Connecting multiple FortiSwitches to a FortiGate appliance, especially over a longer distance and with redundancy in mind, requires careful planning. Here are some best practices and considerations for your setup:
1. **Use of Optic Fibers**: Given the distance between the FortiSwitches and the FortiGate, using fiber optic cables is the right choice. Ensure that the transceivers and fiber types (single-mode or multi-mode) are compatible and suitable for the distance.
2. **Leveraging FortiLink**: Using FortiLink is a good strategy for managing the FortiSwitches through the FortiGate. It simplifies the management and can centralize many of the security and network policies.
3. **Redundancy and High Availability (HA)**: Since you have a FortiGate HA cluster, it's crucial to ensure that your FortiSwitches are connected in a way that maintains redundancy. This means each FortiSwitch should have connections to both FortiGates in the HA pair.
4. **Port Selection and Link Aggregation**:
- Utilize the SFP+ ports on the FortiGate 100F, such as X1 and X2, for high-speed connectivity.
- Consider implementing link aggregation (LACP) if the FortiSwitches support it. This can combine multiple fiber connections into a single logical link, providing increased bandwidth and redundancy.
- Connect each FortiSwitch to both FortiGates. For example, FortiSwitch 1 could have one connection to FortiGate A and another to FortiGate B. The same applies to the other switches.
5. **Load Balancing and Failover**:
- Configure the FortiGate and FortiSwitches for active-active or active-passive failover, ensuring that if one link goes down, the other can take over without significant disruption.
- For load balancing, ensure the traffic is evenly distributed across the available links.
6. **Network Segmentation and VLANs**:
- Properly configure VLANs for network segmentation. This is especially important if the switches are servicing different areas or types of devices.
- Ensure VLANs are properly tagged and recognized across the FortiLink connection.
7. **Testing and Validation**:
- After setting up, thoroughly test the configuration to ensure that failover and load balancing work as expected.
- Check the performance over the fiber links to ensure they are operating at the expected speeds.
8. **Firmware and Software Consistency**:
- Ensure that both the FortiGates and FortiSwitches are running compatible firmware versions to avoid any compatibility issues, especially for FortiLink.
9. **Monitoring and Maintenance**:
- Once operational, continuously monitor the links for any signs of degradation or failure.
- Regularly check the system logs for any anomalies or errors.
10. **Documentation**:
- Document your configuration thoroughly, including network diagrams, port assignments, VLAN configurations, and failover setups.
Remember, each environment can have its unique challenges and requirements, so while these guidelines provide a general best practice approach, they should be adapted to fit your specific situation. Additionally, consulting with Fortinet support or a network specialist can provide more tailored advice considering the specifics of your network and equipment.
