How to create software flow-table on HP Switch?

[Cesarvasc]

Hi HP community,

In our lab research, we have the HPE 5130 24G 4SFP+ EI BR Switch (Product number: JG975A).

We are having problems to connect ODL using OF1.3 to it, as ODL writes flow rules in table 0. After reading some materials,  one possible solution is to change the ODL application configuration to send the flows to the switch software table 200.

I see here (http://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?sp4ts.oid=5354494&docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-c04656675) and also here (http://h22208.www2.hpe.com/eginfolib/networking/docs/switches/K-KA-KB/15-18/5998_8148_sww_admin_guide/content/ch02s28.html) that there is commands to create software flow-table on particular models.

However, in the Openflow reference  which is related with our product, I still cannot find the proper commands that could create a software flow table inside a OF instance.

Any help?

Regards

[ShaunWackerly]

Hi Cesarvasc,

If your OpenFlow instance is configured with "no pipeline-model" (ie: not configured), or configured with "pipeline-model standard-match" or "pipeline-model ip-control" then it will have a software flow table with table ID 200. You can create multiple software flow tables by using the "openflow instance X software-flow-table N" command (where N is 1-4). I believe the software table numbering starts at 200, then increases to 201, 202, and 203 (if 4 software tables are used).

Shaun

[Cesarvasc]

Many thanks for the quick reply, Shaun.

Unfortunately, our switch does not have the "openflow instance X software-flow-table N" command that you said. The OF Configuration Guide for our product says that I have so use the following command to "Create flow tables for the Openflow instance" (pages 8-9):

"flow-table { [ ingress-vlan ingress-table-id ] [ extensibility table-id | mac-ip table-id ] * [ egress-vlan egress-table-id ] }"

I am still confused about how to create flow tables for our OF instance with this command above.

Is it the right way to create a table 200 by issuing:

"flow-table ingress-vlan 200 extensibility 0 mac-ip 0 egress-vlan 200" (where 0 is the default flow table and 200 is the table I want to create?)

Again, Shaun, thanks for the great help.

Regards

-Cesar

[ShaunWackerly]

My apologies, Cesar. I noticed on your other thread that you are using a 5130:
   https://community.hpe.com/t5/SDN-Development/HP-switch-and-Opendaylight/td-p/6939711

Unfortunately I'm not as familiar with the 5130 commands as I am the ProCurve/Aruba models. Hopefully someone more familiar with those models can chime in? 

[Gerhard Roets]

Hi Cesar

The 5130 does not have a software flow table nor can you create one. You can get access to some more match fields with the below this might help you.

By default you have a extensibility table 0

You can add a MAC-IP table

The process to create it is described in the " HPE FlexNetwork 5130 EI Switch Series OpenFlow Configuration Guide"

Note that the MAC-IP table needs to have a lower table number than the extensibility table. I have included some details below but this is all described in detail in the configuration guide.

OpenFlow flow tables include the following types:

• MAC-IP—Combines the MAC address table and FIB table.

A MAC-IP flow table provides the following match fields:

􀁻 Destination MAC address.

􀁻 VLAN.

􀁻 Destination IP address.

A MAC-IP flow table provides the following actions:

􀁻 Modifying the destination MAC address.

􀁻 Modifying the source MAC address.

􀁻 Modifying the VLAN.

􀁻 Specifying the output port.

• Extensibility—Combines Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) tables and tables

programmed by software. An extensibility table provides more match fields and actions than a

MAC-IP flow table, such as destination MAC address, destination IP address, VLAN priority,

TCP source port, and TCP destination port.

Kind Regards

Gerhard

HPE SDN COE

[ShaunWackerly]

Hi Caesar,

I took a look at the documentation and I think these may be the commands you're wanting (taken from the Examples) in the documentation you referenced (here) on pages 19-20:

system-view
[Sysname] openflow instance 1
[Sysname-of-inst-1] flow-table mac-ip 0 extensibility 1

You could change the extensibility table ID by changing "extensibility 1" to "extensibility 50" or "extensibility 99". 

I don't have a 5130 to try this out on, so I'm basically assuming this works based on the documentation. If this doesn't work, could you post what error message it gives you?

Shaun

[Cesarvasc]

Thanks for the response, Gerhard.

The detailed information you gave me that an extensibility table provides more match fields and actions than a MAC-IP flow table is clear to me now. And I have not realized that the extensibility table provides more match fields and actions than a MAC-IP flow table.

I will create a MAC-IP table 0 and a extensibility table 200 (because of the default behaviour of the OpenDaylight we have here in our lab research) and see if now all flow rules from the controller get installled correctly.

Again, thank you very much Gerhard for the great help.

[Cesarvasc]

Dear Shaun,

I will try these commands you shown when I get at my lab research and give you a feedback.

But Im really, really confident that these *are* the right commands.

By using the huge help you and Gehard gave me, I think I will be able to integrate HP 5130 and ODL.

Thank you  very much Shaun.

Cesar

[jzhuang]

Hi, Shaun,

I am using HP ProCurve 3500yl-48G, and I do not have the flow-table command. Can you tell me what is the substitution in the switch? Thank you.