RSPAN with older "in between" switches

rik · ‎08-29-2007

Hi all,

I'm in a situation now where I would like to use the RSPAN feature. My sniffing machine is on a 3560 switch, the machine to be sniffed is connected to a 6509. Both support RSPAN. But, between the 3560 and the 6509 there are two older switches, a 3508G-XL and a 3548XL. Both of course don't support RSPAN. We're using VTP to propagate the VLANs in the network, the 6509 is the VTP server.

What I would like to know is the following:

- Will the older switches transport the RSPAN vlan?

- Will VTP on the older propagate the fact that this is a RSPAN vlan to the 3560?

- Will this setup work at all?

We're going to replace the older stuff in some time, but it would be great if the RSPAN function could already be used now.

Regards,

Rik

briapolov · ‎08-29-2007

Make sure the "older switches" trunk your RSPAN vlan. VTP will propagate the RSPAN vlan if you allow it on trunks and do not prune it (the older switches will see the RSPAN vlan just as another vlan). I have set this up many times and it works great.

HTH,