Dell 8100 manual Dell PowerConnect 8164F

Deploying the Dell PowerConnect 8100 with the Cisco Catalyst

Introduction

New demanding campus workloads are compelling Network administrators to take another look at the campus core/aggregation layers. The existing products like Cisco Catalyst 6500 platforms are aging and cannot support the new deployments. Network administrators are exploring options to either reposition the existing gear or replace it. Therefore, it is critical to understand how the newer campus aggregation/core platforms interoperate or replace the Cisco Catalyst switches.

This document provides quick reference guidance in key areas for configuring or integrating the Dell PowerConnect 8100 series switches with the Cisco Catalyst 6500 series. The most critical aspects and differences with deploying VLAN (Virtual Local Area Networks) configuration, Link Aggregation, preferred configuration for Spanning Tree and addressing Cisco proprietary protocols are covered in this white paper.

The Dell PowerConnect 8100 series switches include the Dell PowerConnect 8132 (Figure 1), PowerConnect 8132F (Figure 2), PowerConnect 8164 (Figure 3) and the PowerConnect 8164F (Figure 4).

Note: For this document the Cisco Catalyst WS-C6504-E was used.

Figure 1. Dell PowerConnect 8132

.

1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	LNK 23 ACT
2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24

1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	LNK 23 ACT
2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24

Dell PowerConnect 8164

1 3 5 79 11 13 1517 19 21 2325 27 29 3133 35 37 3941 43 45 47

Figure 4.

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

LNK			LNK
ACT	1	2	ACT

Dell PowerConnect 8164F

1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25	27	29	31	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	47
2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34	36	38	40	42	44	46	48

LNK			LNK
ACT	1	2	ACT

4