Huawei Layer 3 Core Switch Configuration

Huawei Layer 3 switches are configured by setting VLANs, assigning IP addresses to VLANIF interfaces, enabling routing, and optionally configuring DHCP or NAT for inter-VLAN and Internet access.

Basic Configuration Steps

1. Accessing the Switch

• Connect via console cable or Mini USB to the switch.
• Log in using the default credentials (admin/[email protected] for V200R010C00 and later) and change the password immediately for security . 2. Setting the System Name
• Enter system view and assign a hostname:

<HUAWEI> system-view sysname CORE

This helps identify the switch in the network . 3. VLAN and VLANIF Configuration

• Create VLANs for different network segments:

vlan batch 10 20 30

• Assign interfaces to VLANs and configure them as access or trunk ports:

interface GigabitEthernet 0/0/1[CORE-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port link-type access[CORE-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] port default vlan 10

• Configure VLANIF interfaces and assign IP addresses for inter-VLAN routing:

interface Vlanif 10[CORE-Vlanif10] ip address 192.168.10.1 255.255.255.0 interface Vlanif 20[CORE-Vlanif20] ip address 192.168.20.1 255.255.255.0

Each VLANIF acts as the gateway for its VLAN . 4. Enabling Routing

• Enable IP routing to allow Layer 3 forwarding between VLANs:

ip routing

• Optionally, configure static routes or dynamic routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, RIP) to connect to other networks or routers . 5. DHCP and NAT (Optional)
• The switch can act as a DHCP server to assign IPs to hosts:

dhcp enable ip pool VLAN10[CORE-dhcp-pool-VLAN10] network 192.168.10.0 mask 255.255.255.0[CORE-dhcp-pool-VLAN10] gateway-list 192.168.10.1

• For Internet access, configure NAT on the connected router while the switch handles VLAN routing . 6. Single-Arm Routing
• For scenarios where one interface connects to multiple VLANs, configure subinterfaces or use DHCP relay to forward requests to a central DHCP server . 7. Security and Management
• Configure local users and privileges:

[HUAWEI-aaa] local-user admin password irreversible-cipher YourPassword[HUAWEI-aaa] local-user admin privilege level 15[HUAWEI-aaa] local-user admin service-type telnet

• Save the configuration:

save

This ensures settings persist after reboot .

Best Practices

• Avoid assigning multiple VLANs to the same VLANIF interface.
• Use descriptive VLAN names and IP schemes for easier management.
• Regularly back up configurations and monitor routing tables.
• Use access control lists (ACLs) to secure inter-VLAN traffic if needed. By following these steps, a Huawei Layer 3 switch can function as a core switch, providing high-speed inter-VLAN routing, acting as a gateway for users, and integrating with routers for Internet access .