Does IE-3200 or IE-3300 support Flex-link

[GregGuilmette]

Good morning everyone!

On the IE-2000 series and IE-5000 series the datasheets specifically call out Flex-Links. The IE-3300's are of particular interest to me as they are modular and can be expanded when we need to add more port is the distant future. 

In our environment we don't want to/cannot use REP Rings, as the infrastructure depends on redundant star configuration back to two non-stacked "core" switches. This is where FlexLink is the ideal solution. 

Does anyone have an IE-3300 that they can see if flexlink is an possible configuration.  Essentially with flex links you are configuring an ethernet port with a "backup" entry to specify what port should take over. 

I would be very surprised if the IE-3xxx wouldn't support it since most every other Cisco switch does... even Nexus datacenter series switches. 

Any input will be greatly appreciated. 

Greg

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Greg,

I don't have any IE-3000 to test with but was able to find this config guide for version 12.2(50). It appears that Flex Link is supported. See link:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/cisco_ie3000/software/release/12-2_50_se/configuration/guide/ie3000scg.pdf

HTH

[GregGuilmette]

Thank you for the link Reza!

If I recall, the IE-3000 is hit an "end of sale" or "end of support" mid 2020 so I was trying to steer away from documenttaion that was specific for that hardware for fear it wouldn't apply to the 3300 or 3400 hardware. 

Again, this is great information and much appreciated.  

Do you think there is feature parity between IE-3000 and IE-3x00 models?  Maybe I'm being overly detailed or picky in my question. :-D

Thanks again!

Greg

[Reza Sharifi]

Greg,

Do you think there is feature parity between IE-3000 and IE-3x00 models?  Maybe I'm being overly detailed or picky in my question. :-D

I think there is parity for most features, but not sure about Flex Link. Overall, Flex Link is on older, propitiatory technology that Cisco introduced at least 10 or 12 years ago. When Flex Link was introduced, at that time some catalyst switches supported it but most did not and after a could of years of not being used much by customers, it was deprecated from most IOS versions. My recommendation is to use Portchannel if the product support it, as you are able to put multiple physical links in one logical Portchannel and use all  uplinks vs only one link at a time.  Sorry, I am not familiar with the IE series switches to offer more info..

HTH

[cjcatucci]

Port Channel doesn't fix this problem.    If you have two independent core switches and a series of distributions switches below the core, and you are trying to have the Cisco IE 3400 series switch have a link to each distribution switch which will help in the event that a distribution switch is unavailable.    You can't port channel between non-stacked switches (either stackwise or VSS).  You would have to configure each distributions switch to have a VSS/Stack so that you could use port channel.  

This creates a design change in most peoples network that makes this hard to achieve.   IT vs OT. 

I'm not sure if DLR would be a solution here, but its something that we are currently exploring.   RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol) doesn't seem to be a solution here either because most automation equipment cant take the 10(ish+) seconds it takes to reconverge. 

[cjcatucci]

It appears that Cisco has added support for "FlexLink+"  on the latest IOS Images for the IE3300/IE3400 IOS-XE based switches. 

Upgrade IOS and use this config guide to setup flexlink plus - https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9300/software/release/16-12/configuration_guide/lyr2/b_1612_lyr2_9300_cg/configuring_flexlink_.html