6500 to Nexus Design Question

[shamg1974]

Greetings. Basic question here --- I have two 6500 Core switches setup with HSRP, however, they are not VSS. They are two separate switches. Downstream I need to connect two Nexus 9k's. 

My plan:

On the Core side, two ports in chassis 1 setup as a LACP port-channel connecting to each Nexus 9K. Two ports in chassis 2 same setup. 

On the Nexus side, two ports (1 going to each chassis) setup as a vPC.

My question is can I do that on the 6500? port-channel to separate 9k's? Or do both connections from Core1 need to go to Nexus 9k-1? and two from Core2 to 9k-2? 

If I have to have both links from Core1 to Nexus1 and Core2 to Nexus2, vPC is not possible because the Cores are separate switches and not VSS.

Correct?

[Joseph W. Doherty]

M02@rt37 regarding FEX EoL/EoS, not something I've carefully reviewed, and as it's, I believe, not germane to OP, I'll defer it.

What I believe is very germane, to OP, is whether the topology diagram you recently posted, correctly showing what I've been trying to describe, is whether you believe it's workable or not.  So yes it is or no it's not?

[M02@rt37]

Yes it is !

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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M02@rt37 wrote:

Since 09/2022 FEX_Nexus 2000 is EOL

Partners give me EOS date => 09/2027 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/switches/nexus-2000-series-fabric-extenders/series.html

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Hmm, you seemed somewhat surprised I asked about whether you had a specific FEX model in mind about it being EoL.

Firstly, possibly we're again not on the same page, as EoL, to me, means no more support (whatsoever), not to be confused with an EoL announcement.

Secondly, although the whole FEX 2000 series appears to be going EoL, some already have, some have not.  For example, if you follow the link on your referenced page to EOL Details, the 2148T went fully EoL 11/30/2017, but the 2232PP, 2232TM-E, 2332TQ and 2348TQ go fully EoL 9/30/2025 while the 2348UPQ and 2348TQ don't go fully EoL until 8/31/2027.  (The last two, even support service contract renewal until 11/22/2026!)

So, sort of implying the whole series is EoL, such as "Right, also, FEX is no longer available or supported by Cisco." isn't fully accurate, at least not yet.

Lastly, if you examine the Nexus 9000 Series Switch FEX Support Matrix, you'll also see 2000 series FEXs being supported.

BTW, for the record, I was unaware of any of the above until you brought the 2K FEX series into the discussions.  As you noted, Cisco mentions using some of the Nexus 9Ks (specifically noticed the 9300s) as FEX replacements, but I haven't dug into how "Some Nexus9k can be configured to behave like "pseudo" FEX, but this is not a native and/or standard way..." representative that is of Cisco's thinking.  I suspect Cisco wants to move toward the ACI model.  Regardless, don't believe FEXs are germane to the OP.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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M02@rt37 wrote:

@shamg1974 

On nexus side, you can not bundle links going to different 6500 into a single LACP port-channel.

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BTW, I agree, but I don't believe that's what OP proposed.  I thought what OP proposed was two vPC interfaces on the pair of Nexus, with one of each vPC links connected to a single 6500.

e.g.:

NX1 <vPC1> 6500 A <vPC1> NX2

NX1 <vPC2> 6500 B <vPC2> NX2

[Joseph W. Doherty]

What you propose I believe is possible.  (I e., I believe otherwise from M02@rt37 response.)

From each 6500, each will see the Nexus as one device, but only for the port channel bonded across the two Nexus using vPC.  (Otherwise, on Nexus, excluding vPC, each Nexus remains its own self as a standalone device.)

What you cannot do, is have a port channel seen as the same port channel across the two 6500s without them being in a VSS config.