connecting multiple procurve 4000s

[momoko]

I have 3 HP procurve 4000's and was wondering the best way to link them, currently I have a cat 5 tp cable linking them, but was thinking there must be a better way.
perhaps a fibre card in each to link them?


thanks

 

[polymath5]

I have been told by HP the only way to do it is to use a fiber module in each switch.

I wasn't happy about it not having a matix back channel cable. But that's the way it is...

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Mens et Manus
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[ralpheb]

Hello momoko -

You have various options, including the 8-port 10/100 J4111 blade, the 100Base-FX blade (J4112A), Gig-SX (J4113A), Gig-LX (J4114A), 100/1000-Base-T (J4115B), and 10Base-FL (J4118A). Your choices represent various tradeoffs in cost, distance and speed. Since you did not mention your cost, distance and speed desires or constraints, it is difficult to recommend a port/blade type for you.

For the list of blades I listed above, see the Accessories list at the bottom of the page at

http://www.hp.com/rnd/products/switches/switch4000/overview.htm

.

Regards,
Ralph

 

[BAsh12]

You could always try meshing, I take it these are similar to the 8000 series you are talking about?

 

[ralpheb]

BAsh12 -

You are right that the Switch 4000 supports meshing. It supports trunking as well.

I assumed that momoko was asking which types of cabling the 4000 supports, but you bring up a good question as to what types of protocols the Switch supports.

Regards,
Ralph

 

[momoko]

The 2 4000 switches physically adjacent, there is a 3rd switch to be installed which will be about 100m away.
I though there would be a built in Gb connector, plugging in a patch cable between the 100Mb cards that come with the switch didn't seem like the best way to link them.

99% of the trafic is ip, the remaining is the normal microsoft chatter.
Wish novell would make a comeback..oh well

Thanks ralpheb for the link.

 

[Russky]

I use HP Meshing to create a loop between 5 4000m switches. My personal preference in this situation would be to put 2 * Fibre SX Cards(J4113A) into each switch, set these ports up in a mesh and link one switch to another in a loop. Not the cheapest way but it will give you a Gb backbone and I`ve found HP Meshing to be less troublesome than STP.

Cheers,

Russky