Extend L2 Ethernet network

[jpdeboer1]

Hi,

I am having trouble to find a good way of extending a L2 Ethernet network. See attached file for a small overview of the network i am talking about. I would like to extend L2 From network A to Network B and C. So i can manage VM ware platforms in one vcenter, plus vmotion between the remote networks.

Ports from the switches to the routers will be a trunk port, since a need to extend multiple vlans. So it could be done with an xconnect, but that is point to point, now i would like to have point to multipoint. I could use VPLS for this, but not sure if this would be the best option.

Does someone know a good solution for this and how would look the configuration for this?

Let me know if you have questions of if something is not clear.

Thank you in advance for thinking with me!

[Philip D'Ath]

If you already have an MPLS network (presumably from your service provider) then you should go talk to them about buying such a service.

[jpdeboer1]

Philip,

Thanks for the reply. But the MPLS core network is our own network, we have private lines to different locations. one link is 1gig and the other is 10gig so we should be fine there. 

Now i can do this with an xconnect but this setup would require  different ports on the core at point A. Now i ca also use VPLS, but not sure if this would be the right setup either.

Did you do this before? What would you recommend to use ?

[Philip D'Ath]

VPLS will be the most complex to deploy but will give you a nice loop free design.

xconnect's are easy but it you redundantly connect the sites (with at least three xconnect's) then you will end up with a loop and need to use something like spanning tree to hold one link down.

[Philip D'Ath]

Also note for VMotion you are meant to have a minimum of Gigabit links.