GIGAstack cabling Qs

[steven.cascio]

In reviewing a network’s GIGAstack cabling I have noted a few closets with cable configurations that do not match recommendations. The recommendations for connecting switches w/ a redundant connection is that you chain port 2 from one switch to port 1 of the next switch … the redundant connection from the last switch port 2 back to port 1 of the first switch. I have a few closets where the cabling is vertical … i.e. in a two switch stack port 2 connected to port 2 and port 1 connected to port 1.

The connections seem to work fine.

Qs.

1. Are the cabling rules hard and fast … or are these just recommendations. If they are hard and fast rules what is the difference between port 1 and 2 of the GBIC?

2. Should we do a review of all closets and verify odd even connections?

Thanks,

Steve

[DALE FRANCIS]

Steve,

As far as i know there is no hard and and fast rule with reagards to redundant loops, the only problem that used to exist was the IOS support for looped topologies

For 29xxXL and 35xxXL you had to run 12.0(5)XU to support this feature and inthe later models 12.1(6)EA2 for Catalyst 2950 and 12.1(4)EA1 or later for Catalyst 3550 switches.