Configuring multiple VLAN's across multiple switches

[majikman]

VLAN's are a little new to me, so please cut me some slack.

I have 3 networks at the same facility. One network is for business data, one is for VOIP, and one is a wireless mesh network that distributes WWW access. At this facility there are four buildings (A, B, C and D)each connected via fiber. I've attached a drawing to help show this.

Currently the business and VOIP networks are distributed amongst all four buildings. The wireless network currently only has 1 gateway that is connected to a WatchGuard FireBox. This FireBox provides WWW access to both the business and wireless networks, and provides segregation between the two networks.

Also, besides the Default_VLAN there is a VLAN established between building B and C for the VOIP network.

Where I want to eventually end up is to have the business, voice, and wireless networks in all three locations. Preferably without having to buy extra hardware, although we may want to purchase more switches for building B and C to keep the VOIP network on its own fiber pair so it has the max bandwidth available.

Not sure how to span multiple VLANs across multiple switches. Help please.

[Jeff Carrell · Accepted solution]

To have multiple vlans on a single connection, you "tag" the switch-to-switch link ports in each vlan as required.

So, as an example, 2 switches connected together, each on their port 1, 3 vlans across the link:

switch1#(config) vlan 10 tag 1
switch1#(config) vlan 20 tag 1
switch1#(config) vlan 30 tag 1

switch2#(config) vlan 10 tag 1
switch2#(config) vlan 20 tag 1
switch2#(config) vlan 30 tag 1

hth...Jeff

ps, device ports are "untagged" in a vlan.

[Jaap Laaij]

Hi,

Have you considered a LACP or HP trunk to connect the switches to each other?
Have you considered a voice vlan with QoS priority?

[majikman]

Jeff, thanks for the help.

Jaal,

I have read a bit about HP trunks. Not sure how to configure it and exactly what the benefits are. Could you elaborate a little?

[Jaap Laaij]

Jeffs explanation is about using a single physical interface, port 1, of both switches as an uplink. By tagging you are able to run multiple vlans over one physical port/uplink.

You can also use more interfaces, max 8,as one uplink. To prevent spanning tree coming into action you have to create a trunk. I just use static trunks, e.g.

ProCurve(config)# trunk 1-4 trk1 trunk

1-4 are the interfaces, trk 1 is just a name, trunk means static trunk.

You have to do this on both switches.
Ports on both ends of a trunk group must have the same media type and mode
(speed and duplex).
The trunk, eg Trk1, by default, will also be a untagged member of vlan 1.
This is necessary for things like dhcp ip requests and other functions. Only one vlan can be untagged on a port!.

The advantage is more throughput and if one of the interfaces or cables dies the remaining ports will continue rx/tx data.

[majikman]

OK, so in Jeff's example he listed two switches. I have four. So I am assuming that I would just replicate his config across all four switches. From my understanding, that gets the vlans across all four switches, but I would still need to assign specific ports to specific vlans. For example ports 2-6 on vlan 10, ports 7-12 on vlan 20, and ports 13-18 on vlan 30.

Now I have six fiber pairs that run from bldg A to bldg D. According to Jaal, I could plug all six pairs in and create a trunk. Jeff's example config shows how to get the vlans across 1 port, how would this be done across a trunk?

[Jeff Carrell]

Follow Jaap's example:
"ProCurve(config)# trunk 1-4 trk1 trunk

1-4 are the interfaces, trk 1 is just a name, trunk means static trunk.

You have to do this on both switches.
Ports on both ends of a trunk group must have the same media type and mode
(speed and duplex)."

switch1(config) trunk 1-4 trk1 trunk
switch1(config) vlan x tag trk1

and on...

When you create a trunk, those ports no longer are usable as individual ports, they are now known as "trk1".

You do not have to use the same "trkx" number on each end, they do not communicate that info. But speeds/types must be same on each end as Jaap noted.

hth...Jeff

ps, Get this CLI ref guide, it shows how to configure HP ProVision, HP Comware5 and Cisco switches for lots of different functions, in a side-by-side comparison, so if you know one CLI, you see how to do it in a different CLI:

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/docs/interoperability/Cisco/HP-Networking-and-Cisco-CLI-Reference-Guide_June_10_WW_Eng_ltr.pdf

you may not need all of it (since you only have the ProCurve's), but the examples of how to do specific configuration options are worth it :-)

[Jaap Laaij]

Took a closer look at your config.

You have a single connection from the 2810 from building A and a single connection from the 2520 to the 2810 at building B.
The same applies to the connections from the 2810 and 2520 form building D to the 4202yl at building C.
Therefore, at this point, you can just use one physical port as an uplink and creating a trunk does not make any sense.
You can still run multiple vlans over this one interface.

switch1(config) vlan 10 tag 1 (interface 1)
switch1(config) vlan 20 tag 1 (interface 1)
etc.

Between buildings B and C you can use trunking.

The whole setup of the network is quite vulnarable since the network is daisy-chained.If one of the switches in building B or C dies ... .
This can only be overcome by creating a ring/loop.
That should be possible by patching the fiber from one of the switches in building A straight through to a switch in building D.
Connect the 2520s and 2810s in building A and D with each other by a single interface uplink or a trunk, as discussed earlier.
It will create a loop but I presume you have STP running. Let me know.
This wil create just a 1Gb link overall. The question is if this will be a problem. Do you have any numbers on the day to day load, especially on the uplinks?

If you are worried about voice traffic, you should implement QoS.
The 2810 however does not support voice Vlan (2520 and 4204 do), but does support QoS priority based on Vlan ID. (Jeff?)

[Jeff Carrell]

Jaap said "If you are worried about voice traffic, you should implement QoS.
The 2810 however does not support voice Vlan (2520 and 4204 do), but does support QoS priority based on Vlan ID. (Jeff?)"

Yes, QoS can be set on port, or vlan (and other options as well). Also, ProVision code supports inbound 802.1p (layer 2 QoS) setting, so if VoIP phone sends a QoS priority at layer2 (802.1p) (and many do by default send priority 6), then the switch acts on it and passes it through. If VoIP phone does not, then you can set QoS on vlan.

switch(config)#vlan 10 qos pri 6

hth...Jeff

[majikman]

So, after all the advice and me practicing on some test equipment I began to get things setup to start this on the live switches. I was short one mini-GBIC, so I thought "no problem, I have some others (not HP brand)". Hmmmm. Ya, that's not going to work.

"Not a ProCurve transceiver..."