Catalyst configs

Hi All,

I think this is the right forum, if not I apologize. Ok, here goes...

I am in the process of putting together something to implement and I am a little confused about a few things. Basically I want to add a few vlans to the network. I am working with a catalyst 6513 and two catalyst 4006, but the 4006's dont really matter. this question is more about modes i suppose. my 6513 is running in hybrid mode, so I am using a CatOS on the sup and IOS on the msfc. Well, when I create vlans, my understanding is that to have routing betweem ,I need the layer 3 that the msfc provides. so to get this end result, i will need to create the vlans and assign ip addresses to each vlan interface. just to make sure I understand this, i will create the vlans on the "switch" portion of my cat and the actual interfaces will be created and assigned an ip in the msfc. Am I correct in this? How does this change on other boxes? say maybe a cat running native mode? or a different cat altogether? Maybe I am just confused from working in hybrid mode since the start of my "cisco career". I think i reverse gained some of this knowledge and it is confusing me!

TIA,
M

Welcome to the forums, susetechie. You posted in the correct section.

Yes, your ideas are right about achieving layer 3 switching in hybrid mode, just remember you need to also have a routing configuration (static, EIGRP, etc.). The idea of hybrid and native modes is unique to the Catalyst 6500 line of switches. Hybrid, as you correctly stated is Cat OS w/IOS on the MSFC. Native mode just uses IOS as the single software image for the switch -- so you don't have to switch between the two. These are the only two modes for the 6500 series.

Hope this "unconfuses" you.

Thanks a lot for your reply. I understood that routing should be enabled, but thanks for making sure i "got it"! lol

ok...so i guess i just have one more question, you said that hybrid and native mode are cat 6500 modes. is this only with this specific box? if i were to go to say a cat 4507, i would only see IOS controlling the switch as well as the rsm? I think its just hard for me to imagine in my head nothing having to switch between the two as its somehow easier for me to think of one as doing the "routing" and one as doing the "switching". are there major advantages to having a native mode box over a hybrid? obviously YMMV, but technicially speaking should one choose one over the other?

Thanks again!!

Yes, the whole concept of native and hybrid mode is unique to 6500s. Any other Catalyst switch line will just be using a single software image. With IOS, to do the function of switching, you use the command "switchport" on any interface you want to be switched. As far as whether to use hybrid or native, I believe Cisco ships 6500 supervisor engines as hybrid by default. Both modes will do what you want technically, it all comes down to preference. I personally like IOS, even for switching. You may prefer Cat OS for switching, and just leave IOS for the routing. Or maybe you'd like your configuration to be all in one place with native mode. But if you like hybrid mode, just leave it as is.

another advantage to Native mode is that the entire switch basically turns into a giant 'router'. What would be called a 'port' in CatOS is now an 'interface' as it would be on a router using IOS. This makes configuration a little more straight forward, since you configure everything from one location and with one command set, instead of having to switch between CatOS commands (set port, set vlan, etc) and IOS commands. It also means one less software image you have to worry about upgrading.