ERROR WITH VIRTUAL CONNECT MES AND OA3.00 USING VLAN FEATURE

[chuckk281]

Artur had a customer that needed help when trying to get the Virtual Connect Manager to talk to the Onboard Administrator:

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Hi,

We found problems in a new installation with VC-Flex 2.33 using MES configuration and OA3.00 using VLAN feature (OAs and VC are in the same Vlan).

When  VC domain MES is created with OA without using VLAN, we do not have problems. But when VLAN tagging in both OAs is configured, then communication between OA and VC modules is lost. I attached some pics…

With OA vlan activated we checked that we can access to all OAs ip and VC ips in both enclosures.

We tried to remove one enclosure from the domain without success and finally we had to delete all the domain because we began to have problems with the user and passwords of VCM logins.

We configured the same from VCM factory default and we had the same bad behavior.                                       

Is this topology tested or is it used in any client?

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Monty provided some guidance and some areas to look:

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Insufficient information to provide a diagnosis.

• What kind of switch is used to connect OA in the two enclosures?
• Is that switch properly configured to connect both enclosures to VLAN 247 (image 2.jpg)?
• Which enclosure contains the VC running the multi-enclosure domain?
• OA showall commands from both enclosures will provide all the settings for IP addresses in both enclosures and the Virtual Connect Manager IP address.

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Marta responded:

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Thanks for your reply Monty. Finally we could make it work. This is it:

• What kind of switch is used to connect OA in the two enclosures? Cat6506
• Is that switch properly configured to connect both enclosures to VLAN 247 (image 2.jpg)? I think it was but it wasn't
• Which enclosure contains the VC running the multi-enclosure domain?  enc0

The failed configuration was this:

- oa vlan tagged in vlan 247, default vlan 1

- all interconnect modules in vlan 247

- devices in vlan 40

- Cat6500 interfaces connected to OAs:

    switchport

    switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q   

    switchport trunk allowed vlan 40,247

    switchport mode trunk

The configuration that works is:

- oa vlan tagged in vlan 247, default vlan 247

- all interconnect modules in vlan 247

- devices in vlan 40

- Cat6500 interfaces connected to OAs:

    switchport

    switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q   

    switchport trunk allowed vlan 40,247

    switchport trunk native vlan 247

    switchport mode trunk

Have you tried this configuration anytime? The failed configuration made sense to me but clearly I couldn't make it work. Right when I configured OA with default vlan #247 and native vlan #247 for Cisco switches never got again the pop up saying VCM lost communication with OA and automatically the faulty chassis showed as healthy. 

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I hope this helps. It looks like the VLAN ID is critical in making sure that communicaiton is established. Any other suggestions?