Wired Intelligent Edge

Hi,

I'm currently considering a 8325 VSX pair for my core, but still have a large number of 1G RJ45 connections that I need to support in the near future.

Will I be able to connect 64 1G RJ45 devices to the 8325 pair without issues or are there any caveats I may have missed?

I read that only the 32 ports on the first two rows would support 1G RJ45 transceivers (will require to set all interface groups to 10G, so no 25G). Will I still be able to connect 10G SFP+ fiber to the third row when the first two are filled with 1G RJ45?

Thanks

Hi,

I think, it will be better to ask to SE Aruba...

AFAIK J8177D/J8177C Aruba 1G SFP RJ45 T 100m Cat5e Transceiver with 4x4 part number 1990-3816 or 1990-4606 are supported only if fitted on interfaces belonging to the top two rows (that's due to physical requirements imposed by the transceiver mechanical size of the RJ45 interface) and, if I read correctly the 8th edition of the Aruba Transceivers and DAC Guide for ArubaOS-CX and ArubaOS-Switch at page 79/86, at best 24 of them can be deployed on a single 8325 switch (running ArubaOS-CX 10.03.0030 or newer).

The 24 J8177D Transceivers limit reported above is in clear contrast with the well known limit of 32 J8177D Transceivers found on Aruba 8325 Switch Series QuickSpecs at page 14/26 and 18/26, limit which reflect also what was reported on the Aruba 8325 Switch Series Installation and Getting Started Guide (May 2019 2nd Edition) at page 41/69 and 53/69 (reasonably 32 is the number of RJ45 Transceivers you can install at most if you fill the 32 interfaces belonging to the top two rows, entirely losing the third bottom row made of 16 interfaces).

Would be interesting to know why the Transceivers and DAC Guide reports maximum 24 Transceivers (coincidentally that quantity is the double of 10G RJ45 Transceivers you can install on the Aruba 8325 Switch Series...but to explain that lower threshold there is a power consumption reason).

OIOH the mandatory requirement, as you recalled, is also to set the involved port group to work at 10G (losing any 25G capability on any interface belonging to that very port group).

Thanks parnassus for your in-depth answer.

Guess I have to clear this out with a SE. I was assuming 32x J8177D per 8325, as reported on the datasheet. Was not aware the transceiver guide refers to 24.

I shortly tried a RJ45 transceiver on the bottom row and it does seem to power and I get a link. But I could not then have a RJ45 on the middle row, due to physical constraint.

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@ricardoduarte wrote: I shortly tried a RJ45 transceiver on the bottom row and it does seem to power and I get a link.

Didn't the Aruba 8325 switch listed the bottom row port where you temporarily installed the J8177D Transceiver as an Incompatible interface if you execute the show interface brief CLI Command against that port?

It should.

P.S. I tend to believe that the 32 Transceivers limit looks more reasonable than the 24 Transceivers limit (see also here, note 1). Let's wait for a SE to chime in and explain where the error is.

Ricardo & Parnassus:  let me apologize for the confusion. 

Edition 8 of the Xcvr Guide does indeed have an error regarding the J8177D when used in the 8325 48Y8C model (JL624A or JL625A). 

The correct max should be Qty 32 (corrected in upcoming Edition 9 - ETA by Sept 15) and as noted, only properly allowed in the top two rows -- due to the physical space those two rows provide (where using the RJ45 J8177D in the 2nd and 3rd rows would cause a 'fit' issue, and perhaps cause damage to the 3rd row SFP port). 

As Parnassus mentioned, using the J8177D 1G xcvr in the 3rd row should have reported the use in the port as an Incompatible port... but alas, the current 10.05 software may not have caught that use case.  (Future versions really should so please don't use the J8177D in the bottom row -- even if you can - I'd hate to have a SW upgrade cause you any problems). 

The reference for maximum quantity of 12 only applies to the 10G RJ45 xcvr JL563A -- because of the higher wattage requirement for that 10GBASE-T xcvr. 

We limited the use to max qty of 12 per 8325 switch (and to the 8320) so that there would be enough wattage to properly power other fiber xcvrs inserted in the remaining ports.   BTW: the max qty 12 also required only used in the lower-port # for 12 and not in the 3rd row.  Use in any port, e.g. Port 19, should indeed generated an "incompatible port" message. 

The XCVR guide will be at this URL (today for edition 8, same URL for Edition 9)

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00028947en_us

IF you haven't already done so, go to ASP.Arubanetworks.com and setup Notifications for when Security notices, software and documents are posted. (You have to be logged into ASP, then click on  any of the types "View more", and look for the "Manage Subscription Settings" button ) 

ps: Thanks Davide