Management problems with Ethernet switch in bay 1

[Davide Depaoli_3]

I'm installing a new c7000 with 6 BL460c, 2 HP GbE2c Ethernet Blade Switch and 2 FC switch.

With OnBoard Administrator I have setup mgmt ip address for all interconnects, but the ethernet switch in bay 1 is not manageable (cannot connect to the configured ip).

The customer environment is DHCP based and another question is why the 2nd NIC of servers (with Win2003 R2 x64) is not configured (limited connectivity)

thanks in advance
regards Davide

[Change_happens]

I think u need to know how server ports are connected to interconnect modules (port mapping). This will give u answer why ur second NIC is not configured. reason is all second port mapped to specific slot in back side for switches. it also require to know if server is half or full (as 460 is half it has only 2 NIC):

here u can find info
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00816246/c00816246.pdf

one more small doc:
http://www.cuttingthecomplexity.com/pics/c-class.pdf

Hope it helps.

[Davide Depaoli_3]

Hi,
we have fixed some problems (Crosslink, external connectivity), but still remain unsolved the switch management issue.
Ever only one of two switches is reachable from lan (ping, telnet, http). The other one is working, but not manageable (only from serial interface).
Is this an hw problem of the switch or there are any setup I've forgot to do ?

thanks
Davide

[HEM_2 · Accepted solution]

Davide:

this is a known issue. GBE2c switches only have 1 MAC Address so they use that MAC for mgmt connectivity and for regular switch functions like Spanning Tree.

The behavior that occurs is that the external switch's MAC Address Table gets confused and will improperly forward management traffic to the GBE2 on the wrong port.

Luckily, as of firmware version 2.04 for the GBE2c, the problem is resolved. As of 2.04 an additional MAC Address is allocated for each switch - one for Interface 256 (mgmt) and the other for normal switch functions.

You're probably asking why it is only affecting one switch. The reason is probably because that switch is sending STP BPDUs and the other switch is not. Trust me, the symptoms you have described sound like the MAC Address Management issue.

I can provide more details if you want... just let me know

[Davide Depaoli_3]

Hi Hem,
thank you for your help. The customer is replacing these switches with the GbE2c Layer 2/3 Ethernet Blade Switch because he needs the Fibre connection to the backbone.
Is this model affected by the same issue ?

P.S. more info are well accepted

Davide

[Pradeepdanthi]

Hello There,

terribly Need your help

I have the same issue in my c7000 enclosure filled with gen8 servers and with GBe2c switch in bay number 1 and bay 2, 

1. i can ping the bay 1 switch by directly connecting cable between switch port 20 and my laptop

2. i can not ping eitherway to bay number 4

3.cross link ports 17 and 18 are enabled in both the switch