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HP Virtual Connect Manager

While change the configuration of within a HP Virtual Connect Manager I noticed that I didn’t have any options to delete server profiles, Ethernet Networks or Shared Uplink Sets within the web browser.

I needed to change the configuration dramatically from an active / standby configuration to an active / active configuration. I also needed to change the complete server profile configuration and Ethernet Networks configuration.

I noticed that I can also connect through SSH to the HP VC Flex-10 Enet modules. This presents a CLI with different command options. And of course I had more options within the CLI compared to the web interface.

——————————————————————————-
HP Virtual Connect Management CLI v3.18
Build: 3.18-3 (r46087) Apr  1 2011 17:45:49
(C) Copyright 2006-2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
All Rights Reserved
——————————————————————————-

GETTING STARTED:

help           : displays a list of available subcommands
exit           : quits the command shell
<subcommand> ? : displays a list of managed elements for a subcommand
<subcommand> <managed element> ? : displays detailed help for a command

->?

Through the CLI I had the option to remove the server profiles, Ethernet Networks and the configured Shared Uplink Set. The help command (?) is very useful to check the command syntax to remove different configuration settings. You have to remove the different items in the correct order. I used the following order:

1. 1. Server Profile : remove profile <profile_name>
2. 2. Ethernet Networks : remove network <enet_name>
3. 3 Shared Uplink Set : remove uplinkset <sus_name>

When you try to delete the items in the wrong order you will receive an error message on the console, like shown below.

->remove uplinkset SUS1
ERROR: Operation not allowed : The requested shared uplink set is currently in use by one or more networks

After deleting the configuration I configured my desired setup. The configuration can be a lit bumpy, which depends on the firmware used with the Virtual Connect Manager. I found a very good article on configuring HP Virtual Connect Manager in conjunction with ESX, Windows Hyper-V.

HP Virtual Connect Ethernet Cookbook: Single and Multiple Enclosure Domain

TIP: when configuring or changing Ethernet network settings on a Server Profile, first unassigned the profile from the bay. Changing settings on an unassigned profile is much faster than on an assigned profile.

Cisco Spanning Tree Scalability

A colleague (Twitter: @Toonieh) mentioned spanning-tree scalability in a Cisco network. He had an article about this matter. All the credits on this post go to him. I found the article on internet and post it here to be able to find it quickly..

In a Layer 2 looped topology design, spanning tree processing instances are created on each interface for each active VLAN. These logical instances are used by the spanning tree process in processing the spanning tree-related packets for each VLAN. These instances are referred to as active logical ports and virtual ports. Both active logical ports and virtual ports are important values to consider in spanning tree designs because they affect STP convergence time and stability. These values are usually only of concern on the aggregation layer switches because they typically have a larger number of trunks and VLANs configured than other layers in the data center topology.

Click here for the original article

Upgrading Cisco switch stack

I always upgrade a switch stack with one single command. Last week I received a call from a customer with the question about the upgrade procedure for a switch stack. The customer wanted to upload the image separately to every single switch. I told him that he could upgrade all switches at once.

Since I am “playing” with a Cisco switch stack of 9 Catalyst 3750X switches today I will describe the upgrade procedure.

1. 1. You need to download the correct .tar image file;
2. 2. Copy it to the root of your FTP or TFTP server;
3. 3. Upload, extract and install the .tar file to the switches (I always use the /imageonly option, because I don’t need the html files for management);
4. 4. Reload the switch stack;

The command to upload and extract the .tar file can be found below:

sw-stack#archive download-sw /imageonly /overwrite /allow-feature-upgrade ftp://user:password@<IP address FTP server>/image-file.tar

Loading c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar !!!!!!!
[OK - 17745920/4096 bytes]

Loading c3750e-universalk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar !!!!!!!
examining image…
extracting info (110 bytes)
extracting c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1/info (444 bytes)
extracting info (110 bytes)

Stacking Version Number: 1.45

System Type:             0×00000002
Ios Image File Size:   0x00DE8200
Total Image File Size: 0x010ECA00
Minimum Dram required: 0×08000000
Image Suffix:          universalk9-122-55.SE1
Image Directory:       c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1
Image Name:            c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1.bin
Image Feature:         IP|LAYER_3|PLUS|SSH|3DES|MIN_DRAM_MEG=128

Old image for switch 1: flash:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 2: flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 3: flash3:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 4: flash4:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 5: flash5:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 6: flash6:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 7: flash7:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 8: flash8:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.
Old image for switch 9: flash9:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Old image will be deleted after download.

