topic Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working in ExtremeSwitching (EXOS/Switch Engine)

virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 19:24:00 GMT

Hi all,

Has anybody successfully got the virtual exos 26.1.4 working with tagged traffic on ESXi? Spent ages thinking it was the VM environment but it does not appear to be.

Simple test scenario:

create vlan test
config vlan test ipaddress 10.1.2.10/24
config vlan test add ports 1 tagged

create vlan test
config vlan test ipaddress 10.1.2.11/24
config vlan test add ports 1 tagged

Try and ping between them, and absolutely nothing.

ESXI Portgroup promiscious mode with vlan 4095 (all VLANS) with the virtual adapters configured as E1000.

EXOS version 22.2.15 and 16.2.1.6 works absolutely fine. Will probably try 22.5 next.

So either looks like a bug, or I'm missing something new in the latest and greatest.

Oh ESXi version 6.7.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Nick_Yakimenko — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 20:11:00 GMT

You should create two different vlans, e.g test1 and test2

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 20:24:00 GMT

Sorry will clarify; the two configs are for different switches.
So 10.1.2.10 for Switch1, 10.1.2.11 for Switch2.

I am testing simply communication between two switches via tagged ports. Untagged ports not a problem.

Ports are showing as enabled and active.

Verified not working; 22.6, 22.5,22.4.

Working: 22.3 and below.

Switch setup is purely default with the VLAN config as stated above.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Nick_Yakimenko — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 20:28:00 GMT

You should define a tag number when creating a vlan which will be used not only inside one switch create vlan test tag 22

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 20:28:01 GMT

Yup got that too, i just can't edit my first post annoying.
Using tag 100.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 20:33:00 GMT

As I cannot edit a post:
Power on the new switch:
configure vlan default delete ports all
create vlan test
configure vlan test tag 100
configure vlan test add ports 1 tagged
configure vlan test ipaddress 10.1.2.10/24

On Switch2:
configure vlan default delete ports all
create vlan test
configure vlan test tag 100
configure vlan test add ports 1 tagged
configure vlan test ipaddress 10.1.2.11/24

ping 10.1.2.10

Works in versions below 22.3, not working 22.4-6 using virtual exos images from github on esx 6.7.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 21:06:00 GMT

And the answer is a very simple:
disable port 1
enable port 1
and voila it works.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Zdeněk_Pala — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 00:24:00 GMT

I was not able to make it working. Can you confirm the port down and port up is the cure? does it survive reboot = is it working after reboot?

Thank you.

Z.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 00:24:01 GMT

No unfortunately it does not survive reboot.

show port 1 information, looks identical before and end the disable/enable command.
Before (not working):
VCORE1-U> Em------e--fMB----- active - / - 1 0 4 0 9216 none

Disabled:
VCORE1-U> Dm------e--fMB----- ready - / - 1 0 4 0 9216 none

After enable (working):
VCORE1-U> Em------e--fMB----- active - / - 2 0 4 0 9216 none

I cannot see anything in the logs after a boot that reference port 1 other than the port up that would explain the behaviour.

Also worth noting port restart also corrects the issue until the next reboot.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

jeronimo — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 22:19:08 GMT

Better late than never:
You should use GNS3 instead of ESXi. ESXi is pain for bigger labs in that it requires a vSwitch for every interface etc.
You'll have some trouble to get EXOS going in GNS3 too, but if you follow this you'll be great:

use the GNS3 VM (install it on ESXi) and only install the client on your PC in order to control the VM
don't use the EXOS template shipped with GNS3 but those from extremenetworks github (same for the QCOW file (the "hard disk"))
especially don't use an intel nic but a realtek (otherwise tagged traffic doesn't work)
the first NIC shown in the hypervisor is the MGMT port of the switch, port 1 = NIC 2 and so on (just as in ESXi)
pausing a link in GNS3 does not make the port actually down, although traffic will - of course - not pass

GNS3 has quirks. But you should try it.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Sat, 01 Dec 2018 01:54:03 GMT

@jeronimo

Forgive my lack of understanding here, but attempted to use GNS3 already, but it seems entirely geared towards workstation and gns3.
So if I want my servers and other virtual network devices in ESX connected to the Extreme switches on GNS, what is the best way to accomplish this as the only info I found was linking to the Workstation install on my PC within the GNS settings - which quite frankly sucked and does not cover what I need which is a full virtual network: firewall, dc's, switches and workstations on one ESX server.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Stephane_Grosj1 — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 08:10:21 GMT

I think this is a known issue with ESXi. Works with VirtualBox as far as I know.

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

jeronimo — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 06:56:22 GMT

@Calm Horizons

It is not true that GNS3 is geared toward workstation. You can use the GNS3 VM appliance in ESXi and only install the GUI part on your PC in order to manage the environment within the VM (nested virtualization). That really works pretty well.

In order to connect GNS3 to the the "outside" world you use the "Cloud" object,. It represents an interface bridged to your VM's ethernet adapter (in case of ESXi) and bridged to your PC's Ethernet adapter in case of Workstation I guess.

I haven't tried passing tagged traffic via that link, but quick googling suggests that's very possible:
https://netassured.co.uk/gns3-vm-on-esxi-802-1q-link-to-external-network/

Re: virtual exos 26.1.4 - Tagged traffic not working

Calm_Horizons — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 02:12:36 GMT

Not to resurrect this old thread, but if anyone likes me prefers to continue using ESXI and has the problem with having to remember to restart ports in order to get the tagged traffic working.

A daft workaround is to create an autoexec.xsf file
vi autoexec.xsf

with:
restart ports all

Every time, you restart your switch. You won't need to remember to do it. Silly but effective.