MDS Code Level for UCS FC Port Channel/Trunking

[Doug Barnes]

What is the required MDS code level needed to support FC Port-Channeling/Trunking on a 9222i, 9148, or 9509/9513 w/ Gen2 line cards to UCS 1.4(3)?

I know the fport-channel-trunk feature is needed and was released in MDS 4.2 code but I have seen documents that this level of code wont support these features when used to connect to Cisco UCS. 

Can someone confirm?  Is NXOS 5.0(4) or higher required?

[mipetrin]

Hi Doug,

Have a read through the following document, which details the requirements, configuration and verification steps to setting this feature up:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-14838

In short, you are required to utilize NXOS 5.0(4)

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Michael

[Doug Barnes]

Michael,

Yes, I have read through the document you reference. 

The author mentions MDS 5.0(4) or higher code level specifically.  I was just writing for confirmation.

I have been unsuccessful in finding any mention of requiring 5.0(4), outside of this doc, in UCS Release Notes, MDS Release Notes, BUG Scrubs, web searches, etc. 

I had hoped if it was indeed a requirement it would have shown up in more places.

Thank you for your assistance.

Regards,

Doug

[rammuthaiya]

Hi Doug,

For UCS manager 1.4(3) , configuring f-port-channel/trunk with MDS version 4.2(5) is enough.

Just 2 weeks ago i did for my clients and it has been working fine.

ram

[David McFarland]

Doug,

I wrote the doc almost a year ago and it doesn't have the latest interop matrix support information. The current MDS NX-OS support is located in this doc: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/mds9000/interoperability/matrix/intmatrx.html

While, I wish this was also duplicated in UCS docs, they are more or less taking the stance that 3rd party (Cisco MDS is this case) interop is maintained by the 3rd party. EMC, Netapp, or even Cisco.

It would be a nightmare updating UCS docs with 3rd party qualifications and support.

The short answer to your question is:

UCS 1.4(1), 1.4(2), 1.4(3) Is supported by MDS9000: 3.3(4a), 3.3(5), 4.2(1a), 4.2(1b), 4.2(3a), 4.2(5), 5.0(1a), 5.0(4), 5.0(4c)

NPV was introduced in MDS 3.3. f port-channel/trunk was introduced in MDS 4.2.

As Ram mentioned above, 4.2(5) is what I would recommend if I wanted to implement f port-channel and/or f port-trunk. I have also had recent experience with 4.2(5) and it worked great with a large UCS f port-channel/trunk implementation

The specific switch limitations I mentioned in my doc still exist. Only certain models of MDS will support f port-trunk. Almost all models will support f port-channel.

Dave

[David McFarland]

Doug,

Sorry, I forgot to add, all of your MDS models listed  9222i, 9148, or 9509/9513 w/ Gen2, will fully support f port-channel and f port-trunk.

Dave

[kshama_ism]

Is this issue resolved, i have same problem with CISCO 9148 with UCS  6248UP. all the  UCS Fabrics  updated with latest code..

indvidual FC uplinks works fine, but as soon  apply the port channel configuration it fails with error.

MDS is running  with 5.0(1a)   model : DS-C9148-16P-K9

[KRIS PATE]

We have UCS 6248 (2.04b) and MDS 9148 (5.2.8) and have fport-channel-trunk working. We also have UCS 6120 (2.04b) and MDS 9222i (5.2.6a) working as well.   We are only doing f-port portchannel and not vsan trunking.... which means only 1 vsan is enabled on this F-port port channel.

We enabled "feature fport-channel-trunk" on the MDS and then built the port channel on both the MDS (cli) and UCS (gui).

In order for it to come up we had to disable on both sides and then re-enable the port channel.

interface port-channel 10

  channel mode active

  switchport rate-mode dedicated

  switchport trunk mode off

Kris