Does the CVR-X2-SFP10G converter support 1000Base-T SFPs?

[mvknl]

Hi All,

I'm still trying to figure out the problem I posed in the following topic:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2154555?tstart=30

To do that I would like to be able to sniff the traffic traversing our 7k. However, as the 7k doesn't support remote span we have to span locally. This means that I have to connect a pc to the Nexus and sent the span output to that port. However, our 7K is only equipped with N7K-M108X2-12L modules, which contains X2 10G ports. I found the CVR-X2-SFP10G X2 to SFP+ convertor module, but I wonder whether this supports a 1G copper SFP. If it doesn't it would be wasteful to buy one. On the page concerning the module I only found 10G fiber sfp's which are supported...

If anybody knows another way to span a port to a sniffer pc I would also appreciate that (or a suggestion for my other topic)

Thanks in advance.

[Ivan Shirshin · Accepted solution]

Hi Michael,

No, this converter is used for making the card compatible with 10Gb SFP transceivers only, such as:

     SFP-H10GB-CU1M1

     SFP-H10GB-CU3M1

     SFP-H10GB-CU5M1

     SFP-10G-SR

See table B-1 in this guide:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/hw/nexus7000/installation/guide/n7k_connect_specs.html

Do you need to sniff management traffic or data traffic? There is built-in Ethanalyzer but it does not capture data traffic that Cisco NX-OS forwards in the hardware.

http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Cisco_Nexus_7000_Series_NX-OS_Troubleshooting_Guide_--_Troubleshooting_Tools_and_Methodology#Using_Ethanalyzer

And there is actually RSPAN and ERSPAN support for Nexus7k in 5.x releases. See this guides on how to configure it:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps9402/products_configuration_example09186a0080bb050e.shtml

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/sw/5_x/nx-os/system_management/configuration/guide/sm_erspan.html

Kind Regards,
Ivan

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[mvknl]

Thanks for the information Ivan. I'll look up the links you gave me. Unfortunately it is data traffic, so I'll need to figure out something with the two last links you gave me.

Might the normal twingig converter which is used on the 3750 switches be supported on the N7K-M108X2-12L module? If it is I could also use that one.

[Ivan Shirshin]

Hi Mihael,

Check ERSPAN, it seems flexible enough to do what you need. As for 3750 converter, this is not listed as supported for  that card.

Kind Regards,
Ivan

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[mvknl]

Hi Ivan,

I was busy researching the ERSPAN sollution, but it appears that Nexus 5K's are not capable of receiving the ERSPAN session, which is a shame as that is where our sniffer pc resides. Furthermore the Catalyst switches we own do not support this feature as well.

Do you have any suggestions about what I could try next?

Thanks in advance.

[Ivan Shirshin]

Hi Michael,

Unfortunately, such SPAN setup would not work. You need to connect your sniffer to other device as N5k supports only SPAN sessions and ERSPAN source sessions. So your sniffer would not be able to sniff anything except from what the N5k received itself.

Nexus supports ERSPAN from 5.1(3)N1(1) release, with Nexus 5000 Series switches supporting only ERSPAN source sessions. Destination sessions are not supported.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/system_management/513_n1_

1/b_Cisco_n5k_system_mgmt_cg_rel_513_n1_1_chapter_010001.html

As to what options you have  - you can find either some device that support ERSPAN destination sessions or connect snigger to some switch that supports RSPAN (which has to be in the same l2 network as the source of the packets, as RSPAN traffic is transmitted via vlan).

Kind Regards,
Ivan

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[mvknl]

I found out that wireshark supports the GRE encapsulated data and automatically shows the correct information. So this is a good solution for me. Thanks!

[Ivan Shirshin]

Interesting solution, thanks for update on it!

[mbrito_rj]

Hi guys!

I would like to know if the CVR-X2-SFP10G works with single mode 10G SFP+

Ex.

I would like to get the WS-X6816-10G-2TXL module and use the SFP-10G-ER SFP+ on it with the OneX Converter Module.

Is it possible?

Regards,

Marcio Brito

[gnijs]

good question. did you ever get a reply ? SFP-10GE-LR or SFP-10GE-ER ?