Product guide

Switch Meshing
Mesh Design Optimization
Other factors affecting the performance of mesh networks include the number
of destination addresses that have to be maintained, and the overall traffic
levels and patterns. However a conservative approach when designing new
mesh implementations is to use the two-tier design and limit the mesh domain
to eight switches where possible.
Other Requirements and Restrictions
■ Mesh Support Within the Domain: All switches in the mesh domain,
including edge switches, must support the ProCurve switch meshing
protocol.
■ Switch Hop Count in the Mesh Domain: A maximum of five (meshed)
switch hops is allowed in the path connecting two nodes in a switch mesh
domain. A path of six meshed hops is unusable. However, this does not
interfere with other, shorter paths in the same domain.
■ Connecting Mesh Domains: To connect two separate switch meshing
domains, you must use non-meshed ports. (The non-meshed link can be
a port trunk or a single link.) Refer to figure 7-3 on page 7-7.
■ Multiple Links Between Meshed Switches: Multiple mesh ports can
be connected between the same two switches, to provide higher band-
width. Each port that you want in the mesh domain should be configured
as Mesh (and not as a trunk—Trk). Note that if you configure a port as
Mesh, there is no “Type” selection for that port.
■ Automatic Broadcast Control: Series 3400cl, 6400cl, and 5300xl
switches do not offer this feature. Thus, in a switch mesh comprised of
3400cl, 6400cl, and/or 5300xl switches and any of the 1600M/2400M/
2424M/4000M/8000M switches, ABC must be disabled (which is the
default setting) on the 1600M/2400M/2424M/4000M/8000M switches.
■ Network Monitor Port: If a network monitor port is configured, broad-
cast packets may be duplicated on this port if more than one port is being
monitored and switch meshing is enabled.
■ Compatibility with Older Switches: Only after the Series 3400cl,
6400cl, and 5300xl switches are placed in backward compatibility mode
will they operate with older switches. For more information see “CLI:
Configuring Switch Meshing” on page 7-17. Each entry in a Series 3400cl,
6400cl, or 5300xl switch’s MAC-address table consists of a MAC address
and a VLAN ID (VID). In older switches there is no VID; just a MAC
address. The older switches will therefore detect indistinguishable, dupli-
cate addresses where the Series 3400cl, 6400cl, and 5300xl switches will
detect multiple different addresses consisting of the same MAC address
and different VIDs. In a switch mesh that includes any 1600M/2400M/
2424M/4000M/8000M switches, duplicate MAC addresses entering the
mesh on different switches are not allowed. (These older switches do not
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