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More Stack / IRF Confusion

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  • 1.  More Stack / IRF Confusion

    Posted Apr 11, 2018 03:45 AM

    I recently posted about my confusion around the commands and output for dealing with IRF (stacking). After some valuable input and time spent reading documents I thought I had a handle on it.

    That was for 51xx based devices and also some 7503's that have a slightly different output. However we also have, so I just found out, some 5820X's and they don't abide by the same rules I'd worked out for myself. To determine if we have a stack I first run display device and if more than one I then run display lldp nei list | i DEVICE_NAME * - the result of this is that if the box is configured and cabled up correctly then the result of the LLDP query should be twice the members.

       * an alternative is to run display curr | begin irf-port

    With a 5820X this approach doesn't work.

    First, the display irf ? command doesn't have the link option - a dis lldp doesn't give any result but showing the irf-ports output confirms IRF is in use and which ports are configured.

    Now - I appreciate tis may be my understanding that is lacking, but I have two questions...

    1. Is it my understanding that is lacking and if so (or even if not)?
    2. Is there a uniform approach to working out how a stacked device is cabled up whatever model that is?
             - if there is isn't, is my understanding generally right and either way
             - what command set would I use to determine this on a 5820 series device?


  • 2.  RE: More Stack / IRF Confusion

    MVP GURU
    Posted Apr 11, 2018 06:08 AM
    Hello, pay attention to Comware version (5 versus 7) your involved Switches are running on...IRF shares common implementation practices (some restrictions are more Switch series/models related) but some commands can produce slightly differents outputs since Comware 7 operating system is different from the older Comware 5 (outputs can be more articulated and can provide more info, some commands can also have additional options in comparison with the very same commands exectuted on Comware 5 operating system based switches).

    Also every Switch series has its IRF configuration guides (because requirements and restrictions varies) and, from time to time, new irf related commands/featires are added as a consequence of continuous software development in Comware 5 and especially in Comware 7 (see Release Notes).

    I think that display irf (with all possible options) can be a good way to understand if and how it is implemented.

    The LLDP part looks interesting, never noticed WRT IRF deployment, maybe incoherents results are related with the fact that IRF port uses a single MAC Address...or that IRF Topology (Chain versus Ring) can produce invalid results (Chain IRF Topology sholud be used when IRF members are two, some Switch series grant Ring also for a Two-Members IRF deployment...but it shouldn't be the best practice, better an IRF Chain where the single IRF Port is bound to multiple physical interfaces)


  • 3.  RE: More Stack / IRF Confusion

    Posted Apr 11, 2018 06:24 AM

    @parnassus- again thank you.

    Without my even having put that in you picked up what I didn't. Indeed, the 5820X is Comware v5.

    So, now I know this I can go dig out a document, I hope, that will help but one subsequent question if you will.... what set of commands would I then use for determining the physical interconnectivity of those IRF members running on Comware v5?



  • 4.  RE: More Stack / IRF Confusion

    Posted Apr 24, 2022 09:20 PM
    Hello Parnassus,
    An attempt to connect 2 H3C S7503E switches in a stack failed.
    The switch with lower priority and member ID keeps rebooting.

    I can confirm that:
    1. OS version on both switches are the same.
    *Comware Software, Version 5.20.105, Release 6703

    2. The connection is with 10Gb SFP+ transceiver modules and fibers
    *All the transceiver modules are of the same type.
    I have also tried using SFP+ cables to connect to the SFP+ transceivers.
    The inserted card module is LSQ1TGS8SC.

    3. irf-port configuration for both switches.
    irf-port 1/1 on switch 1 is connected to irf-port 2/1 on switch 2 and vice versa.

    Switch 1
    irf-port 1/1
    port group interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/3/0/1 mode enhanced
    #
    irf-port 1/2
    port group interface Ten-GigabitEthernet1/3/0/2 mode enhanced

    Switch 2
    irf-port 2/1
    port group interface Ten-GigabitEthernet2/3/0/2 mode enhanced
    #
    irf-port 2/2
    port group interface Ten-GigabitEthernet2/3/0/1 mode enhanced
    #
    *irf-port configuration and mode looks good.

    4. Both switches are in irf mode.
    *I ran the "chassis convert mode irf" comand in system-view.

    Both switches have different member IDs and priorities.
    The procedure for connecting the switches is that I would
    shutdown the switch with the lower priority after the irf settings,
    connect the fiber cables to the appropriate ports and then boot up
    the switch to join the stack but it wont.

    Any Idea what I might have gotten wrong?
    Thank you.

    ------------------------------
    Obioma Okoroafor
    ------------------------------

    Original Message