topic RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2 in ExtremeSwitching (EXOS/Switch Engine)

Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 03:14:00 GMT

So we have a bunch of 460-G2's we will be replacing some enterasys C2's. Currently SpanGuard on the C2's was not enabled hence when people with an unmanaged desk switch looped 2 of the ports all hell breaks loose with Spantree.

The 460-G2's have STP enabled with BPDU-restrict and also edge-safeguard, but this does not prevent unmanaged switch loops.

How can we prevent the STP from people looping an unmanage switch connected to only 1 edge port and trashing the network?

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

davidj_cogliane — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 03:21:00 GMT

ELRP usually works well passing through unmanaged switches and stopping loops.

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Eric_Burke — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 03:46:00 GMT

We utilize ELRP in our standard build and it's very reliable. Sounds like you're getting rid of the 460's though, is that correct?

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hammers — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 04:15:00 GMT

Maybe exspantree.py.will help you. It was developed for customers migrating from EOS.
See https://github.com/extremenetworks/EXOS_Apps/tree/master/EZ_SpanningTree for the latest.
Depending on the EXOS release, it may already be included with EXOS.

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 05:21:00 GMT

apologies, i should read what i type better.
We have C2's installed and moving to the Extreme 460-G2's.

I'll have a look at ELRP as well thanks.

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Andrew_Imam — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 05:32:00 GMT

Hi Dave,

Thanks for confirming that you are migrating to the X460G2 switches.
Please click on the links below for knowledge articles that explains what is ELRP, as well as the exact step to configure and enable ELRP:

https://gtacknowledge.extremenetworks.com/articles/Q_A/What-is-ELRP

https://gtacknowledge.extremenetworks.com/articles/How_To/How-to-configure-ELRP-to-disable-ports

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Best regards,
Andrew

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 05:32:00 GMT

any comments on the below for us please?

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 09:05:00 GMT

ELRP worked flawlessly in testing thankyou. 

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 10:32:00 GMT

so i am curious, i wonder if we had edge-safeguard and bpdu-restrict configured correctly.
Looking at the below document, it says we can use either ELRP or edge-guard with bpdu-restrict???

ELRP works as i mentioned but wondering if we should be using the other. To do use have an MSTP cist and multiple MSTI's.

https://gtacknowledge.extremenetworks.com/articles/Q_A/What-options-are-there-for-loop-protection-in...

Sorry, new to swtiches and getting my head around it all.

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 04:16:00 GMT

i also noticed while using ELRP, that if a port is connected to an unmanaged switch and then the switch is loop, the port gets disabled as expected. If i connect an unmanaged switch that is already looped to another port the whole system get stormed and ELRP doesnt kick in and disable the port.

Is this normal behavior??

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

davidj_cogliane — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 05:09:00 GMT

If the ELRP VLAN is on both ports it should catch the loop. Does the log show the loop?

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 05:09:00 GMT

how can i check for that?
By default we are going to disable the port.

This works with 2 seperate ports on same vlan are loop with 2 different ports on switch.
This works for connecting unmanage switch and then loop the unmanaged switch on itself.
This work if i connect unmanage switch, then connect it to another port on same VLAN

I tested again and first time i connected an already looped on itself unmanaged switch it turned the port off. i left the switch for a minute then connected to another ports and then its xmas time with the lights.

if i check ELRP disabled ports the ports appear on the list, except the issue i am having.

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

Dave_Hanna — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:13:00 GMT

figured the issue.

the Unmanaged switch already has a broadcast storm happening on it and when the BPDU's get sent from the 460-G2 it takes X amount of time for that to get inserted into the processor of the unmanaged switch.

If loop the unmanaged switch and straight away connect to the 460-G2 it disables the port. 

RE: Unmanaged switch loop prevention connected to 460-G2

simon_bingham — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 21:58:00 GMT

With Spanning tree the port will block, obviously the unmanaged switch will be down until the loop stops. ELRP does work well but in my experience customers forget where its configured or configure it on uplinks by mistake, resulting in the " every now and then one of my sites is down, we reboot and it comes back " issues.