Setup Guide

19 Dell EMC PowerEdge MX SmartFabric Configuration and Troubleshooting Guide
3 SmartFabric mode requirements, guidelines, and restrictions
Before deploying a SmartFabric, ensure that the following requirements, guidelines, and restrictions are
followed. Failure to do so may impact your network.
3.1 Create multi-chassis management group
For a scalable fabric that uses more than one MX chassis, the chassis must be in a Multi-Chassis
Management (MCM) Group. See Appendix B.1
for more details.
NOTE: SmartFabric mode can be enabled on a single chassis having two MX9116n FSEs or two MX5108n
switches in each fabric. For a SmartFabric implemented using a single chassis, MCM group is not mandatory but
recommended. The chassis must be in an MCM group for a SmartFabric containing more than one MX chassis.
3.2 Upstream network requirements
All physical Ethernet connections within an Uplink from a SmartFabric are automatically grouped into a single
LACP LAG. Because of this, all ports on the upstream switches must also be in a single LACP LAG. Failure to
do so may create network loops.
A minimum of one physical uplink from each MX switch to each upstream switch is required and it is
recommended that uplinks be connected in a mesh design.
NOTE: The upstream switch ports must be in a single LACP LAG as shown by VLT, vPC in the figure below.
Creating multiple LAGs within a single uplink will result in a network loop.
Recommended upstream network connectivity