ASK THE EXPERT - CISCO NEXUS 5000 AND 2000 SERIES

[ciscomoderator]

Welcome  to the Cisco Networking   Professionals Ask the Expert conversation.  This is an opportunity to get information on Data Center Switching the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches and Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders with Lucien Avramov.  Lucien is a Customer Support Engineer at the Cisco Technical Assistance Center. He currently works in the data center switching team supporting customers on the Cisco Nexus 5000 and 2000. He was previously a technical leader within the network management team. Lucien holds a bachelor's degree in general engineering and a master's degree in computer science from Ecole des Mines d'Ales. He also holds the following certifications: CCIE #19945 in Routing and Switching, CCDP, DCNIS, and VCP #66183.

Remember to use the rating system to let Lucien know if you have received an adequate response.

Lucien might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected    during this event. Our moderators will post many of the  unanswered   questions in other discussion forums shortly after the  event. This   event  lasts through October 22, 2010. Visit this forum  often to view responses to your questions and the questions of other  community  members.

[Lucien Avramov]

We published a document for the configuration limits and it state the 507 limit as I pointed earlier:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/configuration_limits/limits_502/Cisco_Nexus_5000_Series_Configuration_Limits_for_Cisco_NX_OS_Release_502_n1_1_chapter1.html

[mojagot1972]

Hi

Just installed N5K and N2232 and can't get the FEX working. Followed best practice configuratios and the FEX is stuck in an image download status. Please see output below.  I think is software version related ... Any ideas?

Many thanks,

Mohammed

SFD1_NCP1_BMENT# sh fex
  FEX            FEX             FEX                  FEX              
Number       Description         State      Model            Serial    
------------------------------------------------------------------------
100    N2232-V-100  Image Download    N2K-C2232PP-10GE   JAF1427DERR
SFD1_NCP1_BMENT# sh fex detail
FEX: 100 Description: N2232-V-100   state: Image Download
  FEX version: 4.2(1)N1(1) [Switch version: 4.1(3)N2(1)]
  FEX Interim version: 4.2(1)N1(0.002)
  Switch Interim version: 4.1(3)N2(1)
  Module Sw Gen: 12594  [Switch Sw Gen: 21]
pinning-mode: static    Max-links: 1
  Fabric port for control traffic: Eth1/2
  Fabric interface state:
    Po100 - Interface Up. State: Active
    Eth1/1 - Interface Up. State: Active
    Eth1/2 - Interface Up. State: Active
  Fex Port        State  Fabric Port  Primary Fabric
Logs:
[10/15/2010 23:21:59.936665] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:21:59.958267] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:21:59.965579] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:22:20.299614] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:22:20.321189] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:22:20.328549] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:22:58.669270] Module disconnected
[10/15/2010 23:22:58.683093] Module Offline
[10/15/2010 23:23:07.729538] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:07.751760] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:07.759959] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:23:11.823229] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:11.843855] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:11.852193] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:23:17.837929] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:17.859348] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:17.866676] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:23:25.955376] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:25.976779] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:25.984456] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:23:36.192917] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:36.215886] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:36.223185] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:23:48.311157] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:23:48.331886] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:23:48.341066] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:24:02.471718] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:24:02.493376] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:24:02.500763] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:24:18.750502] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:24:18.771231] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:24:18.781395] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:24:37.60267] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:24:37.80980] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:24:37.98807] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:24:57.431279] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:24:57.452779] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:24:57.461660] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:25:36.169274] Module disconnected
[10/15/2010 23:25:36.184155] Module Offline
[10/15/2010 23:25:42.203487] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:25:42.226351] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:25:42.233920] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:25:46.382691] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:25:46.406076] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:25:46.413464] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:25:52.439605] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:25:52.460047] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:25:52.467426] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:26:00.646692] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:26:00.678842] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:26:00.686522] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:26:10.691728] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:26:10.712499] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:26:10.721325] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:26:23.134226] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:26:23.157134] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:26:23.164738] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:26:37.327115] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:26:37.348568] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:26:37.356147] Requesting satellite to download image
[10/15/2010 23:26:53.473585] Module register received
[10/15/2010 23:26:53.495269] Registration response sent
[10/15/2010 23:26:53.502851] Requesting satellite to download image

[Lucien Avramov]

The problem you are facing is that the 2200 need the 4.2 or later code on N5K.

Upgrade your 5K from 4.1.3 to 4.2 and you will be all set.

[mojagot1972]

Thanks .. working like a charm.

[David Williams]

So it looks like there is some new code out for the 5K (n5000-uk9.5.0.2.N1.1.bin) but I cannot find any release notes for it anywhere.  Can you offer any insight into this code or direction towards release notes for it?

[Lucien Avramov]

Sure, I'm glad you asked, it has a few nice vPC new features among other things: config-sync and auto-recovery

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/release/notes/Rel_5_0_2_N1_1/Nexus5000_Release_Notes_5_0_2_N1_1.html

[tenaro.gusatu.novici]

Hi Lucien,

if it is not out-of-the-scope, I would like to get some feedback regarding the best testing strategy when using storage on one side and UCS on another (with Nexus 5k in the middle). If my main goal is the highest reading (or writing) throughput should I use pure FC or FCoE or maybe Gigabit Ethernet? How can I measure this?

Regards,

Tenaro

[Lucien Avramov]

I'm not quite sure what you want to measure. I would suggest you to use an IXIA type traffic generator device if you like to do performance testing.

Also you can simply generate a large dump file and test the ethernet speed.

Keep in mind that you can influence fcoe traffic / ethernet traffic with the modular QoS configuration on the N5K (bandwitdh alocation).

[mojagot1972]

Hi

I have been asked by a customer to enable multicast NLB for his VMWare servers. Our network design is a Cisco 6500 VSS at the aggregation layer followed by Nexus 5010 with Nexus 2232 FEX. The VMWare environment hosts the Nexus 1000V.

In the previous datacentre all servers connected to standalone pairs of Cisco 6500 switches. All we did was add the arp static entry and the static mac-address entry on the switch.

The Aggregation layer in the new design is the only Layer 3 routing point, everything else below it is layer 2 switching. With this mind I was going to put a static arp entry on the Aggregation layer.

Would this work?

Many thanks,

Mohammed

[Lucien Avramov]

I don't see an issue with that from this brief description

[areanetsenato]

Hi Lucien

thank for your precious info...

Another question for you...

We have implemented a VMWare environment around two IBM Xseries Servers connected to a set of two N2K-C2248TP which are extention of redundant Nexus switches - a set of two N5K-C5010P.

We're planning to upgrade from version 4.2(1)N1(1) to Version 5.0(2)N1(1).

I want upgrade software on a single N5K-C5010P while the second N5K-C5010P works correctly with the couple of N2K-C2248TP.

Then I want upgrade the second N5K-C5010P.

What is the correct procedure to do ?

If my servers are connected to both N2K-C2248TP can I suppose that connection from servers and N2K-C2248TP works fine ?!?!

Thank

[Lucien Avramov]

I'm glad you asked.

Since you are upgrading from 4.2.1, the upgrade is non-disruptive as per the release notes:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/partner/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus5000/sw/release/notes/Rel_5_0_2_N1_1/Nexus5000_Release_Notes_5_0_2_N1_1.html#wp159193

Upgrade one N5K at the time.