Extracting images from archive into flash…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 2…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 3…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 4…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 5…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 6…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 7…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 8…
Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 9…

extracting c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1.bin (14570585 bytes)
extracting c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1/info (444 bytes)
extracting info (110 bytes)

<..>

Installing (renaming): `flash:update/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1′ ->
`flash:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1′
New software image installed in flash:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-55.SE1

<..>

Removing old image: flash:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Removing old image: flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Removing old image: flash3:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Removing old image: flash4:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2

<..>

All software images installed.

The boot parameters are automatically changed to the new IOS firmware. You can check the boot parameters with the show boot command.

Cisco stack: version mismatch

When adding a new switch to an existing stack, the new switch should have the same software image as the existing stack member switches. If the new switch has different software, the switch isn’t capable of joining the stack.

Switch/Stack Mac Address : 588d.0918.3100
H/W   Current
Switch#  Role   Mac Address     Priority Version  State
———————————————————-
*1       Master 588d.0918.3100     15     1       Ready
2       Member c471.fe99.b580     1      2       Version Mismatch

There are different ways to upgrade the new switch to the correct software image. The hard way is unplugging the new switch from the stack, upgrade the switch separately and add the switch to the stack again. A more easy way is using the archive copy-sw command. This command allows you to copy the software from a specific member switch to the new switch.

The example below copies the software from switch 1 to the destiniation switch 2.

sw-stack#archive copy-sw /destination-system 2 1
System software to be uploaded:
System Type:             0×00000002
archiving c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2 (directory)
Stacking Version Number: 1.43

System Type:             0×00000002
Ios Image File Size:   0x00DA7200
Total Image File Size: 0×01076600
Minimum Dram required: 0×08000000
Image Suffix:          universalk9-122-53.SE2
Image Directory:       c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Image Name:            c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2.bin
Image Feature:         IP|LAYER_3|PLUS|SSH|3DES|MIN_DRAM_MEG=128

Old image for switch 2: flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE1
Old image will be deleted after download.

Extracting images from archive into flash on switch 2…

Installing (renaming): `flash2:/update/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2′ –> flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2′
New software image installed in flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2
Removing old image: flash2:/c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE

All software images installed.

sw-stack#reload slot 2

This is by far the easiest way to upgrade the new switch to the correct software image. Another method is using the copy command.

sw-stack#copy image-file.bin flash2:

sw-stack#config t

sw-stack(config)#boot system switch 2 flash:/image-file.bin

sw-stack(config)#exit

sw-stack#wr mem

sw-stack#reload slot 2

This method is very useful if you are using an image without the html web features.

AutoQos error while generating commands

First of all, the post isn’t about explaining QoS. Configuring AutoQos on Cisco switches should be very easy. At least, that is what all the Cisco documentation tells you. I always thought that the statements about configuration AutoQos were true, but a few days ago I would disagree.

I was configuring multiple switches, Cisco Catalyst 2960-24PC-L switches to be more precise. The switches are configured with a default template, which is generated according the needs of the customer. I uploaded the most recent software into the switches, which is 12.2(55)SE. The customer is going to use an Avaya IP telephony environment, so I tried to apply the appropriate AutoQos command to an interface. After applying the command, I received the following error:

AutoQoS Error while generating commands on Gi0/2

The switches didn’t have any QoS configuration before applying the command. Searching multiple forums didn’t gave me a valid solution. I did my own research and found an incompatibility with the configuration mode exclusion command, like shown below:

configuration mode exclusive auto expire 500 lock-show config-wait 5 retry-wait 5

I removed the configuration mode exclusion command and the AutoQos commands can be implemented without errors. I tried to find why it isn’t possible to apply the AutoQos commands while the configuration mode exclusive command is enabled.

I guess the problem is that the configuration mode exclusive commands prevents other users or the auto-generation of commands to be executed. When applying the AutoQos commands, the commands are executed by the router / switch and not by the user who locked the cli.