05-20-2009 10:44 PM - edited 03-06-2019 05:51 AM
hi,
just want to verify that if we want to connect a server to a Cisco switchport, do we configure the switchport as access or trunk?
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05-21-2009 01:23 AM
Modern day server NIC's are capable of running 802.1q on their NIC. Put simply this means the server can form a trunk with the switch. So the server can be a member of multiple vlans and send traffic for all vlans at L2 across the trunk link.
This is seen quite often with VMWare servers where multiple virtual servers are each in different vlans but obviously you only have one physical NIC on the server.
Jon
05-21-2009 12:53 AM
John
If the server is meant to be in one vlan which is by far the most common setup then the switchport should be configured -
int gi0/1
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan
You would only configure the port as a trunk if you were using 802.1q vlan tagging on the server NIC.
Jon
05-21-2009 01:18 AM
thanks jon! i knew that it's going to be an access port. it's hard to argue with a server guy sometime :)
could you further add on your statement:
"You would only configure the port as a trunk if you were using 802.1q vlan tagging on the server NIC."
05-21-2009 01:23 AM
Modern day server NIC's are capable of running 802.1q on their NIC. Put simply this means the server can form a trunk with the switch. So the server can be a member of multiple vlans and send traffic for all vlans at L2 across the trunk link.
This is seen quite often with VMWare servers where multiple virtual servers are each in different vlans but obviously you only have one physical NIC on the server.
Jon
05-21-2009 02:22 AM
thanks for the enlightenment jon!
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