Cisco 4500 Sup6-E and active ten gb ports

[gippstafe]

Hi All,

I have a question about active 10Gb ports on the 4500 with a Sup6-E, WS-X45-SUP6-E is the model. I've already done some searching but can't seem to find the answer.

Someone else came and installed two 10Gb X2 SR GBICs into the Supervisor. One in each of the two Supervisor blades and connected two 10Gb switches to it - works a treat.

I'm trying to attach another 10Gb X2 SR GBIC to the supervisor blades, so proposing there is 3 10Gb GBICs in total.  Currently I cannot add a 3rd GBIC into this configuration. The Active light next to the where the GBIC is inserted is not lit, athough it is lit on the first GBIC slot of both supervisors where the functioning 10Gb is.

I have been able to plug in the cable for the additional 10Gb switch into the originally installed GBICs (as a test to make sure it's not cable/GBIC fault) and have it light, so it's not the GBIC's/cables. I can only consider that utilising the second ten gig port on the supervisor while the first is activated isn't supported.

So my questions are;

1/ Is it possible to insert another 10Gb module into the sup6-e while one is already active on the other port?

2/ Is multiple 10Gb GBIC's into the supervisor supported, so can I insert 4 10Gb GBICs into a Cisco 4500 with 2 sup6-e's?

3/ If it is possible, is there any specific CLI commands I need to enter in order to active the ports?

Thanks in advance ...

[glen.grant]

    Make sure that port is active and not setup for twin gig converter modules.  Look at the configuring interfaces section of this doc for further explanation. From what i have briefly glanced at you should be able to run all four gbics depending on code version.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/partner/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12.2/53SG/configuration/sw_int.html#wp1100392

[letsgomets · Accepted solution]

You can only use 1 Ten Gig interface per supervisor. It is a limitation of the 4500.

The TenGig interfaces on the SUP6-E are controlled by a stub ASIC which merges back to a single ASIC within the switch. This creates a limitation to where you can only have one of the TenGig interfaces (per sup) running at line rate. Another limitation to this design is that you cannot mix TenGig and X2 (Gig) at the same time on the same sup.

You can, however, activate both of your TenGig interfaces by placing the switch in a shared backplane mode. This will give you access to both of your interfaces but only in an oversubscribed mode (2:1).

The command to place the switch in shared backplane:

Switch(config)#hw-module uplink mode shared-backplane

After the command is entered (and you reload your switch) you should see something similar to the following for the show hw-module module port-group command.

Module Port-group Active                         Inactive

--------------

-----------------------------------------------

   5        1     Te5/1-2                        Gi5/3-6                                            

Here is a link that mentions the limitation:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12.2/52sg/configuration/guide/sw_int.html#wp1084402

[Leo Laohoo]

2/ Is multiple 10Gb GBIC's into the supervisor supported, so can I insert 4 10Gb GBICs into a Cisco 4500 with 2 sup6-e's?

Yes you can.  The Supervisor card can "see" it.  But whether or not can push >10Gb is another question.