Configuring Metro Features; Topology Groups - HP ProCurve 9304M Installation And Configuration Manual

This chapter describes the following Metro features:
• Topology groups – A topology group enables you to control the Layer 2 protocol configuration and Layer 2
state of a set of ports in multiple VLANs based on the configuration and states of those ports in a single
master VLAN. One instance of the Layer 2 protocol controls all the VLANs. See "Topology Groups".
• Metro Ring Protocol – MRP is an alternative to STP that provides Layer 2 redundancy and sub-second
failover in ring topologies. See "Metro Ring Protocol (MRP)" on page 10-5.
• Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol (VSRP) – VSRP is an alternative to STP that provides Layer 2 and
Layer 3 redundancy and sub-second failover in mesh topologies. See "Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol
(VSRP)" on page 10-18.
You can use these features individually or in combination to provide fast, reliable, and easy to configure Layer 2
connectivity in your Metro network.

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:
• S TP
• M RP
• VSRP
• 8 02.1W
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 an HP 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's topology group.
Without topology groups, you would need to configure a separate ring for each VLAN.

Configuring Metro Features

Chapter 10
10 - 1