EXOS: X670V-48x Link up delay ??

[M_Nees]

We have 2x X670V-48x Stacks (with 2 Switches each) for redundant Servers connections. We use both hardware servers (windows 2008/2012) and virtual servers(vmware 5.5)). The redundancy mechanism is triggered by port Link status ! (All people know that is not best - but it cannot be changed). The regarding Servers are connected via 1GB TP GBICs (original Extreme parts).

We have some trouble during server redundancy tests !
+ If we power down the switches (pulling power cable) - the expected switch over to backup server run fast (4 seconds) - perfect!
+ If we reboot the switch (warmstart via CLI) the server need a lot of more time (nearly 1 minute) to switch over to the backup server!

The problem is that if the switch was rebooted the switching logic is shutting down fast by the software but the port Link is UP (gbic). Only at the end of the switch shutdown process the GBIC lost the LINK Up (= port down). Now the server recognize that the link failed and switch over. At startup the same problem - the switch link up the GBIC first but the switching logic (EXOS processes) are not running for 100%. So the server think that the link is OK and tried to communicate - but this failed because the switch needs time to startup. This behaviour get more worse because the X670V need a lot of time to boot (regarding to X670-G2).

My question is now - can we control the GBIC link state? In my szenario it would be the best if the link (maybe through a delay of x seconds) come up only if the switch is booted completly. And if the switch was rebooted, shutdown the link immediately (not at the end of the shutdown process).

Any ideas or feedback if you are fighting with the same problems ?

[M_Nees]

Hi,

i solved my problem completely though a autoexec.xsf script!

Works fine!
### autoexec.xsf Skript for automatic Link Up Delay

# Set a regular script timeout
configure cli script timeout 600
enable cli scripting

create log entry "Disabling ports 1:1-24"
disable port 1:1-24

# wait a few minutes for the switch fully to come up
create log entry "Waiting 3 minutes for switch to come up (Link Up Delay)"
set var temp $TCL(after [expr 3 * 60 * 1000])
create log entry "Waiting done"

create log entry "Enabling all ports"
enable port all

disable cli scripting

[M_Nees]

Hi Esa,
LACP will be my prefered method but is not possible because Vmware needs an additional license for this function.
Maybe possible in future.

[Esa_Kuusisto]

How about LACP? We have plenty of X670Vs. There is problem with 1G base-t which should be fixed in newest software releases. No problem with 10G connections. What is your software version?

[StephenW]

I tried using a UPM script to disable the port and it prevented the port from being enabled or linking up untill i rebooted the switch. This is probably because the port wasn't fully configured from bootup when the UPM script changed it. It could work but I'm not sure. Let us know if you get it working. I was using the log message "switch is operational."