A Sample VSS Configuration for 2x Cisco Cat6500 with Supervisor 720

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The Virtual Switching System (VSS) allows two Cisco Catalyst 6500 or 4500 chassis to bond together so that is seen as a single virtual switch to the rest of the network. Other devices will see the VSS configured 6500 as a single device which means it’s possible to use multi chassis ether channel and protocols like spanning-tree will only see a single switch. This article provides configuration that will allow you to easily enable VSS on these switches.

catalyst-6500-series

Here is a sample VSS configuration for 2x Cat6500 with Supervisor 720 provided by a Cisco champion.

VSS domain config:

switch virtual domain 10
switch 1
switch 1 priority 110
switch 2 priority 100
exit

Create a Port-Channel “mode on” type between two Supervsor:

interface port-channel 1
description VSL Link

switch virtual link 1

no sh

interface range T5/4 -5
channel-group 1 mode on

no shutdown

Commiting following command will save the configuration on both switches and reboot them.

switch convert mode virtual

After the reboot, we need additionally apply this command:

switch accept mode virtual

Now, lets verify the VSS status:

show switch virtual
show switch virtual link
show switch virtual role

Remember to apply this also:

mac-address-table synchronize

redundancy
mode sso
exit

Sample from Cisco’s support forums https://supportforums.cisco.com/document/134471/konfiguracja-vss-na-6500

So in the following part we will share a general example of Cisco Cat6500 VSS Configuration

Firstly, let’s check the main requirements for this Configuration on the Catalyst 6500 series.

Requirements

  • Virtual Switching Supervisor 720-10GE (VS-S720-10GE-3C and VS-S720-10GE-3CXL) with IOS 12.2(33)SXH1 and IP Base
  • or Supervisor 2T (VS-S2T-10G and VS-S2T-10G-XL) with IOS 12.2(50) SY and IP Base

Cabling Between Chassis

  • Minimum of two 10Gbps links with at least one on the Supervisor
  • Minimum of one (more is recommended) 1Gbps or 10Gbps links for dual-active detection 

Dual Active Detection Method

There are three available options; BFD, Fast Hello, Enhanced PAgP. EPAgP requires a downstream switch that is EPAgP-capable, which is sometime hard to find. BFD requires an IP address to be configured on the interface. Here we choose to use Fast Hello, although more than one method can be configured.

 

Configuration Steps:

Make sure all cabling between two switches are completed before proceeding

On Switch 1

1. Set switch number to 1

!

switch set switch_num 1 local

switch read switch_num local ! confirm 1 is returned

!

 

2. Configure virtual domain then save config

!

configure terminal

switch virtual domain 1

 switch 1

 mac-address use-virtual  ! optional but recommended

!

do wr mem

!

 

3. Configure VSL links. 

!

interface Port-channel 1

 desc — To Switch 2 VSL —

 switchport

 switch virtual link 1

 no shut

!

interface range TenGigabitEthernetx/x-y ! modify as necessary

 channel-group 1 mode on

 no shutdown

!

do wr mem

exit

!

 

4. Convert switch to VSS mode. Confirm and switch will reload

!

switch convert mode virtual

!

 

On Switch 2

1. Set switch number to 2

!

switch set switch_num 2 local

switch read switch_num local ! confirm 2 is returned

!

 

2. Configure virtual domain then save config

!

configure terminal

switch virtual domain 1

 switch 2

 mac-address use-virtual  ! optional but recommended

!

do wr mem

!

 

3. Configure VSL links. 

!

interface Port-channel 2 ! must be different number from switch 1

 desc — To Switch 1 VSL —

 switchport

 switch virtual link 2

 no shut

!

interface range TenGigabitEthernetx/x-y ! modify as necessary

 channel-group 2 mode on

 no shutdown

!

do wr mem

exit

!

 

4. Convert switch to VSS mode. Confirm and switch will reload

!

switch convert mode virtual

!

  • Wait until switch 2 comes back and join VSS
  • You can only make config changes on the active supervisor now

 

On the active switch

1. Adjust switch priority

!

configure terminal

switch virtual domain 1

 switch 1 priority 110

 switch 2 priority 100

!

 

2. Configure dual-active detection

!

switch virtual domain 1

 dual-active detection fast-hello

!

interface ra GigabitEthernet1/x/x ! modify as necessary

 desc — VSL Fast Hello —

 dual-active fast-hello

 no shutdown

!

interface ra GigabitEthernet2/x/x ! modify as necessary

 desc — VSL Fast Hello —

 dual-active fast-hello

 no shutdown

exit

!

show switch virtual dual-active fast-hello ! verify

!

Reference from https://www.labminutes.com/blog/2013/09/cisco-4500-4500x-6500-vss-configuration

 

More Related VSS Configuration on Cisco Switches

VSS on Cisco 4500/4500X Switches

Cisco 4500 VSS Requirement-Software, Hardware and Licensing

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