400/6200/3500 fleet...