Wired Intelligent Edge

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

It's hard to support without configuration and logging. Working with your Aruba partner or Support may be the fastest route to a solution.

If you feel the configuration is changing, make sure the switch is not cloud-managed (or at least not managed locally and through a management system like Airwave/Central). Ports should not change the tagged VLANs, nor should default routes disappear unless you have configured dynamic routing.

To learn about the ArubaOS switches, you can do an official training, get the book for the training and read it yourself, or start by watching some videos like these.

------------------------------
Herman Robers
------------------------
If you have urgent issues, always contact your Aruba partner, distributor, or Aruba TAC Support. Check https://www.arubanetworks.com/support-services/contact-support/ for how to contact Aruba TAC. Any opinions expressed here are solely my own and not necessarily that of Hewlett Packard Enterprise or Aruba Networks.
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 08, 2021 03:30 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

Hello Martin!

I agree with @Herman Robers , in the meantime the best thing you could do is to analyze the 3Com 5500 running configuration along with - side by side - the Aruba 2540 running configuration in order to see where there would be issues during the swap (personally I will focus on ports' VLAN memberships - tagging & untagging - and routing...just to start). Since you're going to do a swap you should be sure that ports and their memberships (other than the IP parts) are identical (keep in mind that Aruba 2540 is ArubaOS-Switch based and so it uses tagging/untagging terms while 3Com 5500 - IIRC Comware 5 based - uses the concept of access port or trunk port instead so you need to operate a sort of translation between the Comware and ArubaOS-Switch).

Just an example: saying an Access Port has PVID (native) equal to VLAN 100 on Comware 5 is like to say that a port is an untagged member of VLAN 100 on ArubaOS-Switch. If you're used to things like that a migration from Comware to ArubaOS-Switch shouldn't be too difficult to do.

------------------------------
Davide Poletto
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 08, 2021 03:30 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

Thanks Davide and Herman, We have found an issue; the iPv4 address of VLAN1 is incorrect and this is preventing routing between all VLANs and VLAN1. Problem we have found is that we are unable to edit VLAN1 IPv4 or disable IPv6. When we try edit the IPv4 address the switch does not allow a change to be made it does not matter what IP address we try to change it to the switch will not apply the change. Are there any circumstances that prevent a change being made to VLAN 1? Thanks again.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 09:19 AM
From: Davide Poletto
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hello Martin!

I agree with @Herman Robers , in the meantime the best thing you could do is to analyze the 3Com 5500 running configuration along with - side by side - the Aruba 2540 running configuration in order to see where there would be issues during the swap (personally I will focus on ports' VLAN memberships - tagging & untagging - and routing...just to start). Since you're going to do a swap you should be sure that ports and their memberships (other than the IP parts) are identical (keep in mind that Aruba 2540 is ArubaOS-Switch based and so it uses tagging/untagging terms while 3Com 5500 - IIRC Comware 5 based - uses the concept of access port or trunk port instead so you need to operate a sort of translation between the Comware and ArubaOS-Switch).

Just an example: saying an Access Port has PVID (native) equal to VLAN 100 on Comware 5 is like to say that a port is an untagged member of VLAN 100 on ArubaOS-Switch. If you're used to things like that a migration from Comware to ArubaOS-Switch shouldn't be too difficult to do.

------------------------------
Davide Poletto

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 08, 2021 03:30 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 3/30/2021 12:25:00 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: RE: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Thanks Davide and Herman, We have found an issue; the iPv4 address of VLAN1 is incorrect and this is preventing routing between all VLANs and VLAN1. Problem we have found is that we are unable to edit VLAN1 IPv4 or disable IPv6. When we try edit the IPv4 address the switch does not allow a change to be made it does not matter what IP address we try to change it to the switch will not apply the change. Are there any circumstances that prevent a change being made to VLAN 1? Thanks again.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 09:19 AM
From: Davide Poletto
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hello Martin!

