Nexus 5k - 2k Design

[mike-greene]

Hi,

Were deploying a couple 5548's and eight 2248TP's.  At the very bottom of the “Topology Choice for Connectivity Between Cisco Nexus 5000 Series and Cisco Nexus 2000 Series” section of this document (link below)  it states that FCoE is not supported in active-active topologies.  I’m not sure how accurate this doc is because I can’t find this information in any of the configuration guides.  I believe active-active is the correct design but talking with my manager they may move to FCoE in the next year.  Is this a correct statement and should I be designing a straight-through topology because of FCoE?

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps9441/ps9670/C07-572829-01_Design_N5K_N2K_vPC_DG.pdf

Thanks for all your help.

Mike

[Chad Peterson · Accepted solution]

Hi Mike,

The 2248T does not support FCoE so in either a straight through or active/active it won't matter here for you.

The 2232 supports FCoE and does 10gig, and if you were to use it you'd want to use straight through if you planned to move to FCoE.  CNAs on the market would have two 10gig links which you would attached to two different 2232s in straight through mode.

As far as your design of using active-active vs straight through...overall that depends on your end hosts.  If your hosts have two NICs, you can easily do straight through and connect each host to seperate 2248s.  This provides good redundancy.  If your hosts only have 1 NIC than best option is active-active, as you will still have a single point of failure (2248), but redunancy at the switch level.

Hope that helps

Chad

[mike-greene]

Thanks Chad.