topic Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs in ExtremeSwitching (EXOS/Switch Engine)

X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 22:19:40 GMT

Has anyone else noticed that on X695 (and probably VSP7400 as it’s the same hardware), SFPs can be impossible to remove? The same SFP can work with no problem in other switches but in X695, they are often stuck. Hopefully this is a problem with only some batch and not too wide-spread.

We see the problem with SFPs from multiple vendors, including original Extreme branded SFPs that are indeed original parts, not fake.

/Fredrik

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

Stefan_K_ — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 22:32:36 GMT

Yes, we ordered six X695 in summer 2020 and all had this problem sometimes. We helped us with a little screwdriver as far as I remember.

We got four X695 a few days ago. Didn’t test SFPs yet.

Regards
Stefan

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 22:34:47 GMT

Great, thanks! Did you ever report this to Extreme? We will for sure!

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

Stefan_K_ — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 22:37:26 GMT

I think we blamed it on third party SFPs and therefor didn’t report it.

I would be interested in the reply - can you inform me/us about the outcome?

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 01:34:14 GMT

Will do! Ping me in a month unless I’ve answered here!

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

SamPirok — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 01:59:35 GMT

Hey @FredrikB, just wanted to check in to see how things were going?

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 03:28:20 GMT

Hi Sam!

We’re sending one of the problematic switches in for analysis. I’m done with mine and my conclusion is that the cages are out of tolerance, probably in at least one batch of switches. We have used Extreme original SFPs and had them stick in the cages in the X695 but working flawlessly in an X450-G2. If they find a field fix for it or if we need to RMA them all is anyone’s guess. Extreme seems to have accepted this as a defect in some respect.

If this happens to any reader out there, the trick to free the SFP is to gently push it upwards (if you have the SFP in front of you and it’s in the top row) and then pulling the SFP’s lever to release it. This displaces the SFP just a tiny little bit, enabling the “fork” in the SFP to get in under the retainer (metal “tongue” in the cage) and free the SFP. If there’s an SFP in the port under (or over) the stuck one, pushing up on the SFP is impossible. Instead, a very gentle twist with a screwdriver between the SFPs will lift the SFP that half millimeter that is needed.

There are at least three different mechanisms in SFPs (Extreme has them all in various models) that lock them in place and release them. Only one type is problematic in the defective cages, but this type is used in both some old 1000Base-LX/SX without SSH and in some brand new 10G optics.

Explanatory image of an SFP cage:

https://www.embrionix.com/storage/app/media/resources/SFP%20cage_with_retainer.gif

/Fredrik

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB1 — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:44:49 GMT

New account but I'm still the original poster 🙂 We're still discussing this with Extreme. If anyone is having problems with SFPs getting stuck in X695's or the other models that are the same hardware (VSP7400 and some SLX model I think) please post here! I have indications that both the switch and the SFPs may be within specifications but still the combination is problematic. From a 3:rd party SFP vendor I have a report where one other model of switch from another vendor was showing this problem and there they state that both the SFP and the switch was indeed within specifications.

One may argue that if a vendor releases model after model of switches that do not have a problem with certain SFPs and then all of a sudden a new switch model displays a problem without being out of official specs, then the vendor might consider not using that design anymore. You can insert any vendor name in the previous sentence, not just Extreme.

/Fredrik

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB1 — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 14:40:51 GMT

I'm bumping this thread to see if anyone else is seeing these problems. I can also add that we just this week discovered that QSFP modules will not always lock in place (the exact opposite problem to the SFP problem). Some QSFP ports in some switches (4 of the 9 tested switches had this problem) will not "click" the QSFP to lock it, so you can pull it out without using the release handle (easy to demonstrate on DAC cable where you can pull the QSFP connector out of the port by pulling the black cable gently).

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

Stefan_K_ — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 22:46:31 GMT

@Fredrik Bjork
Is there any update to your case? Has Extreme replaced the X695?

Best regards

Stefan

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

Nicolas_Melay — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:01:23 GMT

Hi,

I did have the same problem with a VSP7400, some 1+ year ago.
Blamed it on the 3rd party modules as well, but clearly the weird SFP cages were at fault.
I used the same screwdriver trick as Stefan did, but almost destroyed one of the cages before I got it right. 😞
(Quite frankly, that's the slightest of the problems we've had with VSPs, I *really* wish we did not listen to marketing and went with X695's instead...)

I'll get 2 more of them in the next few weeks, I'll see whether the same issue remains.

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

FredrikB-NN — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 14:20:13 GMT

Sorry to hear that, Nicolas. Why do you think the X695 would have been a better choice? Just curious 🙂

Stefan: no replacements of X695. We couldn't get brand new Extreme optics that had the mechanical solution that was affected so we couldn't prove our case to 500% so Extreme wouldn't dig any deeper. We still had good help from lots of people at Extreme, but I guess PLM wanted to avoid having to replace all X695s out there.

Regarding the SFP cages, Extreme blamed "worn mechanisms" in the SFPs, which is ridiculous in my opinion. No other vendor never, ever, has had this issue as far as I know. Other Extreme (and other) switches still accept those very same modules without problem, so...

The specific mechanical solution that cannot be handled by the X695 is being phased out from all SFP vendors so I don't expect too much problems with this in the future.

Re: X695 SFP cage problems, will not release SFPs

Nicolas_Melay — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:07:41 GMT

IMNSHO, Fabric Connect only makes sense in a LARGE all-VOSS network.
Start working with non-VOSS network equipment and you run into problems. Many of them.
Also, VOSS is clearly the worst network OS I ever worked with.
Its CLI is totally crippled, buggy, barely usable, and the default config is a security disaster.

While EXOS is one of the easiest and most pleasant network OS to use.
(Well, you still need to remember to disable flow control on all ports, and run ezspantree.py to default all VLANs to CIST.)