Solved: Preferred Placement of Root Bridge

s.marino · ‎03-09-2009

I'm running HSRP on H1 and H2, tracking the interfaces to the routers and between H1 & H2 Trunk link. I'm routing between R1, R2, H1 and H2's connections. I've been getting mixed reviews on the placement of the Root Bridge. I feel that the placement should be on H1 and the backup H2. Can someone help me on this concern.

Thanks,

Sal

Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

Sal

H4 - 10, what are these switches and do they have any resiliency ?

It's difficult to comment too much without knowing the layout, fibre runs etc. An also are all devices connected to the edge switches singly honed.

What i would look to do is either

1) remove H3 -> H10 and dual connect each edge switch to the pair of 6500's. You could still remove the 3750's in this scenario

OR

2) more likely as i suspect you need H3 -> H10 for port capacity, make sure you dual hone H3 -> H10 to both 6500 switches.

Jon

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Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

Sal

You don't say what device the other switches are but there is nothing wrong in choosing H1 & H2. If they are responsible for inter-vlan routing it also makes sense to have them as STP root and secondary.

More importantly, what purpose does H3 server in your network as it is a single point of failure. Is it needed or could you connect your edge switches directly to the 3750's ?

It's not entirely clear from your diagram whether H4 & H5 are edge switches or whether the devices connected to H4 & H5 are edge switches so some of what i have said may not be applicable. Could you clarify ?

Jon

s.marino · ‎03-09-2009

Jon,

H4 and H5 (There is also H6 - H10 but not shownwith many edge switches off of them) are other distribution switches in this campus design. The switches off of them are edge switches. H3 is a Cabletron 6000 with fiber blades that all other distribution points come back to at this time. The 3750's will be getting replaced in the next six months with two 6509's. Hope this helps!!!!

Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

So H4 - 10 are acting as L2 switches only ?

Jon

s.marino · ‎03-09-2009

Jon,

Yes H3, H4 - 10 they are acting as L2 switches.

Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

Okay, then i would use H1 & H2 as long as they are not overloaded. The root and secondary bride placement are generally tied to the core/distro of your switches. You don't really have a distro layer rather an extended access layer with the distro layer in effect being the 3750's.

Jon

s.marino · ‎03-09-2009

Okay, so when I install the two 6509's in place of the 3750's and removed H3 from production, will I have an ideal design with this campus. The 6509's will act as the core/distro for all the switches in the campus?

Thanks,

Sal

Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

Sal

H4 - 10, what are these switches and do they have any resiliency ?

It's difficult to comment too much without knowing the layout, fibre runs etc. An also are all devices connected to the edge switches singly honed.

What i would look to do is either

1) remove H3 -> H10 and dual connect each edge switch to the pair of 6500's. You could still remove the 3750's in this scenario

OR

2) more likely as i suspect you need H3 -> H10 for port capacity, make sure you dual hone H3 -> H10 to both 6500 switches.

Jon

s.marino · ‎03-09-2009

Jon,

Option 2 looks to being what I will need to accomplish. Thanks Jon for all of your time and input!!!

Jon Marshall · ‎03-09-2009

No problem. glad to have been of help.