Users Guide
Contents
1 Introduction...........................................................................................................8
2 Getting Started......................................................................................................9
Designing and Deploying a Fabric........................................................................................................9
3 Supported Fabric Types..................................................................................... 11
Key Considerations for Designing a Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT) Fabric............................12
Gathering Useful Information for a Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT) Fabric.............................13
Conventional Core Versus Distributed Core......................................................................................13
Conventional Core........................................................................................................................ 14
Distributed Core............................................................................................................................ 14
Key Advantages..............................................................................................................................15
Distributed Core Terminology ..................................................................................................... 15
Gathering Useful Information for a Distributed Core.................................................................. 16
Selecting a Layer 3 Distributed Core Fabric Design..................................................................... 17
VLT....................................................................................................................................................... 22
Multidomain VLT........................................................................................................................... 23
VLT Terminology........................................................................................................................... 23
VLT Fabric Terminology................................................................................................................ 23
VLT Components.......................................................................................................................... 24
Typical VLT Topology....................................................................................................................24
Key Considerations for Designing a Layer 2 VLT Fabric.............................................................. 24
Gathering Useful Information for a Layer 2 VLT Fabric............................................................... 25
Selecting a Layer 2 and Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT) Fabric Design.............................26
4 Designing a Fabric..............................................................................................45
Network Deployment Summary ........................................................................................................46
Fabric Configuration Phases and States.......................................................................................46
Switch Configuration Phases and States......................................................................................47
Operations Allowed in Each Fabric State...........................................................................................48
Deployment Topology Use Cases......................................................................................................50
Use Case 1: One-Tier Layer 2 Fabric............................................................................................50
Use Case 2: One-Tier Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT).......................................................50
Use Case 3: Two-Tier Layer 2 ......................................................................................................50
Use Case 4: Two-Tier Layer 3 Distributed Core...........................................................................51
Use Case 5: Two-Tier Layer 3 Resiliency (Routed VLT)............................................................... 51
Use Case 6: Three-Tier Layer 2.................................................................................................... 52
Use Case 7: Three-Tier Layer 3 Resiliency (Routed VLT).............................................................52
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