Switch high availability options

There are various ways that switches can be physically and logically combined to deliver redundancy as well as scalability in a network. These are briefly described below:

• Virtual Switching System (VSS)
  • Allows two Cisco Catalyst devices (6500 and 4500 series) to bond together so that they are seen as a single virtual switch to the rest of the network.
  • Connect by creating virtual switch links over regular Ethernet connections.
  • They combine into a single control plane.
  • Older technology, replaced by StackWise Virtual, described below.
• StackWise
  • Allows two or more switches to act as a single switch
  • Connect using specialized StackWise cabling that extend the backplane of the switches
  • Combine into a single control plane
• StackWise Virtual
  • Allows two switches to act as a single switch
  • Connect using 10G or 40G ethernet links
  • Combine into a single control plane
  • Supported on 9000 series switches
• vPC
  • Supported on Nexus switches only
  • Allows two switches to operate in an active/active arrangement
  • Maintain two control planes, but are synchronized

See also: Switch High Availability and the Control Plane

Links

https://networklessons.com/cisco/ccie-routing-switching-written/cisco-6500-vss-configuration-example

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9500/software/release/16-9/configuration_guide/ha/b_169_ha_9500_cg/configuring_cisco_stackwise_virtual.html

https://networklessons.com/switching/cisco-stackwise

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/sw/design/vpc_design/vpc_best_practices_design_guide.pdf

https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/can-we-configure-vss-on-cisco-nexus-switch/td-p/2446353