Recommended Configuration for Factory Core Switches

Factory core switches should be configured for high redundancy, plug-and-play management, and high-speed uplinks to aggregation layers, with careful planning of management VLANs and IP addressing.Core Layer DesignRedundancy and Resiliency: Deploy two to four core switches in a high-availability configuration to ensure nonstop forwarding and network resiliency. Each core switch should connect to aggregation switches using high-speed links (40-GbE or 100-GbE) to reduce the number of required inter-switch connections and simplify network topology, especially in large campus or factory environments (Fortinet documentation) . Link Aggregation: Use EtherChannel or LAG (Link Aggregation Group) to bundle multiple uplinks between core and aggregation switches. This provides both redundancy and increased bandwidth. For example, each aggregation switch may only need 2x100-GbE links to the core layer instead of multiple direct links to other aggregation switches, reducing cabling complexity .Management VLAN and IP ConfigurationManagement Subnet: Configure a dedicated management VLAN on the core switch to act as the gateway for aggregation and access switches. Enable DHCP server functionality on the core switch for dynamic IP assignment, while reserving a portion of the subnet for static IPs for critical devices. A typical configuration might use 192.168.100.1–192.168.100.100 for static IPs and the remaining addresses for dynamic allocation . Auto-Negotiation: Enable management VLAN auto-negotiation with the core switch as the root device. This allows aggregation and access switches to come online in plug-and-play mode, simplifying large-scale deployments . Static Routes: Configure static routes on the core switch to ensure proper routing to the management subnet and other network segments. This ensures that all downstream devices can communicate with the management network reliably .Spanning Tree and Network StabilitySpanning Tree Protocol (STP): Set appropriate STP priorities on the core switches to maintain loop-free topology. The core switch should act as the root bridge for the management VLAN to stabilize the network and prevent broadcast storms .Additional ConsiderationsHigh-Speed Ports: Ensure the core switches have sufficient 100-GbE or 40-GbE ports to accommodate current and future growth.Scalability: Design the core layer to allow easy addition of aggregation switches without major reconfiguration.Monitoring and Management: Integrate with network controllers or management platforms (e.g., iMaster NCE-Campus) for centralized monitoring and automated provisioning .Factory Defaults: When deploying new switches, follow vendor-specific factory default configuration procedures to ensure consistent baseline settings before applying the recommended configuration . By following these guidelines, factory core switches can provide a robust, scalable, and manageable network backbone that supports both wired and wireless devices efficiently while minimizing downtime and configuration complexity.