Switch hangs up when Server was rebooting

[Alen Ahja]

Hi @ all,

we have a similar problem with our Core Switch (ProCurve 5308) and a Server (DL 580 G2).

If the Server is rebooting the ProCurve will hang up until we unplug the power cord.

The Teaming Setting onto the Switch (HP Network Configuration Utility) is set to automatic and the Switch will also handle a Dynamic Trunk (LACP) with the server out.

The CoreSwitch is also RSTP Master (Prio 1).

What can it be?

Thanks for help.

Kind Regards

Alen

[Matt Hobbs]

There is a bug that causes spanning-tree to recalculate when a Dynamic Trunk is deleted (during a reboot). This has been fixed in E.10.56, you'll need to contact HP support to get this version.

Most likely the spanning-tree instability is causing a broadcast storm which is causing the switch to lock up.

MSTP does not suffer from this problem so you can enable MSTP instead.

One thing to be aware is that with MSTP you need to set the edge port status for all your clients:

e.g
5300(config)# spanning-tree a1-a24 edge-port

RSTP had the edge-port status enabled by default.

[Alen Ahja]

Hi Matt,

thanks for answer - we used E.10.52 on our CireSwitches (5308). Is there also a bug impemented?

What are difference between MSTP and RSTP?
What are the benefits of MSTP? We used always RSTP at this time.

All Ports are deinied as Edge-Port (default) only the Switch Uplink Ports are definied with "no spanning-tress [port] edge-port"

[Matt Hobbs · Accepted solution]

All versions prior to E.10.56 are affected by this particular bug.

MSTP offers you the ability to load balance VLANs over different redundant links (with RSTP as you know one port is completely blocked and no traffic will flow across it).

You can simply enable MSTP as it is backwards compatible with your other RSTP enabled switches.

There is no need to configure the full MSTP load balancing unless you really want to. For now I would recommend just enabling MSTP on this switch and for your edge-ports, such as this DL580 G2, you will need to specify that in the configuration (the opposite of RSTP).

[Alen Ahja]

So I must following these steps:

Step 1:
Define all ports - expect the Switch Uplink ports - as spenning-tree edge-ports

Step 2:
Change the Version from RSTP to MSTP
spanning-tree protocol-version mstp

Step 3:
Update the Firmware to E.10.56

Can it be come to problems while doing Step 1+2?

Must be the Ports disabled LACP (no lacp)?

[Matt Hobbs]

You have to enable MSTP and reboot the switch before it will let you set the edge-ports.

So just do Step 2 first.

You only need to update to E.10.56 if you really want to run RSTP.

Since you appear happy to change to MSTP then you could just wait for the new firmware version to appear on the ProCurve website.

[Alen Ahja]

Ok - then I will plan a downtime :)

Can you explain me the benefits of MSTP instead of RSTP?

[Mohieddin Kharnoub]

Hi

Here you can find useful info and comparison between RSTP and MSTP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_Spanning_Tree_Protocol#Multiple_Spanning_Tree_Protocol_.28MSTP.29

More info about implementing:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/networking/software/6400-5300-4200-3400-AdvTrafficMgmt-Oct2006-59906051-Chap06.pdf

Good Luck !!!

[Alen Ahja]

Thanks for all the information and answers.
I will report the effect here.

[Paulen]

One question though - HP has had RSTP for years, and is still fixing bugs. Can we trust MSTP (which is a newer technology) to be stable?

In other words - what bugs haven't been fixed for MSTP?

/BT