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Configuring VSS Cisco 4500
Configuring VSS Cisco 4500
Catalyst 4500X Switches.
Posted on August 12, 2017 by jbernec
As part of a network infrastructure upgrade at a client site, I’ll be implementing Cisco
VSS (Virtual Switching System). This technology will go a long way to meet some of the
stated objectives of this infrastructure upgrade which include : Physical Hardware
Redundancy, High Availability achieved by Switch Clustering, Self-healing, Increased
bandwidth (10 GB trunk), to mention a few.
Prerequisites:
I have outlined my VSS configuration steps for a pair of Cisco Catalyst 4500X switches
below starting with Switch-1. The following diagram illustrates the physical topology:
Switch-1(config-vs-domain)#exit
Switch-1(config)#interface port-channel 10
Switch-1(config-if)#switchport
Switch-1(config-if)#no shutdown
Switch-1(config-if)#exit
Switch-1(config-if)#channel-group 10 mode on
Switch-1(config-if)#no shutdown
Switch-1(config-if)#channel-group 10 mode on
WARNING: Interface TenGigabitEthernet1/1,2 placed in restricted config mode. All
extraneous configs removed!
Switch-1(config)#exit
Switch-1#switch convert mode virtual (Execute the command, but do not reload until
VSS configuration is completed on Switch 2)
Switch 2 Virtual Domain and Port Channel Configuration:
Switch-2(config-vs-domain)#exit
Switch-2(config)#interface port-channel 20
Switch-2(config-if)#switchport
Switch-2(config-if)#no shutdown
Switch-2(config-if)#exit
Configure Virtual Switch Link:
Switch-2(config-if)#channel-group 20 mode on
Switch-2(config-if)#no shutdown
Switch-2(config-if)#channel-group 20 mode on
WARNING: Interface TenGigabitEthernet1/1,2 placed in restricted config mode. All
extraneous configs removed!
Switch-2(config)#exit
Switch-1-Standy#sh run
Standby console disabled.
Valid commands are: exit, logout
Configure VSS Cluster Uplink to Distribution Stack Switches as Multichassis
EtherChannel (MEC):
Console into the VSS switch cluster. Doesn’t matter if it’s the Switch master or slave,
and configure the etherchannel switchport as it would on any other switch(In this
scenario, I’m consoled into the standby/slave switch):
Switch-1(config)#interface port-channel 30
Switch-1(config)#switchport
Switch-1(config)# no shut
Add ports from both chassis of the VSS Cluster to the Port Channel:
DataCenterStack(config)#interface port-channel 30
DataCenterStack(config-if)#switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q
DataCenterStack(config-if)#switchport mode trunk
DataCenterStack(config-if)#no shut
Add the Stack switches physical ports to the Channel group. This would be the ports
fitted with the X2-10GB-SR fiber converters on the Distribution Layer 3750E-48PD
switches as indicated in the diagram above: