1000V port channel to N5K w/ FCOE

[jpazahanick]

Is it possible to port channel 2 10G ports on the Nexus 1000V (Emulex CNAs) with 2 10G ports on the Nexus 5000 if the ports on the Nexus 5000 ports are also doing FCOE?

I am getting the following error:

N5k(config-if-range)# int  e1/5-6
N5k(config-if-range)# channel-group 10 mode on
command failed: port not compatible [port mode]

Previously I was getting an error along the lines of "Port already assigned to virtual interface (VIF).

The configuration of the 5k is attached.

Thanks,

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Robert,

     I have tested with a static port channel (as you can see in the configurations in one of my previous posts and the behaviour was the same ...

     I have tried to create the port channel with all the possible scenarios and allways got the same behaviour ...

Thanks

Nuno Ferreira

[Robert Burns]

Sorry Nuno, getting mixed up with too many things on the go.

QLogic is aware of the issue and have been able to reproduce it in house.  I'm waiting to hear back further from their development team on the issues with static PCs and their adapters with Windows driver.   I will update this thread as new information is passed.

Thanks,

Robert

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Thanks Robert ....

Please be aware that I have tried both Port Channel config (mode active and mode on)

Thanks again ... will standby for your update

Nuno Ferreira

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Hi Robert,

     Sorry for chasing but do you have any update from Qlogic ? (Or even from yourselves @Cisco) ?

     Did you see the note about me trying different modes on the port channel and all with the same behaviour ?

Thanks

Nuno Ferreira

[Robert Burns]

Just got an update today actually!

Qlogic just tested this scenario with their latest windows drivers and it still failed with static port channels.  They have their DVT team recreating & debugging this as we speak.

Tracking under QL Support Case 70037950

Cisco Bug ID: CSCtg56093

I'll continue to update this thread if anything changes.

Regards,

Robert

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Lovely Rob

Thanks for the update .. I will keep with my eyes on this thread for your updates

Thanks again for your help

Nuno Ferreira

[Darren Ramsey]

Rob,

Just tuning into this thread.  Seeing the same issue with 8152 on Win2K3 and static 802.3ad (channel-group mode ON) in VPC mode on dual 5020 running NXOS 4.2.  What is the status from Cisco and Qlogic?

[Robert Burns]

Guys - I've just heard back from Qlogic on this - unfortunately not great news.  Here's the update:

2010-06-09  15:12:11 PDT

I'm working on getting a  clarification ...      (Click to expand)

[Notes]

Robert
I'm working on getting a clarification on the timeline. So far I  have a rough timeline of August. I'm trying to get our marketing to  nail that down. I had just pinged the right guy today but he has not  provided a response yet.

Robert, At this time the teaming driver...      (Click to expand)

[Notes]
Robert,
At this time the teaming driver to not support being  attached to a port channel on the switch.   I am waiting for a formal  response from the BU with better wording and an ETA on when that support  will be added to the windows teaming drivers. It's in the works though.

I'll keep this thread updated if I hear anything further.  I'll follow up with QL next month.

Robert

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Rob,

     Thanks for the update. So the Teaming does not work AT ALL ? Or, for example, if we just put the 2 connections in a vPC it will work ? (ie. just do the vPC and not the HW Port-Channel ?)

Thanks

Nuno Ferreira

[Robert Burns]

No teaming at all.  You can't do an upstream vPC on the N5K without teaming on the host.  Your only option for now is to use an individual link with Windows at this point unfortunately.

Robert

[cutran]

Sorry I'm jumping on this late.  If I'm understanding the issue correctly, you want to vPC from your ESX server to a pair of N5K with FCoE as well.  I understand the issue with Qlogic and we are working with them to get this resolved.  But what we are suggesting to customers who are doing FCoE and want to do load-balancing between the 2 10G links is on the N1K uplink port-profile, set the channel-group auto mode on mac-pinning.  This will be equivalent to what VMware vswitch does to do with source virtual interface pinning as well.  Please let us know if that helps or if I miss the question entirely.  Thanks,

Cuong

[Robert Burns]

Cuong,

This thread started as an ESX w/ QL -> N5K issue, which we're waiting on QL to publish the fixed drivers for.

The recent postings are in regards to Windows (bare metal) and QL's inability to do teaming on the host with the current driver release.  I'm tracking this issue with QL.  Ping me offline if you want the details.

Robert

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

This is not about ESX and QLogic but Windows and QLogic. The ESX Drivers appear to work ... the Windows don't

Cheers

Nuno Ferreira

[Robert Burns]

Update!

Qlogic has expedited the completion of their latest driver update for Windows.  I'll be running through some testing with the new driver this week and hopefully the driver will be publicly available from their website in the next week or two.

Stay tuned for testing results to be posted mid this week.

Regards,

Robert

[Nuno Filipe Alves Ferreira]

Rob ... that's great news ... Thanks for keeping up with this and will stay tuned for updates

Nuno Ferreira