Edge Switch To 6509 Running VSS

[dholder]

Good Morning,

I haven't seen many questions on VSS, so I don't know if there are many issues with it. But I am getting push back from my peers that our configuration will not work in VSS.

Our configuration is as follows:

Servers are running NIC teaming software in failover-active/passive mode. NIC 1 - active - is connected via 1 gb to a 4948a, which is connected via 10gb to 6509a NIC 2 - active - is connected via 1 gb to a 4948b, which is connected via 10gb to 6509b. My single point of failure is the server.

My peers state that I need to connect 4948a and 4948b to 6509a and 6509b to take full effect of MEC on VSS.

Can I keep current connectivity, but add a 10 gb link between 4948a and 4948b, and use MEC to run betwween them, as long as I am on the same module port?

Or do I leave the connectivity as it is?

Thanks for helping the helpless.

Dave Holder

[dholder]

Correction:

Good Morning,

I haven't seen many questions on VSS, so I don't know if there are many issues with it. But I am getting push back from my peers that our configuration will not work in VSS.

Our configuration is as follows:

Servers are running NIC teaming software in failover-active/passive mode. NIC 1 - active - is connected via 1 gb to a 4948a, which is connected via 10gb to 6509a NIC 2 - passive - is connected via 1 gb to a 4948b, which is connected via 10gb to 6509b. My single point of failure is the server.

My peers state that I need to connect 4948a and 4948b to 6509a and 6509b to take full effect of MEC on VSS.

Can I keep current connectivity, but add a 10 gb link between 4948a and 4948b, and use MEC to run betwween them, as long as I am on the same module port?

Or do I leave the connectivity as it is?

Thanks for helping the helpless.

Dave Holder

[nsn-amagruder]

I haven't run VSS but read the document on it. For MEC to work one switch has to have two uplinks to each 6500 in the VSS.

I believe your peers are correct, if you only have one uplink from each 4948.

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Campus/VSS30dg/VSS-dg_ch3.html

Aaron

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Dave,

You will need to connect both 4948s to the VSS pair. (4948-A to VSS-switch-A and 4948-B to VSS-switch-B)and also a layer-2 link between the 4948s. As for protocol for MEC, the only one that is supported is LACP. PAGP is supported if you are connecting only one switch with 2 uplinks. We use Stacked Cisco 3110x switches (they are like the 3750s except they live in IBM blade chassis) to connect to VSS boxes in our data center.

HTH

Reza