Cisco 4500 x VSS replace defect switch

[puiterwijk]

How to replace a 4500 x VSS
We want to replace a defect 4500x VSS switch for a new one and followed the instruction from Cisco but still the VSS wil not be build again.
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-4500-series-switches/117640-configure-vss-00.html
We see this in the logging:
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-6-DUPLEX_MODE: The peer Supervisor has been detected
%C4K_REDUNDANCY-2-HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_ACTIVE: The handshake messaging between active and standby has not yet started
after a while we get this:
the communication with the active supervisor cannot be established.
Possible reasons:
-Active sup. not completely initialized.
-Faulty active supervisor.
-Error on the communication channel.
Ipc packets sent so far: 300 (1 packet/sec).

What do we do wrong, can it be that we need to change the MAC-adres in the VSS on the first and Second switch but this is not mentioned in the VSS rebuild document?

[Rajeev Sharma]

Hey,

Have you checked for any interface errors on VSL link connecting two 4500X's?

Also try using different interfaces for VSL link on the replaced 4500X.

HTH.

Regards,

RS.

[puiterwijk]

Hello Rajeevsh,

Thanks for your response.

We checked the logging and I only saw this message in the logging as I mentioned before:

%C4K_REDUNDANCY-6-DUPLEX_MODE: The peer Supervisor has been detected

%C4K_REDUNDANCY-2-HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT_ACTIVE: The handshake messaging between active and standby

On the active switch we saw this for the VSS connections:

Group Port-channel Protocol Ports

------+-------------+-----------+-----------------------------------------------

1 Po1(SU) - Te1/1/1(P) Te1/1/9(P)

2 Po2(SD) - Te2/1/1(D) Te2/1/9(D)

We can't check this anymore because we rebuild the VSS on 2 other 4500-x switches we could reload at that moment.

What we want to know is how to rebuild a VSS with one active 4500-x (production core switch) and connect another 4500-x to the VSS. The first active switch can’t be reloaded.

This is what is in the VSS configuration on the active switch for example:

module provision switch 1

 chassis-type 70 base-mac F872.EAD8.0780

 slot 1 slot-type 401 base-mac F872.EAD8.0780

 !

module provision switch 2

 chassis-type 70 base-mac F872.EAD8.1240

 slot 1 slot-type 401 base-mac F872.EAD8.1240

We connect a new 4500-x switch with another mac-address to the VSS, do we need to change the mac configuration on the active 4500-x and the new 4500-x VSS switch?

or is there another solution you see

Kind regards,

Peter Uiterwijk

[Rajeev Sharma]

Hey Peter,

I was researching over the issue and it looks to me somehow you hit an unreproducible bug. As far as the procedure of adding standby switch to VSS the above guide you used holds correct procedure.

Regarding you question, you don't need to configure the module provisioning as its optional.

And in case you want to dig more about why the standby did not come in VSS I suggest opening a TAC case.

HTH.

Regards,

RS.