Migrating Users and Servers From VLAN1

[btaylor]

I need some help with migrating the users and servers off VLAN1.

Our network consists of 2950s and 3550s. We are adding 2960s and 3560s for users and servers, respectively. Inter-VLAN routing is done on one of the 3550s. Currently most users, servers, and networking equipment resides on VLAN1 (10.1.1.x). Problems have arisen since we installed some ESX servers on VLAN20 (10.1.20.x). They would periodically stop routing to VLAN1.

What is the best way to move users and servers from VLAN1? Should I take the network down and manually change 10.1.1.x to VLAN99 switch-by-switch? Would this work as a management VLAN or should I keep the networking equipment on VLAN1 and all user/server ports change to the respective VLANs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[JORGE RODRIGUEZ]

The migration strategy in geting hosts off vlan1/management vlan depends on the size of your network, #users, #servers, FW dependencies, dns chnages etc. and the impact on availability.

I have done hot cutovers of servers from one VLAN to another, re-iping servers could be a pain depending on the APPs and dependencies, and even if one plans to the very specifics always there are problems.

The best approach for me has been a gradual migration.

In your scenario it seems that you already have vlan20 for servers. Start with a new VLAN for users and gradually migrate them off vlan1.

For the servers that still remain in VLAN1, do a gradual migration to VLAN20.

HTH, rate if this helps.

Jorge

[btaylor]

Thanks for the reply.

It's a small environment, about 25 or so servers and 150 or so users. Sounds like gradual migration is the plan because this environment isn't well documented, and the previous administration liked to do weird things like hard-coding IPs and un's/pw's. :-)

[JORGE RODRIGUEZ]

Gradual migration is a good approach, it is of less impacting to have 5 users or 1 to 2 servers facing problems if any than the whole 100 users or server farm.

By moving/re-iping say one server you can always resolve any issues or worse case plan a fall back change to vlan1 and research what went wrong and iterate the process.

Jorge