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Unit 6 Assignment 6 Chris Wiginton Essay

Decent Essays

Chris Wiginton
IS-3120 Unit 6 Assignment 6

Cisco-Layer 2 Resiliency Compared to HP’s IRF
In order to provide speed and reliability, large and enterprise-level networks today are typically constructed in multiple layers. They are the access layer, also called the network edge layer, the aggregation or distribution layer; and the network core layer. The access layer is usually a mesh of network switches, linked to other switches in the aggregation layer, which in turn is linked to the core.
This mesh type application of switches provides multiple paths for network traffic to flow. What this means is that if one link in the traffic flow or a switch goes down, traffic can continue to flow using an alternate path. This type of mesh …show more content…

In contrast, Cisco Layer 2 Resiliency advantages are claimed to offer rapid failover without service disruption. The layer 2 is designed to streamline change management and service turn-up without WAN disruption with fewer errors. It offers a high availability through real-time recovery and resiliency at the network, device and design levels. Cisco Layer 2 Resiliency offers increased system redundancy at the platform level, network security through access layer defense, identity-based trust, pervasive security and management as well as providing device posture assessments. Operational efficiency is achieved through automated configuration, proactive diagnostics and simplified troubleshooting. This is designed to provide predictable application performance to support converged applications as well as support IP multicast for new applications. As with HP’s IRF Resiliency, there are several disadvantages associated with Cisco Layer 2 Resiliency. The router supports REP only when the router is running the metro IP access or the metro access image. You have to configure each segment port or an incorrect configuration will cause forwarding loops in networks. REP can only manage one failed port within a segment. Multiple port failures within the REP segment cause high loss of network connectivity.
Due to its simplistic manageability and scalability I would recommend HP’s IRF Resiliency over Cisco Layer

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