Nexus 5000 and 5500 features

[lephuc007]

Hi Lucien,

Can please advise if the Nexus 5000 and 5500 support the following features:

         1. In Service Software Update (ISSU)

         2. Non-stop-forwarding (NFS)

         3. Online Insertion and Removal (OIR)

         4. Can it be used in the core layer (assumption network size ok).

Thank you

Phuc Le

[mizhang]

Hi -

I will fill in some information for the two questions:

    1. In Service Software Update (ISSU)

ISSU is supported on Nexus 50x0 from 4.2 code and both N50x0 and N55xx are ISSU capable.

WIth ISSU, while the control plane will be restarted and will be done for about 80 seconds, the data plane will stay up so the data will be forwarding still.

However there are some requirements for ISSU, such as no Bridge Assurance (execpt the vPC peer link), leaf switch, not a root bridge.  You can check the following documentation for details:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/upgrade/503_N1_1/n5k_upgrade_downgrade_503.html#wp672931

    3. Online Insertion and Removal (OIR)

Generally most of the parts are OIR capable, some parts are not, such as L3 daughter card on N55xx model.

[lephuc007]

Hi Mizhang,

Thank you very much for the information.

So does that mean that the N50x0 and N55xx should not be used in the core because they don't support ISSU in this layer?

Regards

Phuc

[mizhang · Accepted solution]

Hi Phuc -

From perspective of ISSU, the N5K should not be in the core, which usually are not the leaf switches.

Regards,

Michael

[Ruhann Du Plessis · Accepted solution]

Both 50x and 55x do support ISSU.

But since these boxes run with the single CPU (equivalent of a single supervisor), the ISSU effectiveness are relevant to you network design for both boxes.

Using the 50x in the distribution layer, connected as a switch, with VPC, using ISSU, you can achieve virtually no downtime for your FEXs.

Using the 55X in the core, is a bit trickier, but again, depending on your design, running dual boxes, again using VPC, with ISSU you can achieve close to zero downtime. But its not hitless like the N7Ks with dual SUPs.

To answer your last question, the 5548 or 5596 can be used in the core of a small pop/DC, using the L3 expansion card. I am currently using it. At 1Tb and 2Tb linerate throughput is not a problem. The challenges around using fthe 55x in your core, will be related to the network features you need and how mature/stable they are in the current NX-OS release.

Most basic routing funtionality is there. One particular feature that is missing using the 55x as a core device in small DCs is Netflow export.

HTH

[lephuc007]

Hello Ruhann Du Plessis

Thank you very much for your advice

Regards

Phuc Le