EBIPA (Enclosure Bay IP Addressing) option for Interconnects?

[chuckk281]

Terri had run into this question:

Hello all,

I was told sometime in the past that the EBIPA (Enclosure Bay IP Addressing) option for Interconnects is really for those modules that don't have a CLI (like Pass-Thru and VC-FC). Is this correct?

I keep getting folks (customers and HP) who disagree and say if they set it in EBIPA it will set it on a Cisco Ethernet switch, Cisco MDS SAN Switch, Brocade SAN switch, GBE2c, etc...which would mean the OA would have to understand all those different switch operating systems...

Clarification?

Monty had an answer:

The OA EBIPA feature is based on DHCP - so this feature is independent of the device operating system.

To use OA EBIPA to set the IP address for a bay you need the following prerequisites:

1.  The blade or interconnect module must use the enclosure management network

a.  Cisco Ethernet modules can be configured to use the enclosure management network but default to VLAN management on an uplink

b.  Virtual Connect modules always use the enclosure management network

2.  The blade or interconnect module management processor must use – or be configured to use - DHCP to obtain its IP address

3.  The OA must be configured to provide an EBIPA IP address, etc for that bay – OR – the OA management port must be connected to a network with a DHCP server

Share your experiences in this area.