Re-wire several HP switches for redundant connections

[MilesVB]

We currently have 5 floors with HP switches connected via single cat5 cable to main server room on 5th floor.

We have contracted to run multiple fibers to each floor. I would like suggestions on best configs to connect each floor

with 2 fibers from 2 switches on 5th floor. Each floor would have fiber connecting switches together. Diagram attached.

[Richard Litchfield]

With what you have in your diagram, spanning tree (STP) wil be required. None of the devices you have support distributed trunking, mesh-stacking or IRF, so STP will be required. MSTP would most likely be most appropriate, but a single common instance (CIST).

• plan the STP root switch, and work out from there
• draw in the network loops, and configure STP to block on the blue (not the red or green links)
• IMC has a built in STP diagram feature that will help sort out STP issues
• why do you want fibre joing switches in the closet? Cat5 RJ45 1Gb cables will do the job just as well and be heaps cheaper!

You might want to consider some core changes in the future - maybe a zl chassis (eg 5406zl or 5412zl) to replace all the core switches. You have a bunch of 2650 switches that are geting pretty old too. A single 5406zl on each floor in conjuntion with the core zl switch would remove much of the STP complexity too.