Wired Intelligent Edge

Dear Experts,

I am new to this topic and I am sure this question is already rasied and answered but unfortunately time limitation did not allow me to search though. Here is my subject

We have two 5406R switches to work as core (Redundant) and more than 20 IDFs (Edge) consisting 2960M stacked switches. We will have two uplinks coming from edge swicth and each will be connected each cores. I am sure the topology should be as like attached for loadbalancing and redundancy. My Questions are

1. What is the recommended way to create the inter switch trunk between both core as per our topology

2. What is the recommended way to create the Edge to Cores trunk to make sure proper redundancy and loadbalancing?

3. Should we use MSTP here on the edge?

 

I highly appreciate if you can advise me on each questions with configuration guide links or advises. Thanks in advance and Cheers Network Experts

 

regards

Mohamed

Hi Experts,

Still awaiting for the advises..

Thanks

Greetings!

 

Answering your questions in order:

 

1.  There are a couple of approaches for redundancy between a pair of 5400R core switches. For simplified management, Virtual Switching Framework (VSF) would be the way to go; you can manage both cores as a single logical switch, with configurations synced between each chassis' management module, and the ability to distribute redundant uplinks and downlinks across chassis.  For maximized reliability, Distributed Trunking (DT) is the ideal approach; this maintains separate control planes and configurations between the two core switches, while still maintaining redundant uplinks and downlinks.  For either approach, your inter-switch links should be provisioned with sufficient bandwidth to prevent them from becoming a bottleneck for inter-core traffic flows.
2.  In most cases, using LACP trunks should be sufficient to provide redundancy and load balancing for your downstream device links. (If you use DT as your core redundancy method, you would configure DT-LACP trunks on the core side of each link).
3.  MSTP should not be necessary on the cores themselves, whether in VSF or DT operating modes. On the edge, you may consider using a non-MSTP loop detection feature, if provided by the switch.

Dear Matthew,
Thanks you for the suggestion ls which means a lot for me on this stage.
So I understood that core switches to be interconnected under VSF and Edge to core is any non MSTP protocol.
It would be much appreciated of I can get configuration related guids for these protocols. I know that Aruba OS configurations guide are available online but would be very helpful if you can guide me with configuration guides/lins



Thanks
Rregards

Both Distributed Trunking and VSF are covered in the Management and Configuration Guide; DT is in Chapter 7 starting at page 182, and VSF is in Chapter 25 starting at page 614.

Dear matthew,
Cheers! Highly appreciated and stay blessed

Thanks
Regards