Configuration Guide User guide

FastIron Configuration Guide 607
53-1002494-02
Chapter
17
Metro Features
Table 114 lists the individual Brocade FastIron switches and the metro features they support.
These features are supported in the Layer 2, base Layer 3, edge Layer 3, and full Layer 3 software
images, except where explicitly noted.
T
Topology groups
A topology group is a named set of VLANs that share a Layer 2 topology. Topology groups simplify
configuration and enhance scalability of Layer 2 protocols by allowing you to run a single instance
of a Layer 2 protocol on multiple VLANs.
You can use topology groups with the following Layer 2 protocols:
• STP
• MRP
• VSRP
• 802.1W
Topology groups simplify Layer 2 configuration and provide scalability by enabling you to use the
same instance of a Layer 2 protocol for multiple VLANs. For example, if a Brocade device is
deployed in a Metro network and provides forwarding for two MRP rings that each contain 128
VLANs, you can configure a topology group for each ring. If a link failure in a ring causes a topology
change, the change is applied to all the VLANs in the ring topology group. Without topology groups,
you would need to configure a separate ring for each VLAN.
TABLE 114 Supported metro features
Feature FESX
FSX 800
FSX 1600
FWS FCX ICX 6610 ICX 6430
ICX 6450
Topology groups Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Metro Ring Protocol 1 (MRP 1) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Metro Ring Protocol 2 (MRP 2) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Extended MRP ring IDs from 1 – 1023 Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol
(VSRP)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
VSRP-Aware security features Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
VSRP and MRP signaling Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
VSRP Fast Start Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
VSRP timer scaling Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes