Features of Simple Switch Mode

Simple Switch Mode, or SSM, allows server administrators, or anyone

with very limited expertise in configuring Ethernet switches, the

ability to deploy a loop-free switching solution without having to

configure the spanning tree protocol (STP) or design its integration

into the existing environment.

The primary advantages of deploying SSM are as follows:

zPort Aggregation is easy to configure. Simply group internal ports and associate with external ports, assign VLANs (if required), and it’s ready to go.

zSSM automatically configures multiple external ports into an LACP trunk group.

zBy using Aggregator Groups, the feature provides loop-free operation without using STP.

zPort Aggregation is completely interoperable. Dynamic (via Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)) and static link aggregation is supported on the external ports.

To enable Simple Switch Mode on a Dell PowerConnect M8024

switch, perform the following steps:

1.Log into the switch.

2.Select SystemÆOperational ModeÆOperational Mode Configuration.

3.In the Operational Mode Configuration screen, select Enable in the Simple Mode drop-down menu, and left-click Apply Changes.

NOTE: Dell M8024S LAN Modules are always in Simple Switch Mode,

so you do not need to do these steps.

Sample scenarios

In the sections that follow, we discuss some of the new features of

the hardware and software, give an overview of the deployment

process, and present the following eight sample scenarios:

1.Plug and play using the Dell PowerConnect M8024 switch for blade deployment into an existing network after configuring Link

How to deploy the Dell M8024 family of switches in a Cisco Nexus network

4