MSTP design for Procurve 5406zl

[Alejandro Rosales S.]

Hello everybody,


I've been searching around the web all day and I found some threads here in ITRC where some people bring their design ideas to request assistance and I thought I'd give it a try.

Being a forum addict somewhere else I reckon it just doesn't strike right to come and ask simply "fix it", and more than anything, I look forward to learn from your help, so throwing me some food for thought of sharing a web link in the right direction should do, because I also understand most of you would reply out of curiosity and in your spare time.

I have a very annoying situation in which two different networks need to have their independence from each other, connectivity-wise, however, there's only two WAN links that belong to one of these companies, to serve both(I know, not very helpful heh).

I'm pretty much free to implement any changes necessary with the equipment I have, just so long we reach the point where every time network A, in company A needs to reboot their switches for any reason, network B doesn't even notice.

Likewise, whenever network B from company B has an issue with their switches, network A goes unharmed.

Like I said, the only 2 routers available belong to company A alone. They're a couple of MPLS links doing HSRP and they connect both networks/companies to a remote site where each have servers of their own.

As if it wasn't enough, everytime company A needs to perform any manteinance of either router, network B of company B should easily continue operating through the other router remaining (and so should network A).

This is my first shot at it (I'm attaching a diagram). This is not how both networks are standing today (matter of fact, network B is attached to network A right now, so B depends on us and they don't want to). Since each VRRP pair is using the HSRP floating address as their default route, I thought the easiest thing for now would be to "detach" network B off network A and provide both with layer 2 access to the HSRP pair.

I have the equipment that you can see in the diagram, and I even have an extra couple of 5406's if they can be any help. The biggest problem is that I wish I had as many switches to build up a lab with the same scenario and see for myself if it would work and correct as needed, but I don't, and since I only have one shot at this, I need to be extra-sure I know what I'm doing, not to mention there's a deadline (not very exciting hah).

Any advice will help, and many many thanks in advance for sharing a bit of your time.

[Alejandro Rosales S.]

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