Chapter 1
Overview
IP forwarding at the distribution layer, connect the switches in the access layer to a Gigabit
multilayer switch in the backbone, such as a Catalyst 4500 Gigabit switch or Catalyst 6500 Gigabit
switch.
Each switch in this configuration provides users with a dedicated 1-Gbps connection to network
resources. Using SFP modules also provides flexibility in media and distance options through
fiber-optic connections.
Figure 1-2
Redundant Gigabit backbone—Using HSRP, you can create backup paths between two
•
Catalyst 3750G multilayer Gigabit switches to enhance network reliability and load balancing for
different VLANs and subnets. Using HSRP also provides faster network convergence if any network
failure occurs. You can connect the Catalyst switches, again in a star configuration, to two
Catalyst 3750G multilayer backbone switches. If one of the backbone switches fails, the second
backbone switch preserves connectivity between the switches and network resources.
Figure 1-3
Catalyst 3750 switch
Server aggregation
•
and switch stacks to interconnect groups of servers, centralizing physical security and
administration of your network. For high-speed IP forwarding at the distribution layer, connect the
switches in the access layer to multilayer switches with routing capability. The Gigabit
interconnections minimize latency in the data flow.
78-16180-02
High-Performance Wiring Closet
Catalyst
4500 or 6500
multilayer switch
Si
Redundant Gigabit Backbone
1-Gbps HSRP
Catalyst switches
(Figure
1-4) and Linux server cluster
Catalyst 3750
Layer 3 StackWise
switch stack
Catalyst 3750 switch
(Figure
Catalyst 3750 Switch Software Configuration Guide
Network Configuration Examples
1-5)—You can use the switches
1-15