ProCurve 2600 Linking

[Robert Kerry]

Hi,

We have 2 HP ProCurve 2600's on a testbed network, which are connected to 2 different core Cisco switches for access to the outside world. As they only each have 1 cable going to 1 of the Cisco's each, if one of the Cisco's goes down, the one connected HP switch would lose connectivity also.

We really don't want to connect each HP switch to both Cisco's, because of cabling issues.

We've enabled the "Spanning Tree" option on both of the HP's. Does this mean that if we hooked up a cross-over cable between the 2 HP's, if a Cisco switch went down, the connected HP switch would instantly route traffic through the other HP switch, then out to the working Cisco switch and outside world?

If this would not work automatically, is there a way to configure it?

I gather that it would need a cross-over Cat5, rather then a straight-through Cat5 aswell?


Thanks,

Rob

[Kell van Daal · Accepted solution]

Hi Rob,

That with spanningtree should work if you also have spanningtree enabled on the Cisco switches. I would advise to get known a little more with spanning tree first before implementing it, because it can have an impact on your network, and to see what solution is best for you (STP, RSTP, MSTP etc).

Also to connect the two HP switches you won't need a crossover cable. The switches are auto-MDIX. Meaning you can use straight or crossover and the switches figure it out themselves.

For spanningtree you can start here:
Advanced Traffic Management Guide for the 2600
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/networking/software/59908853-1004-Adv-Trff-Mgmt.pdf

For Cisco
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk389/tk621/tsd_technology_support_protocol_home.html