Ask the Expert: Next-Generation Data Center Design and Architecture

[ciscomoderator]

Welcome to this Cisco Support Community Ask the Expert conversation. This is an opportunity to learn and ask questions about modern data center network infrastructure architectures and design using Cisco Nexus 7000, 6000, 5000, and 2000 Series Switches. This discussion is intended to cover the different design aspects and considerations and not configurations and troubleshooting. This discussion is hosted by Cisco Designated VIP Marwan Al-Shawi.

Note that data center SAN (Fibre Channel, Fibre Channel over Ethernet), servers, and server virtualization will not be covered during this discussion.

Marwan Al-shawi is a solutions architect with Gulf Business Machines GBM, one of Cisco’s large international Gold Partners headquartered in Dubai. He has also worked as a technical consultant with Dimension Data Australia, a Cisco Global Alliance Partner; network architect with IBM Australia global technology services; and other Cisco partners and IT integrators. He holds a master of science degree in internetworking from the University of Technology, Sydney. Marwan is currently one of few Cisco Certified Design Experts (CCDE 2013::66) and holds other Cisco certifications such as CCNP, CCSP, and CCNP Voice.

Remember to use the rating system to let Marwan know if you have received an adequate response.

Because of the volume expected during this event, our experts might not be able to answer every question. Remember that you can continue the conversation in the Solutions and Architecture community under subcommunity Data Center and Virtualization shortly after the event. This event lasts through May 23, 2014. Visit this forum often to view responses to your questions and the questions of other Cisco Support Community members.

[hhtyson11]

Hello Marwan,

We are currently working on a migration plan between existing data center distribution with 6509 and new DC distribution that's going to be nexus 7K.  What is the best way to integrate those two systems for the migration purposes? 

thank you

Henry

[Marwan ALshawi]

Hi Henry,

there are several ways for integrating Nexus with 6500 for migration purposes

first you need to align this integration with your DC systems and its migration plan, for example will be any vlan to be extended between the two systems or not

in case you need to extend some vlans or all and assuming you are using VSS on the 6500 side and vPC on the nexus side you can connect VSS to vPC using MEC between the two systems

or if you are not using VSS on the 6500 side then you will need to use normal L2 trunk links between the two systems and use STP to control which link is forwarding and which link is blocking to avoid L2 loops assuming you will be using multiple links to multiple N7Ks

hope this helps