Wired Intelligent Edge

Hello,

 

i wonder if there is a chance to get PTP working on Aruba 2530/40? As we have some products which needs to be synched, we need PTP.

 

I would like to use our Aruba Switches instead of some "special" switches.

 

cheers,

raffa

Hi Raffa, 

 

Currently the only switch platform that supports PTP is the Aruba 2930M Switch Series.

 

Regards, 

 

Justin

 

 

Just an addition: PtP (Precision Time Protocol IEEE 1588) support was introduced on Aruba 2930M only starting from WC.16.04 software release (exactly since its initial WC.16.04..0004); if you're going to deploy Aruba 2930M, remember to start with latest software release within each WC.16.04, WC.16.05 or WC.16.06 software branch you plan to adopt, respectively - at present time - WC.16.04.0015, WC.16.05.0009 or WC.16.06.0006.

Ciao Davide,

 

is the PTP implementation in 2930M still TC only?

 

I would also be interested in BC. Is BC on the roadmap?

 

If so, when?

 

Grazie
Axel

Greetings!

 

The 2930M continues to support PTP as a transparent clock; there are no current plans to implement boundary clock functionality, but I will pass the request on to product management for consideration.

Has there been any discussion on PTP BC?  

Hi Axel.

Yes, actually the only supported PtP implementation mode is E2E TC (Transparent Clock)...so no BC mode yet.

For all your other questions...I've really no clue: better to ask to Support Engineering or to an Aruba Campus Switch series' Product Manager...for sure PtP should deserve a better description/support...it's just one page on the Aruba 2930M Management and Configuration Guide (compared to PtP support/features available to medium/high-end DC HPE Comware based switches).

Hi Matthew and parnassus,

 

thanks for the info.

 

In pro audio (AES67) sometimes no PTP Grandmaster is used in smaller installations (studios in contrast to broadcasters), but one of the audo devices is taking the role of the Grandmaster. In such a scenario a switch acting as BC would take burden from this device. These devices typically aren't built to serve a lot of PTP slaves.

 

As TC works, all the hardware is in place. In the end it's a question if implementing the BC software is considered a fruitful investment or not.

 

With the BC role the switch family would be very interesting.

 

Cheers

Axel

From the 2930M configuration guide:

 

Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

ptp Syntax ptp {enable | disable} no ptp {enable | disable}

Description Enable updating of IEEE 1588 PTP packets. • The feature is disabled by default. • The no form of this command is the same as ptp disable.

This feature is available on the 2930M and only in standalone. It is disabled for stacks

 

Can anyone explain the term standalone? Does this mean not stacked? or does this mean not connected to other switches?

 

We would like to use PTPv2 TC E2E over multiple 2930M switches connected over 10G fiber links (or 40G if possible)

 

 

Yes, in this context and considering that Aruba 2930M can be deployed as a "Virtual Switch" (data and control planes become shared) using its Backplane Stacking feature then PTP restrictions are referenced to Standalone (not Backplane Stacking) versus Backplane Stacking deployments.

"Standalone", in this case, means a switch that is not part of a backplane stack (no stacking cables connected or module installed, and the stacking feature itself is disabled).

 

It does not mean that the switch cannot be connected to other switches (because, as a PTP transparent clock, the 2930M can only pass along PTP packets from other devices in the first place).

Thank you Matthew, it sounds more logical the way you epxlained it.

 

Maybe you can answer another question I have regarding the text on PTP in the 2930M Config Guide:

 

" Restrictions

EEE 1588 end-to-end transparent mode cannot be enabled when there are flexible modules or transceiver ports in the system that do not support IEEE 1588. If a user attempts this, an error message like the following displays: Port A1 does not support IEEE 1588 end-to-end transparent mode.Use the command show ptp to identify the unsupported ports." 

 

Do flexible modules refer to the backplane uplink slot? How can we check if a slot module supports PTP, documentation on the slot modules looks non existing.

Do transceiver ports refer to SFP's? If so, is there a list of known SFP's that support PTP.

 

Best Regards,

 

Milo