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Connection between Catalyst 6800 series with Catalyst 29xx or 3xxx

Hi All,

I just read one document from Cisco about Catalyst 6800 which state that it can't be used to connect with Catalyst 29xx or 3xxx. The link is below:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-40053#Q_Can_you_connect_the_Catalyst_29XX_and_3xxx_Series_switches_to_the_Catalyst_6800_Series_switches

Can anybody clarify about this thing because I am very confuse. The statement is very confusing because it's very general. You can assume either this connection is a tradtional core-access (or distribution) connection or parent-instant access connection (which I am sure this is impossible).

Thanks.

best regards,

Yedi

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Shawn Wargo
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Hi Yedi.

Don't worry. This is incorrect. The Catalyst 6800 supports all of the same connection types & protocols as 6500.

Meaning that you can connect any & all other types of switches (Cisco or otherwise) in the "traditional" sense!

I believe your question comes from another (related, but separate) statement that the Catalyst 2900, 3600 & 3800 switches can not be connected as Instant Access (FEX) clients... which is true.

Only the 6800IA switches support Campus FEX, today...

Furthermore, both Traditional Access and Instant Access can co-exist at the SAME TIME... and you can even hang Traditional Access switches (e.g. 2960C) off of the IA ports, just like you can direct to the 6800 itself!

Hope that clarifies!

View solution in original post

18 Replies 18

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Yedi

I too find that very hard to believe.

Considering you can actually reuse some of the same linecards in the 6800 chassis i cannot see any reason why you couldn't connect the switch models you mention.

I suspect they were talking about a specific scenario but as you say the statement itself is very general.

Unfortunately i can't say for sure one way or the other. I just replied to move this back to the top of the list.

Hopefully someone can confirm one way or the other.

Jon

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

After sleeping over this question, I think I got the logic to the answer.

Cisco, as of the moment, will not allow the 6807/6800 to connect any Catalyst switch downstream.  The only switch this hardware will be allowed to connect is the 6800ia.

The logic behind this is:  Cisco is trying to sell the concept of Instant Access.  Connecting Catalyst 29XX and 3XXX is not a going to go great with future development of IA.

See response from Shawn Wargo.

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Leo

How exactly are they going to enforce that ?

Jon

How exactly are they going to enforce that ?

This is just a guess ...

So you connect the switch at "your own risk", I guess.

Another way of phrasing this is:  Not supported by TAC.

Again, this is plain speculation.  Hope someone from TAC or Advance Services or 6800 product team can chime in.

Leo

Yes hopefully the Cisco guys will see this before the event ends.

Personally i think it could actually limit the uptake of the 6800 unless you can use your existing infrastructure around it. I would certainly have thought twice if i simply wanted to have more throughput in the core/distro layer and then found out i had to upgrade my entire access layer to do that.

Unless of course they are giving the FEXs away for nothing

By the way, not long before the super silver star. Get a move on will you, i keep expecting to see it change

Jon

Unless of course they are giving the FEXs away for nothing

ROFL!

You jest. 

It was worth a try.

Thought Shawn might go for it

Jon

Nope. I'm just a technical guy... Keeping it real!

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Yedi

There is by chance an Ask the Expert session on 6800s not directly related to this but i have posted a question into there with a link back to this one so hopefully someone from Cisco should be able to give us a definitive answer.

Link to Ask the Expert session is here -

https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2263952?tstart=0

Jon

Shawn Wargo
Cisco Employee
Cisco Employee

Hi Yedi.

Don't worry. This is incorrect. The Catalyst 6800 supports all of the same connection types & protocols as 6500.

Meaning that you can connect any & all other types of switches (Cisco or otherwise) in the "traditional" sense!

I believe your question comes from another (related, but separate) statement that the Catalyst 2900, 3600 & 3800 switches can not be connected as Instant Access (FEX) clients... which is true.

Only the 6800IA switches support Campus FEX, today...

Furthermore, both Traditional Access and Instant Access can co-exist at the SAME TIME... and you can even hang Traditional Access switches (e.g. 2960C) off of the IA ports, just like you can direct to the 6800 itself!

Hope that clarifies!

Don't worry. This is incorrect.

Shawn,

Can we get the author to correct this, please?

You mean the QA responses from the live webcast?

Yes, I will investigate that. Sorry for any confusion!

You mean the QA responses from the live webcast?

Yes please.

No worries. I just emailed the webcast team that compiled & posted the QA.

If they don't update the page shortly... then I will bug them until they do!

# Now I know how you guys get up to 20K+ posts...

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