Fault Tolerance architecture

[Adeyinka]

Hi,

I need help concerning this question. I have one cisco 2950 switch and router(800) installed. But the kind of business we are doing require Zero point of failure for our 24/7 operation to run smootly. In the light of this, I want to achieve a scenario whereby the router can still route packets through any of the two switches before reaching the host. The two switches can work simultaneously by connecting them via a cross over cable connected the 100TX ports. The connection should be such that if one switch breaks down, the the second should still be able to route packets from the router to the host.

I do not know if i need another router to connect individually routers to corresponding switches and then cross connect the switches using the 100Tx port before routing to the destined host.

I sure some pros will help sort this out

[vkasacavage]

1) A typical fault tolerant configuration would have two routers, each one connected to a different ISP,

2) the routers would be connected to each other via cross over

3) Using HSRP, each router would connect to a separate switch

4) The switches would be connected via a cross over

5) The host would have dual nics one connecting to each switch

Hope this helps

Victor