Neighbor discovery on HP2500 series

[Regnar Bang Lyngsø_2]

From

ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/networking/software/LLDP-and-LACP-statement.pdf

The Switch 2500 Series only supports the transmission of LLDP
packets. The 2500 Series will not list any discovered neighbor switches.

Well - seems I have to keep running old firmware for now to keep supporting CDP.

Future strategy? Probably go back to Cisco, as HP don't have any other 100Base-FX switches.

Geez - remove features from networking equipment :-(

[Sergej Gurenko]

Now support for LLDP on 2500 is definitely a bad news!
Let's wait for a while. HP cant ignore customer needs.
From you link:
For device discovery, the new software will enable LLDP by default (there will be no line item in the configuration
indicating that LLDP is enabled). All switch platforms listed on page 1 (with the exception of the 2500 Series) support
the transmission and reception of LLDP packets. The Switch 2500 Series only supports the transmission of LLDP
packets. The 2500 Series will not list any discovered neighbor switches.

[Scott Maxwell_2]

I see this as a big problem. I manage a network with over 500 Pieces of procurve equipment. The ability to trace my way through a remote network using CDP (or LLDP if it works) is essential.

Hopefully HP can find a way of implementing this functionality.

[Manfred Arndt]

ProCurve switches that support LLDP will continue to read CDP advertisements from neighbor devices, and store the corresponding data in its neighbor database. The neighbor database can be read by either LLDP or CDP methods.

The exception is the 2500, since it does not read LLDP or have an LLDP MIB.

In summary, ProCurve switches will see all Cisco devices and many third party devices as weel (lots of vendors have or are in the process of adding LLDP), but Cisco devices will be blind to anything non-Cisco.

Consider a vendor that drives and promotes multivendor interoperability and ask your Cisco support when they are finally going to support the IEEE 802.1AB-2005 standard.

[Manfred Arndt]

Scott,

Yes, LLDP works very well. Here is a useful Ethereal Wiki link. It includes an LLDP (IEEE 802.1AB-2005) & LLDP-MED (ANSI/TIA-1057) primer, sample packet captures, links to interesting articles and both standards:

http://wiki.ethereal.com/LinkLayerDiscoveryProtocol

In addition, Ethereal 0.10.14 supports both LLDP & LLDP-MED, which comes in very handy during troubleshooting and debugging.

Cheers

[Scott Maxwell_2]

Thanks for the link Manfred

I'm fine with the removal of CDP transmission and It's replacement with LLDP.
Definately all for standards based implementations.
I just want a working implementation of LLDP on the 2524's, approx half of my fleet are 2524's. The ability to find a neighbour switch is very important.

Ta

[Manfred Arndt]

Scott (and Sergej),

It probably would be good for you to call ProCurve Support and let them know that reading LLDP on the 2500 series is an important feature for you.

[Regnar Bang Lyngsø_2]

I agree - standards are great.

The two things that bugs me:

1. The HP2500 series will be blinded - this is not good. I guess that it is due to restrictions on the size of the firmware. I think the right thing(tm) would be either to release a new HP2500B series with extra memory, flash, whatever - or keep releasing updated firmware with CDP. Then I can choose myself.

2. Older images on the HP5300 support CDP and LLDP concurrently - why not keep it like that - at least until Cisco IOS supports LLDP.

But this is probably not the right forum.

[Manfred Arndt]

I agree, but unfortunately, CDP is a proprietary protocol that requires a license...