Core Switch Failover

[dchen0999]

This is a reposting from an old thread because the problem statement has been re-defined and I would like to start a new thread for advice.

I need to re-define the problem statement as I get more info for the project: I have a network spreading on two floors in a building. Each floor has a Cisco Catalyst 3508 8-port fiber core switch connecting each sub-switch. The problem or risk for this design is that if the core switch is down then that floor network will be down and if the core switch in the server room which is connecting the other floor is down, then both the two floors network will be down. So, I would like to provide link redudancy at core switch level.

Right now I run Cisco 3508 8-port fiber switch as core switch. I would like to have 3550 10-port fiber switch or higher for the failover. Can anyone give some comments on this in terms of hardware requirements and setup configurations. (I need to use fiber to connect the core switch in the server room to the other floor for both main and failover core switches. There is one thing that I am not sure is that how to connect the two core switches on the same floor. Do we use crossover cable to hook it up like what I do for Cisco PIX 525?)

Fiber connect

Floor_1 (server room) ----> Floor_2 (Core SW)

Floor_1 (server room) ----> Floor_2 (Failover SW)

SW1(failover)--SW1(main) ------> SW2(main)--SW2(failover)

| Cross connect? | | Cross connect? |

| | | |

| | | |

sub_sw sub_sw sub_sw sub-sw

Thanks a lot

[switchit]

Hi

In this case you can Fibre Gbics (WS-G5484= 1000BaseSX GBIC-short wavelength GBIC (multimode fiber only).

In fibre there is nothing called cross-over connections. you can use Gbics on both switches and connect them. If you have multiple Vlans in your network then make this fibre link as trunk link and also create all the vlans on you new 3550 switch. Cat 3550 switch would be fine for your network because anyways 3550 has higher backplane than 3500xl switches and if 3500xl can nicely handle the load the network then 3550 would be perfect for this scenario.

kindly update me if you need any further clarification .

[dchen0999]

Thank you Switchit.

1. I intend to use 3750 instead of 3550, because 3750 is designed for the next 5 year technology while 3550 is almost out of stock now.

2. When using 3750, how to connect 2 core fiber switch to make it failover. Do we use 2 fiber ports to connect or do we use stackwise interconnect?

3. How to connect two floors' core fiber switch as failover. I have connect two floors with fiber. Do I need to have another pair of fiber line to connect the failover switch between the two floors?

4. Where to get best quote for the equipment and service? And how much will four 3750 cost?

Thanks so much.