Initial Configuration
A 'single home fex' is a Nexus 2000 that only has uplinks to a single 5k. Typically you would put the uplinks from the 2k->5k in a port-channel for better performance and redundancy.
[edit]Walk through configuration
Step 1: switch(config)# feature fex <---- turn on feature
Step 2: Next we must create a fex number to allow association. To see which ones fex numbers are already in use. Check the following:
24.09.5010B.1# sh fex
FEX FEX FEX FEX
Number Description State Model Serial
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100 FEX0100 Online N2K-C2232PP-10GE SSI14100EHK
102 FEX0102 Online N2K-C2148T-1GE FOX1344G3TG
24.09.5010B.1# sh run fex
!Command: show running-config fex
!Time: Tue Feb 21 09:24:45 2012
version 5.1(3)N1(1a)
feature fex
fex 100
pinning max-links 1
description "FEX0100"
fex 101
pinning max-links 1
description "FEX0101"
serial JAF1309AEQP
diagnostic bootup level extra
fex 102
pinning max-links 1
description "FEX0102"
Step 3: Create a fex number:
- switch(config)# fex 100 <--- assign a fex number (100-199)
Step 4: Next we need to see which ports we are discovering fexes on, that we want to assign. If you see multiple ports with the same serial #, this is the same fex and these need to be grouped together in a port-channel.
- switch(config)# show interface fex <---- see which ports are connected to fexes
Fabric Fabric Fex FEX
Fex Port Port State Uplink Model Serial
---------------------------------------------------------------
--- Eth1/8 Discovered 1 N2K-C2148T-1GE ABCDEFGHIJ
--- Eth1/9 Discovered 1 N2K-C2148T-1GE ABCDEFGHIJ
Step 5: Assign those ports to a port-channel, and setup the association.
- switch(config-if)# int e1/8-9 <---- go under the interface above
- switch(config-if)# channel-group 100 <---- assign this port to a port-channel
- switch(config-if)# int po100 <--- go under the port-channel interface
- switch(config-if)# switchport mode fex-fabric <---- configure this port to be a fex-fabric type port
- switch(config-if)# fex associate 100 <----- associate it with the fex number we configured earlier // this has to match for all ports going to the same fex.
- Fex will come online and you will see the following messages on the terminal.
2011 Oct 29 13:18:57 24.09.5010A.2 %SATCTRL-FEX100-2-SOHMS_ENV_ERROR: FEX-100 Module 1: Check environment alarms.
2011 Oct 29 13:19:12 24.09.5010A.2 %PFMA-2-FEX_STATUS: Fex 100 is online
2011 Oct 29 13:19:12 24.09.5010A.2 %NOHMS-2-NOHMS_ENV_FEX_ONLINE: FEX-100 On-line
2011 Oct 29 13:19:14 24.09.5010A.2 %PFMA-2-FEX_STATUS: Fex 100 is online
Step 6: Check the fex status
switch(config-if)# sh fex
FEX FEX FEX FEX
Number Description State Model Serial
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100 FEX0100 Online N2K-C2148T-1GE XXXXXXXXXXX
- You will now see the interfaces on the 5k. The Nexus 2000 are only configurable from the Nexus 5k as they are remote line cards (fabric extenders)
24.09.5010A.2# sh int status | eg "Eth100"
Eth100/1/1 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/2 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/3 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/4 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/5 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/6 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/7 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/8 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/9 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/10 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/11 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/12 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/13 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/14 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/15 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/16 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/17 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/18 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/19 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/20 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/21 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Eth100/1/22 -- notconnec 1 full 1000 --
Step 7: Check the port-channel status
switch(config-if)# sh port-channel summary
Flags: D - Down P - Up in port-channel (members) <---you want to see P as below
I - Individual H - Hot-standby (LACP only)
s - Suspended r - Module-removed
S - Switched R - Routed
U - Up (port-channel)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Group Port- Type Protocol Member Ports
Channel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100 Po100(SU) Eth NONE Eth1/8(P) Eth1/9(P) <---- Nexus 5k - 2k does not support LACP so the protocol will show 'none'
[edit]Summary configuration // Single home fex
switch(config-if)# sh run int po100 membership
!Command: show running-config interface port-channel100 membership
!Time: Sat Oct 29 13:35:34 2011
version 5.0(3)N2(2)
interface port-channel100
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100
interface Ethernet1/8
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100
channel-group 100
interface Ethernet1/9
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100
channel-group 100
[edit]Summary vPC // dual home fex configuration
switch(config-if)# sh run int po100 membership
!Command: show running-config interface port-channel100 membership
!Time: Sat Oct 29 13:35:34 2011
version 5.0(3)N2(2)
interface port-channel100
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100 <-------------------- fex # has to match on both 5ks
vpc 100 <------------------------------ vpc # has to match on both 5ks
interface Ethernet1/8
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100
channel-group 100
interface Ethernet1/9
switchport mode fex-fabric
fex associate 100
channel-group 100
