Management VLAN on Cisco Devices

[Bedrock1977]

According to Cisco, a management VLAN should be created, and all devices should have an interface or sub-interface connected to it. This is where I get confused though...My network has a single L3 and two L2 switches. The L3 switch (3550) is my core switch, and the other two (2950) switches are linked with trunks. I can create an SVI on the Core switch, assign an IP addresses to it, and stick it into the management vlan. What do I do with the other two switches, that do not support SVIs? How about the routers that are connected to these three switches? Are they supposed to be part of that VLAN, or just switches?

if I doesn't make sense, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

Why wouldn't you be able to create a SVI on the L2 switches for the management VLANs?

switch(config)# interface vlan <vlan #>
switch(config-if)# ip address <address> <mask>
switch(config-if)# no shutdown

As for the router, for the interface sharing the same broadcast domain(s) as the switches:

router(config)# interface <interface>.<vlan #>
router(config-if)# encapsulation dot1q <vlan #>
router(config-if)# ip address <address> <mask>

Back on the switches, set as the default gateway the IP address assigned to the router on the management VLAN:

switch(config)# ip default-gateway <address>

 

[Shadowspawn]

BlueLineSwinger has it right.

In fact, your switches, by default, all have an SVI for VLAN 1. You can use that VLAN or, to follow best practices, shut it down and create your own.

 

[Bedrock1977]

For some reason, I was thinking you couldn't assign an IP address to a VLAN or SVI on a Layer 2 switch, and that it was only something you could do on a L3 device.

Thanks....I'll give these suggestions as try.

 

[tangoseal]

For some reason, I was thinking you couldn't assign an IP address to a VLAN or SVI on a Layer 2 switch, and that it was only something you could do on a L3 device.

Thanks....I'll give these suggestions as try.

You can because VLANs are layer 2 not 3.