IRF on A5120 - clarification needed

[snoms]

Hi,

I´m looking for stackable edge switches and found the A5120. As I want real stacking IRF is needed. Reading the documents:

1. H3C S5120-EI Series Ethernet Switches Configuration Guides
  chapter: 02-IRF Configuration Guide

Connecting the IRF member switches
Prerequisites
To use the IRF feature, your switch must have at least one of the expansion interface modules in Table 1. Only the ports on these modules can work as physical IRF ports.

Table 1 Physical IRF ports requirements

Interface slot
 Interface modules
 Cabling requirements
 
The expansion interface slots on the rear panel
 ·       One-port 10 GE XFP interface module

·       Dual-port 10 GE XFP interface module

·       Short-haul dual-port 10 GE CX4 interface module

·       Dual-port 10 GE SFP+ interface module
 Use fibers or CX4/SFP+ dedicated cables.

Fibers cover longer reach, but CX4/SFP+ dedicated cables provide higher reliability and performance.
 
 NOTE:

For more information about an interface module, see the card manual that came with the interface module.
 

# Create IRF port 2 on Device A, and bind it to the physical IRF port Ten-GigabitEthernet 1/1/2. Then save the configuration.

<DeviceA> system-view

[DeviceA] interface ten-gigabitethernet 1/1/2

[DeviceA-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/2] shutdown

[DeviceA] irf-port 1/2

[DeviceA-irf-port1/2] port group interface ten-gigabitethernet 1/1/2

[DeviceA-irf-port1/2] quit

[DeviceA] interface ten-gigabitethernet 1/1/2

[DeviceA-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/2] undo shutdown

[DeviceA-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/1/2] save

  So, on A5120-EI the 10Gbit/s interfaces are needed for IRF?

  There are also A5120-EI switches without the 10Gbit/s slot upgrade possibility. So I guess IRF is not possible on these?



2. H3C S5120-SI Switch Series Configuration Guide (Release 1505, Document version: 6W100-20110520)
  chapter: "LACP MAD detection-enabled IRF configuration example"

# Create IRF port 2 on Device A, and bind it to the physical IRF port GigabitEthernet 1/0/49. Then save the configuration.

<DeviceA> system-view

[DeviceA] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/49

[DeviceA-GigabitEthernet1/0/49] shutdown

[DeviceA] irf-port 1/2

[DeviceA-irf-port1/2] port group interface gigabitethernet 1/0/49

[DeviceA-irf-port1/2] quit

[DeviceA] interface gigabitethernet 1/0/49

[DeviceA-GigabitEthernet1/0/49] undo shutdown

[DeviceA-GigabitEthernet1/0/49] save

 

So, on A5120-SI IRF stacking is possible with gigabit interfaces?

 Btw, what is actually the difference between the S5120-SI and S5120-EI series. Is it only the possibility to attach 10Gbit/s interfaces?

Additional question, as I am currently comparing prices.

- price for a HP A5120-48G SI (JE072A) is ~ 1500,-€

- price for a HP A5120-45G EI (JE067A) is ~ 1250,-€

SI is more expensive than EI? "Standard Image" is more expensive than "Enhanced Image"?

[Fredrik Lönnman]

first of all you need the JE069A "with 2 slots" model and also one of the avaliable 10G expansion modules, preferably the "Short-haul dual-port 10 GE CX4 interface module" for local stacking.

"So, on A5120-EI the 10Gbit/s interfaces are needed for IRF?

There are also A5120-EI switches without the 10Gbit/s slot upgrade possibility. So I guess IRF is not possible on these?"

 ^correct, thats the only difference between JE069A (with 2 slots) and JE067A (without)

About the IRF using gigabit interfaces I think thats a typo, you have to use the 10G interfaces.

The 5120-EI IRF configuration is really a great edge stack for the money. Just remember the limitation of 4 IRF members in one 5120 stack compared to 9 on the 5500- and 5800 models.

[pombeii]

5120-SI does not have 10-GE ports, IRF ports are GE ports. the configuration examples are correct.

physical IRF ports must be 10-GE on 5120-EI. 

[Fredrik Lönnman]

ok kewl, i was under the impression that IRF had to be 10GE. Maybe this is a new thing.

[jordLAN]

Please note that IRF can only be acheived via 10Gig ports on HP A-series switches.

The HP A5120G SI series does not include any models that come with 10Gig ports or are upgradable via module to 10Gig ports, thus IRF is not able to be conifgured on A5120G SI switches. Please see the specs on the switch if you would like to confirm for yourself, in the HP quick specs document there is no mention of IRF for this switch series.

[MichaelM55]

Well, according to the manual and the release notes

http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02796189/c02796189.pdf

http://www.h3c.com/portal/download.do?id=1201659

IRF is supported. But it seems that IRF on a A5800/A5500/A5120-EI with 10Gbe is not the same as on the A5120 SI series? It seems some features are missing on the 1Gbe links?

[pombeii]

For setting up an IRF fabric on A5800, A5120 switches, see the chapter "Setting up an IRF fabric" in their installation guides. The section "identifying physical IRF ports on the member switches" describe the physical ports that can be used for IRF connection and the port use restrictions.

For your reference:

A5120-EI/SI: http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02641900/c02641900.pdf

A5800/5820: http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02647821/c02647821.pdf

IRF features supported on 10-GE ports and GE ports do not differ, even though they might differ by device model. 

[Magnus-troy]

Is it possible to configure IRF on built-in Gigabit ports? Install guides depict only the examples with SFP ports.

[Fredrik Lönnman]

On the 5120SI, yes.