If you can go fully dynamically routed, Layer 3 only, this problem becomes much, much easier to solve given the constraints you mention. Among others, Ruckus switches will stack over fiber, but nowhere near 30 units. I think the max is 12 and I would not recommend going over 8. If you need L2, consider running it on an overlay, even if that overlay is just GRE. Again, rings are child's play if you can eliminate the L2 aspect. On Tue, Feb 25, 2020 at 8:32 PM Norman Jester <nj@jester.mx> wrote:
I’m in the process of choosing hardware for a 30 story building. If anyone has experience with this I’d appreciate any tips.
There are two fiber pairs running up the building riser. I need to put a POE switch on each floor using this fiber.
The idea is to cut the fiber at each floor and insert a switch and daisy chain the switches together using one pair, and using the other pair as the failover side of the ring going back to the source so if one device fails it doesn’t take the whole string down.
The problem here is how many switches can be strung together and I would not try more than 3 to 5. This is not something I typically do (stacking switches). I have fears of STP and/or RSTP issue stacking past Ethernet switch to switch limits (if they still exist??)
Is there a device with a similar protocol as the old 3com (now HP IDF) stacking capability via fiber?
I’d like to use something inexpensive as its to power ubiquiti wifi on each floor. Ideally if you know something I don’t about ubiquiti switches that can do this I’d appreciate knowing.
Norman