Switching Procurve 5412 default VLAN IP address

[rgausman]

Hello every one, first post here.

We have a Procurve 5412 as our core switch in a healthcare environment  which was upgrade to  firmware K.15.09.0012  two month ago and enable the Premium License a month ago for OSPF-BGP routing protocols.   Both tasks required rebooting the switch which only takes about five minutes.  However it took between 3 to 5 hours to get every thing back to normal after the switch reboots.    All the servers (Windows) are connected to this switch and the reboot broke the interfacing between servers by hanging  the application interface services.  Basically had to reboot all these servers in order to get them talking to each other again.  Trying to budget for redundant switch next FY.

So the question is we need changing the default VLAN's IP address and concern that changing the IP address (on the same subnet) may require another reboot.  The new IP would be the  servers subnet's default gateway IP address (x.x.x.1) so can remove an old Cisco router from the network.  Realize that routing will be interrupted while route tables update. 

Will the switch require a reboot?  Any other problems to be concern about?

Thanks,

[paulgear]

Hi rgausman,

Changing IP addressing on a 5400 switch does not require a reboot.  It may be done online at any time.  This is true for all ProCurve models that i have used.  (I was going to say all models, but i'm sure someone could prove me wrong on one of them... :-)

[rgausman]

Thanks Paul for the quick reply.

Another question regarding redundant core switch.  Was thinking about adding a Procurve 5406 and trunking one server NIC to the current 5412 core switch  and the other server NIC to 5406 switch.   

Just not sure on the specific details of this setup.   Do not want to have to go though another ordeal rebooting the core switch again.  For next capital, know need to get a 5406 with Premium License to do the redundant switch.  What else do we need to know?  Our production servers are all HP Proliants.

Also thinking if we should put a switch into top of each server rack instead home running every thing into the 5412.  The 5412 is almost maxed out on 1GB ports.

Thanks,

Bob

[paulgear]

Hi Bob,

The 5400 premium license also provides distributed trunking, which is what you need to have your server NICs spread across both switches. I'm not sure whether this requires a reboot to activate - others might be able to answer this from first-hand experience. I'd suggest getting the Management and Configuration Guide for 5400s and reading the chapter on distributed trunking thoroughly. I do know that it requires that both switches be on identical software versions.

There are plenty of different options for spreading out your server connection points. HP probably have some data centre design white papers for ProCurve that you might find with a quick search of Google.

[Vince_Whirlwind]

First you have to create a "switch-interconnect":

   switch-interconnect Trk2
   trunk A2,B2 Trk2 LACP
   vlan 2
      name "L2-Keepalive"
      no ip address
   distributed-trunking peer-keepalive vlan 2
   distributed-trunking peer-keepalive destination 10.1.1.1

Then you create your server trunk ports on each switch:

trunk B1 Trk100 dt-lacp

I think that's it. If you bought your switch recently, it should have automatically come with a licence.

[rgausman]

Thanks Paul and Vince for your responses,

Now understand the configuration.   Our current 5412 switch (which is not v2) was just upgraded to the Premium License for the additional routing protocols.  So we are good to go there.   

The second redundant switch...

1 - Requires a second Premium License. Correct? 

2 - Requires to be 5400 series switch.  Correct?

3 - Trunk ID most match on both switches.  Correct?

4 - Server does not have to be plugged into same Module/Port# on both swtches.  Correct?

Do the HP Proliant DL-series servers require any 'premium' licensing for there trunked NICs ?

Starting to see the light..

Bob

[Vince_Whirlwind]

I think you are correct about all those.

I've never heard of servers needing special licensing, but then I'm not the server guy.