Switch Meshing

Switch Meshing Fundamentals

Scenario 1: In a heteroge­ neous mesh, creating the mesh with only one Series 5300XL switch connected to the host (on VLAN 1, for example), and then connecting a second Series 5300XL switch to the host (regardless of the VLAN used) results in connectivity issues with the host.

Scenario 2: Adding the Switch 4000M after bringing up the mesh with two Series 5300XL switches already connected to the host as shown here (with or without separate VLANs) blocks the Switch 4000M from the mesh.

 

Untagged VLAN 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5300XL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4000M

 

 

 

Host

 

 

 

 

 

switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Bothlinks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

use the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

same

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAC

 

 

 

 

 

Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series

 

 

 

address.)

 

 

 

 

 

5300XL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5300XL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tagged VLAN 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mesh Domain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Switch 4000M is not supported in topologies allowing the same MAC address on multiple switches.

LAN

Figure 14-4. Example of an Unsupported Heterogeneous Topology Where Duplicate MAC Addresses Come Through Different Switches (Regardless of the VLANs Used)

Creating the mesh with only one Series 5300XL switch connected to the host, and and using tagged VLANs for multiple connections between the host and the meshed switch allows normal meshing operation.

 

Untagged VLAN 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series

 

Switch

 

 

 

Host

 

 

 

 

 

 

5300XL

 

4000M

 

 

 

(Both links

 

 

 

switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

use the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

same MAC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

address.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series

 

Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5300XL

 

5300XL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tagged VLAN 20

 

 

switch

 

switch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mesh Domain

The Switch 4000M is not supported in topologies allowing the same MAC address on multiple switches.

LAN

Figure 14-5. Example of a Supported Heterogeneous Topology Where Duplicate MAC Addresses Come Through Different VLANs on the Same Switch

Note that in figures 14-4and 14-5,if all switches are Series 5300XL switches, then you can use either topology.

Also, if you have two separate switch meshes with the topology shown in figure 14-6,you cannot join them into a single mesh.

14-8