I agree with @Herman Robers , in the meantime the best thing you could do is to analyze the 3Com 5500 running configuration along with - side by side - the Aruba 2540 running configuration in order to see where there would be issues during the swap (personally I will focus on ports' VLAN memberships - tagging & untagging - and routing...just to start). Since you're going to do a swap you should be sure that ports and their memberships (other than the IP parts) are identical (keep in mind that Aruba 2540 is ArubaOS-Switch based and so it uses tagging/untagging terms while 3Com 5500 - IIRC Comware 5 based - uses the concept of access port or trunk port instead so you need to operate a sort of translation between the Comware and ArubaOS-Switch).

Just an example: saying an Access Port has PVID (native) equal to VLAN 100 on Comware 5 is like to say that a port is an untagged member of VLAN 100 on ArubaOS-Switch. If you're used to things like that a migration from Comware to ArubaOS-Switch shouldn't be too difficult to do.

------------------------------
Davide Poletto

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 08, 2021 03:30 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------

I would strongly recommend not using VLAN1 for managed switches. That VLAN is the default, and by not using it you force yourself to think about the configuration or it will just not work. I took this as a best-practice many years ago and it saved me a few times.

------------------------------
Herman Robers
------------------------
If you have urgent issues, always contact your Aruba partner, distributor, or Aruba TAC Support. Check https://www.arubanetworks.com/support-services/contact-support/ for how to contact Aruba TAC. Any opinions expressed here are solely my own and not necessarily that of Hewlett Packard Enterprise or Aruba Networks.
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 30, 2021 12:24 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Thanks Davide and Herman, We have found an issue; the iPv4 address of VLAN1 is incorrect and this is preventing routing between all VLANs and VLAN1. Problem we have found is that we are unable to edit VLAN1 IPv4 or disable IPv6. When we try edit the IPv4 address the switch does not allow a change to be made it does not matter what IP address we try to change it to the switch will not apply the change. Are there any circumstances that prevent a change being made to VLAN 1? Thanks again.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 09, 2021 09:19 AM
From: Davide Poletto
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hello Martin!

I agree with @Herman Robers , in the meantime the best thing you could do is to analyze the 3Com 5500 running configuration along with - side by side - the Aruba 2540 running configuration in order to see where there would be issues during the swap (personally I will focus on ports' VLAN memberships - tagging & untagging - and routing...just to start). Since you're going to do a swap you should be sure that ports and their memberships (other than the IP parts) are identical (keep in mind that Aruba 2540 is ArubaOS-Switch based and so it uses tagging/untagging terms while 3Com 5500 - IIRC Comware 5 based - uses the concept of access port or trunk port instead so you need to operate a sort of translation between the Comware and ArubaOS-Switch).

Just an example: saying an Access Port has PVID (native) equal to VLAN 100 on Comware 5 is like to say that a port is an untagged member of VLAN 100 on ArubaOS-Switch. If you're used to things like that a migration from Comware to ArubaOS-Switch shouldn't be too difficult to do.

------------------------------
Davide Poletto

Original Message:
Sent: Mar 08, 2021 03:30 PM
From: Martin Rogers
Subject: Aruba 2540 - going round in circles (and round the bend)

Hi All,

Looking for some help with an Aruba 2540 configuration, maybe more sanity check than anything. We are configuring a 2540 24 to replace an old 3com 5500. Each time we attempt the swap over something or the other isn't working or the config isn't being accepted. Ports seem to randomly tag themselves in various vlans - the port membership is different to the config we saved. The default route was there but now it isn't and when we add it back it seems to accept it (CLI doesn't error) but it doesn't show in the routing table. Vlans show as not being up, no connected interfaces, even though there is at least one one port that is tagged in all vlans flashing away. sometimes we can get inter vlan traffic running others times not, then the DHCP relay doesn't work. It is proving to be a nightmare. We use the GUI to assign port membership and the CLI to try and add the default 0000/0 route. This switch is going to be a core switch that routes between VLANS and to the router and allows DHCP relay. Not a difficult configuration. We are able to do such a config with Office connect 1920's but can only have 8 VLAN Interfaces and we need more than that hence went for the Aruba. No experience with Aruba switches other than this one, every time we look at something is different to how we left it last. Thanks for all suggestions.

------------------------------
Martin Rogers
------------------------------