Deploying IBM Flex System into a Cisco Network

This IBM® Redpaper™ publication provides information about how to integrate an IBM Flex System into an existing customer network. It focuses on interoperability and seamless integration from the network perspective.

The paper describes the complete configuration of the most common scenarios. It guides you through several setups, and shows in detail how to configure the network switches and verify the functionality and proper operation.

This paper can help you to easily configure and monitor your Layer 2 setup. Typical, well-established Layer 2 Network setups use combinations of Spanning Tree Protocol, VLANs, and link aggregation.

The scenarios that are described in this paper include the use of the following switching products:

* Cisco Nexus 5000 (including vPC)
* Cisco Catalyst 6500
* IBM RackSwitch (including vLAG)
* IBM Flex System Ethernet Scalable Switch (including vLAG)

We describe the use of these switches with each of the following Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) configurations:

* RSTP (Rapid STP)
* MSTP (Multiple STP)
* PVRST (Per VLAN Rapid STP)
* STP disabled

The paper is for network administrators who are familiar with Cisco network products. It uses the industry standard command-line interface (isCLI) as the management interface. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with Cisco products and the use of isCLI.

Foreword
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Layer 2 Network protocols and technologies
Chapter 3. IBM RackSwitch G8264 connectivity
Chapter 4. Cisco Nexus 5000 connectivity
Chapter 5. Cisco Catalyst 6500 switch connectivity
Appendix A. Troubleshooting

Related product families

Product families related to this document are the following:

• 1 Gb Embedded Connectivity
• 10 Gb Embedded Connectivity
• Blade Networking Modules