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Conference npss::gigaswitch

Title:GIGAswitch
Notice:GIGAswitch/FDDI Jan 97 BL3.1 914.0 documentation 412.1ion 412.1
Moderator:NPSS::MDLYONS
Created:Wed Jul 29 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:995
Total number of notes:4519

962.0. "Arp server and IPswitching in IP multihomed environment" by KAONIS::HYNDMAN (Sled Head) Mon Mar 31 1997 16:09

Here is a sample configuration of our extended bridged lan that has multihomed
ip networks.  Unfortunately all IP subnets are on all lans.



				
				DECNIS#1   DECNIS#2
			          ||         ||
 -----------------DECswitchEF====GIGAswitch/FDDI====DECswitchEF---------------
     A        |					                 C	   |
16.154.16.24  |						    16.154.16.25   |	
	      B								   D
	16.155.144.3						  16.155.144.4



1)  If proxy arp is enabled on the gigaswitch/fddi, what addresses should be 
    assigned to the gigaswitch/fddi ports given that all subnets are on all 
    ports?  I have read differing opinions from the previous notes.  One 
    indicated that you should assign an ip address to the port from the
    subnet to which it connects.  I can't do this since I have multiple subnets
    per port.  Can a port have multiple address?  If it can, should I assign one
    address from each subnet.  Another opinion is to assign the same ip address
    to all ports.  Will this only support ARP serving for the subnet assigned 
    to the gigaswitch ports?  If the ports were assigned different ip addresses
    all from the same subnet, what would be the effect?

2)  If a gigaswitch port has an ip address assigned and a management station
    pings this address, does the port itself respond or does the SCP?

3) It doesn't appear that ipswitching can be used in this environment because 
   all subnets appear on all ports.  Can the gigaswitch provide ipswitching
   by learning all mac addresses for all ip addresses or through another
   mechanism.

	I've been reading the notes however none of the examples ever uses
a multihomed environment.  Probably with good reason :^)

many thanks,

Scott 
    

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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962.1NPSS::MDLYONSMichael D. Lyons DTN 226-6943Mon Mar 31 1997 17:0260
>1)  If proxy arp is enabled on the gigaswitch/fddi, what addresses should be 
>    assigned to the gigaswitch/fddi ports given that all subnets are on all 
>    ports?  I have read differing opinions from the previous notes.  One 
    
        ..as you mention, this is an unresolved topic of discussion.  The
    belief is that you are *SUPPOSED* to get proxy ARPs regardless of the
    subnet assignments, but I personally don't believe this to actually be
    the case in real life.
    
        I haven't actually tested and verified this behaviour, so I have no
    proof.
    
        Regardless, ARPs will work - it's just a question of whether or not
    the GIGAswitch/FDDI system will be giving you the responses or letting
    the end system respond.
    
        The most conservative thing to do is to assign an IP address in
    every subnet to all the ports.  However, this typically leads to
    maxing out the address assignments pretty quickly now that virtual
    ports have entered into the equation.
    
>    indicated that you should assign an ip address to the port from the
>    subnet to which it connects.  I can't do this since I have multiple subnets
>    per port.  Can a port have multiple address?  If it can, should I assign one
    
        Yes.
    
>    address from each subnet.  Another opinion is to assign the same ip address
>    to all ports.  Will this only support ARP serving for the subnet assigned 
>    to the gigaswitch ports?  If the ports were assigned different ip addresses
>    all from the same subnet, what would be the effect?

        ...as I mentioned before, there is some disagreement as to what the
    actual behaviour would be.
    
        Assigning different IP addresses from the same subnet would be a
    complete waste of time and resources.
    
>2)  If a gigaswitch port has an ip address assigned and a management station
>    pings this address, does the port itself respond or does the SCP?

        All external communication with the GIGAswitch/FDDI system is with
    the SCP.
    
>3) It doesn't appear that ipswitching can be used in this environment because 
>   all subnets appear on all ports.  Can the gigaswitch provide ipswitching
>   by learning all mac addresses for all ip addresses or through another
>   mechanism.

       ...if you haven't done so, you really ought to read the IP switching
    paper - there's a pointer in 909.1   "IP switching" has different
    implications on the GIGAswitch/FDDI system.
    
>	I've been reading the notes however none of the examples ever uses
>a multihomed environment.  Probably with good reason :^)

    ....I don't think so...
    
    MDL
962.2KAONIS::HYNDMANSled HeadTue Apr 01 1997 17:5339
    
    Micheal,
     
    	We are running gigaswitches with V2.2
    
    >The belief is that you are *SUPPOSED* to get proxy ARPs regardless of
    >the subnet assignments, but I personally don't believe this to actually
    >be the case in real life.
    
    I agree.  The gigaswitches do not appear to proxy arp for hosts outside 
    of they're subnet assignments.  I looked at the arp cache on the 
    gigaswitches from netview to verify.
    
    >      Assigning different IP addresses from the same subnet would be a
    >    complete waste of time and resources.
      
    This is what I had done when setting up the switch for two reasons. 
    It wasn't clear how these should be assigned and I need to set something 
    for arp servering to be enabled.  Also I thought I would be able to
    determine if an interface was up or down via an snmp management
    station.  If an interface/bridge port is broken, will the SCP respond
    to a ping for the address assigned to the port which has failed?
    
    It would appear that inorder for proxy arp to work in this environment
    I will have to set up each port with an address from each subnet.
    
    >    ...if you haven't done so, you really ought to read the IP switching
    >    paper - there's a pointer in 909.1   "IP switching" has different
    >    implications on the GIGAswitch/FDDI system.
    
    Some bed time reading last night.  As with the arp servering I will
    need to set up each port with an address from each subnet.  Also set up
    the decnis(s) to do proxy arp.  This will at least eliminate the
    current requirement for decnis(s) to act as a one arm routers
    effectively doubling the intersubnet traffic on our lan.
    
    
    Scott 	
    
962.3NPSS::MDLYONSMichael D. Lyons DTN 226-6943Tue Apr 01 1997 18:3127
>    	We are running gigaswitches with V2.2
    
    I *strongly* recommend that you upgrade to BL 3.1
    
>    for arp servering to be enabled.  Also I thought I would be able to
>    determine if an interface was up or down via an snmp management
>    station.  If an interface/bridge port is broken, will the SCP respond
>    to a ping for the address assigned to the port which has failed?
    
       That isn't the way it works.  SNMP communication is with the SCP,
    and has no bearing on any line card status.  You are *not* talking to a
    line card, although technically, your communication passes across a
    line card to get to the SCP.  Note that it doesn't necessarily pass
    across the line card to which you have assigned that particular IP
    address.  You can *not* get any useful information about line card
    status from doing pings.  You must use the MIB objects for that line
    card to get a proper status.
    
>    It would appear that inorder for proxy arp to work in this environment
>    I will have to set up each port with an address from each subnet.
    
        This is true in the sense that the GIGAswitch/FDDI system won't
    serve all the ARP messages which it could serve.  However, this doesn't
    mean that ARP won't work, or that the GIGAswitch/FDDI system isn't
    serving ARPs.
    
MDL    
962.4KAONIS::HYNDMANSled HeadWed Apr 02 1997 10:0510
    
    
    Micheal,
    
    	Thank you for your reply.  We can not upgrade at this time.  We
    will probably have to wait until a plant maintenance shutdown.  We can
    definately take advantage of some of the new features, in particularly
    hunt groups.
    
    Scott