maximum switch connetion depth

[Mike Tupker]

I was wondering how many switches deep can one connect other switches using copper ethernet? For example:

core -> switchA -> switchB -> switchC -> etc...

I know this is a pretty basic question but it's one of those questions I've never run across before. mainly i'm dealing with procurve 2524's in this scenario. Thanks.

[Mohieddin Kharnoub · Accepted solution]

Hi

Unless you are doing cascading OR you have dual links between the switches and spanning-Tree is running , you can have many connected like your (unrecommended) way.

If you are cascading, then the limitation is up to 15, and if Spanning tree is running, you can have up to 7 in one diameter (connection like your existing one).

Some of the issues you will have is:

- Speed, and Bandwidth availability: if you are running routing on the core so SwitchA (poor guy) has to carry all the switches connected to his tail like a train.

- Single point of failure: id SwitchA is gone, of at least the link between SwitchA and core is gone then bye bye.

- Instead of that, you can have the Star topology by connecting each edge to core by single or multiple links.

And one of the scenarios is to have SwitchA connected to each Edge switch one to one, and from switchA one or more links to the core.

Good Luck !!!

[Mike Tupker]

Thanks for the clarification. the example i gave is an exangeration of how our network is setup. For the most part we are setup with a pretty good start topology. We have STP and VRRP running on two core switches and redundant fiber links to all buildings. I should have been more specific with the network layout that i'm being forced to consider. It would be more like this:

(core) -fiber> (2524) -copper eth> (new 2524)

i should mention this is scenario is purley a request from our phone guy who is trying to avoind running a bunch of wires a long distance. I think i'm just going to use a stacking kit and make the phone guy run the wires.