Connecting 3560-X to ASA 5505

[citadeltheatre]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 3560-X and i am just in the process of setting it up, my question is there a recommended way i should connect it to my ASA. Just playing around i was able to setup a routed port on the 3560 and connect it to the ASA and everything works great but I also have the security plus licenses on the ASA so I could trunk between the two.

Any options which would be a better option? Routed or Trunk?

Thanks!

Paul

[Reza Sharifi]

Paul,

The ASA can run in routed mode (default) or transparent mode (layer-2 bridging).  When you set it in routed mode,there is no need to trunk the port.  The ASA is acting as a router with the inside interface subnet being different than the outside.  So, you should be good to go.

HTH

[citadeltheatre]

Hi Reza,

Thanks for the quick reply, sorry i should have expanded a bit more, the 3560 is doing all the routing and switching for all my vlans and then I would like internet bound traffic forwarded onto the ASA.

Paul

[Reza Sharifi]

Ok, so the switch has all the SVIs and is routing between the vlans for you.  Now, you have a layer-3 link between the switch and the inside interface of the firewall (could be /30). You also need a subnet between the outside interface and the provider. (/30, 29, etc...) on the firewall you need the default route towards the service provide and static router towards your 3560 for the  vlans..

HTH

[nkarthikeyan · Accepted solution]

i suggest you can use routed mode for this scenario..

r u using your asa as the next hop/gateway for 3560x... if so u can have the multiple subinterfaces created on the inside interfaces and route the different subnet gateways....

also you can do on the vlan based transparent mode also.... better go for routed mode