Procurve 2900 - does not identify existing VLANs

[Andrei Zamfirache]

Hello, my name is Andrew and my company just bought 2 HP switches, 2900-24G series. I want to change the existing network configuration that runs on intel switches 520 and 550 and replace them with these Procurve switches.

Here is the problem I've run into: when connecting these two HP switches in the network, they do not recognize the existing VLANs.
They do discover the switches running in the current configuration, they are present there but the important issue is that they do not see the existing VLANs. Are there any suggestions of how could I configure the HP switches so that they could see the existing VLANs? Is it possible that this problem is due the fact that the running switches are 5-6 years old?

Also, if someone knows, please explain me of how could I retrieve the existing VLAN IDs, so that i could configure the HP switches directly, maybe these approach could be succesfull.

Thanks,
Andrei, System Engineer.

[Matt Hobbs]

The only way a ProCurve switch can learn VLANs automatically is with GVRP.

ProCurve Switch (config)# gvrp

However, the existing switches would also need to be running GVRP which is unlikely.

In this case you will need to login to the Intel switches to determine what VLANs are in use and then configure these manually on the ProCurve switches.

[Andrei Zamfirache]

Thanks for your quick reply.
Yes I was afraid about this one, as it doesn't work for me. I have the gvrp running on the 2900 switches, but the intel ones are too old to have gvrp, so i can't see the VLANs automatically.

The bad part is that I've logged on the intel switches, but there is no indication what so ever about the VLANs ID. I've searched and searched, but nothing came up.
Is there any other way of obtaining the VLAN IDs?

Thanks..

[Andrei Zamfirache]

As an addon to the previous post, if it helps, I have the VLANs names. And the running vlans are distribuited.

[Phil Brutsche]

Based on Intel's documentation these switches do not support standards-based tagged VLANs. The only way to get them to integrate with the HPs is to have a 3rd switch (such as a 2626 or 2510-24) connect to the Intels using port-based VLANs and "convert" them into proper standards-based VLANs.

This problem is completely due to their age. They are far older than 6 years old... the manual I found is copyrighted 1999, and I have found some materials that date back to 1997 and 1998.

If this were my network I would look at replacing the Intel switches ASAP.

[Matt Hobbs]

You could just create new untagged VLANs for each existing VLAN on the Intels, and connect multiple ports between the switches. You most likely wouldn't be able to enable spanning-tree though.

Depending on the network, it may be easier to just redesign it.

[OLARU Dan]

Andrei,

Ai putea sa folosesti vechile switch-uri intel pe post de switch-uri fara management pentru accesul PC-urilor si imprimantelor in retea (le asignezi functia "access") si sa le legi de cate un port din ProCurve care este definit ca Untagged in VLAN-ul care trebuie. Nu le mai folosi legate intre ele (practic pana acum tu le foloseai ca si device-uri cu functie "core").

Astfel vei avea o extindere a HP-urilor cand va fi nevoie. Sau le poti tine in rezerva, pentru ca atunci cand se strica vreunul din HP-uri (si sunt sigur ca vei avea probleme cu ele, indiferent ce spune marketingul lor) sa ai ce sa pui in loc pana iti vine HP-ul de la garantie.

[Andrei Zamfirache]

Thank you all for your solutions. I've tried different approaches, by taking in account your advices, but no matter what I've done, it didn't work.
In the end, I've decided we didn't essentialy needed those vlans, and updated the firmware of the intel devices and reset them to the factory defaults. This approach work, the switches see themselves.
As a further development, I will implement just 2 or at the most 3 vlans accordingly to the needs.

Thanks again