Flex-10 and RSPAN

[Amr Mostafa Sadek]

Hello Gurus,

Here's our setup:

HP Enclosure with 2 Flex-10 modules and BL460CGen8 servers.

We've configured simple vNets with dedicated uplinks on X1, X2 and X3 ports. Mapped VLAN Tags.

Port X4 is not used (yet).

There's a server in the enclosure on which an application called speechlog installed. This application records voice calls.

The network admin configured a port on the cisco switch to be access and enabled for port monitoring [RSPAN].

When running the applciation, it is noticed that it is able to sniff the broadcast and multicast traffic but cannot detect unicast traffic.

To troubleshoot, we've installed the same application on a standlone non blade server and connected it to the X4 cable. It's working properly. But not on the blade server.

So what is missing in the VC configuration?  In the Port Monitoring tab in Ethernet settings we have selected the Analyzer port (X4) and the blade server in the monitored port list. We even tried selecting all servers in the enclosure.

The applciation is supposed to recieve traffic for the switch port that contains traffic from devices outside the enclosure.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

Thanks.

Amr

[Steven Clementi]

Are you able to monitor blade server traffic in the original setup? (just not external traffic...)

Based on limited knowledge, but full access to the hardware... It seems that Port Monitoring is for monitoring Enclosure traffic via the external port, not external traffic via the external port.

Keep in mind that Virtual Connect modules are not traditional Switches.  In fact, they should not be considered a switch at all.  External traffic is not going to be seen by the blades unless it is inbound to the VC Module.

[Amr Mostafa Sadek]

Hi Steven, and thank you for your reply.

Yes, when choosing all servers, an additional NIC is connected automatically.

That's what i'm relying on, i'm not considering the VC as a switch at all. In fact, what is confusing that it worked properly with a standalone server, so i think it should work the same way with VC.

So if it is not related to Port Monitoring, how to configure the uplink in a way to allow this?

I dont want to reach the conclusion that it is not possible with VC.

Thanks again,

Amr

[Steven Clementi]

As I stated... the way I read the Port Monitoring screen is that Monitoring is only available ON the External port.  I.E. you can not enable monitoring on an internal port.  You CAN enable an internal port to BE monitored.

Screenshot attached to make sure we are on the same page...

You can only select external ports as a Network Analyzer Port and Internal ports as Monitored Ports.

[Amr Mostafa Sadek]

Hi Steven,

We are on the same page. External ports are used as a Network Analyzer Port and Internal ports as Monitored Ports.

Does RSPAN have to work in conjuction with port monitoring?

For your info, we are working with virtual MAC addresses, not factory default. would that make a difference?

[Hongjun Ma]

if I understand correctly, you are trying to pass SPAN traffic from external switch through VC into a blade server and hope the server can receive all sniffed traffic, if that's the case, it won't work. this is how VC is designed.

VC still uses MAC lookup when forwarding traffic, without special handling, VC will discard most of the traffic because it has conflict source/destination mac info seen in packets.  VC has inplement SPAN funtion from uplink to downlink direction, right now VC can do SPAN(port-monitoring) from downlink to uplink direction.

one option to consider is to get a dump pass-through module and put in slot 3/4 and then put a NIC mezz card on your application blade server, run cable from external switch to ethernet pass-through and then into blade mezz.

[Amr Mostafa Sadek]

Hi Hongjun,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, this is the case. Trying to pass RSPAN traffic from external switch port through VC into a blade server.

So I understand that's the only way is by using a Pass-Thru and a Mezzanine Card. That's disappointing.

But what about these "special considerations" you are talking about? Is there a way to do it by editing something in VC Manager?

Thanks again.

Amr

[Hongjun Ma]

sorry but there is no way to change any setting on VC now to get this working. But SPAN direction from uplink to downlink is one of features being worked on.

[justinh20]

This post is a couple years old, any chance this capability is available now?

[jinucv]

Hi,

    I am also facing the same issue ,SPAN traffic from external switch through VC into a blade server is not working .HP support team is also not helping . .Kindly help if some know the solution for this issue.

Thanks & Regards

Jinu Varghese