HP A5500-48G-EI stack port ?

[charlesPTS]

Hi experts,

I have 2x HP A5500-48G-EI switch, which i am tasked to stack them up.

Was reading the manual guide but was not able to find more information on stacking information (stock port etc).

Appreciate if anyone could help me on this: 

1) which port is for stacking  ?

2) Which port is for uplink ?

Thank a million in advance =)

Cheers

Charles

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Hi,

There are no dedicated stack-ports as IRF is used over regular 10G interfaces, so you'll have to buy a pair of those, preferably  the HP 2-port 10-GbE A5500 Local Connection Module (JD360B) if you're doing just local stacking.

[vangass]

Hi,

Isn't HP A5500-48G-El the old 3Com 5500G-48-El? That 3Com has Cascade ports on the back side, You just have to buy special cable for it.

Datasheet for HP A5500G has says: "High-bandwidth CX4 and SFP+ local stacking: provide 10 Gbps SPF+ or 12 Gbps CX4 local stacking cables; achieve a resilient stacking configuration".

Regards,

V.

[Fredrik Lönnman]

No the old 3Com 5500G is now the HP E5500G. The HP A5500G is the H3C 5500G, (the 3Com 5500G was named H3C 5600G).

H3C/HP 5500G is the newer version of the H3C 5600G with comware5 and module slots at the back without stack ports.

Regards,

Fredrik

[charlesPTS]

Hi all,

Thank for the swift respond.

But i still kinda lost here, hope you guys could guide me out of the jungle.

Hi srg,

does that mean i can't use any of the ports infront of the switch ? is JD360B module slotted at the back of the switch ?

I had read up the datasheet of A5500. its like what vangass had said, it stated the following:

"High-bandwidth CX4 and SFP+ local stacking: provide 10 Gbps SPF+ or 12 Gbps CX4 local stacking cables; achieve a resilient stacking configuration".

http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA3-0729ENW.pdf

Does that also mean i can get a SFP to slot infront of the switch to mean stacking workable ?

Thank all in advance =)

Cheers
Charles

[Fredrik Lönnman · Accepted solution]

Hi,

No you cannot use the slots on the front of the switch, stacking (called IRF on the comware5 devices) is done only with 10G ports. That means that if you want to stack a few switches local in the same rack you can buy the CX4 10G module (JD360B) and some CX4 cables (JD364B or JD365A).

But since IRF is done over regular 10G ethernet you could also buy the 2 port SFP+ 10G module and stack switches on different sites with LR SFP+.

Or buy one CX4 module for local stacking, and one SFP+ module for 10G uplinks from your stack. You have a few different possibilities.

I'd suggest you read the IRF configuration guide for the 5500, it might clear tihngs up :)

Regards

Fredrik

[charlesPTS]

Hi srg,

Thank for the information =D you are really helpful !

I manage to "get out of the jungle" with your help =)

Once again, thank a million.

Cheers

Charles

[sebastan]

Hi,

I am new to HP 3Com switches. I have a query for hp A5500G EI Switches as to how many switches we can stack together. is the IRF technology refered to as stacking cause i couldnt find much info on the same.

can someone please guide me in the right direction.

Regards

Sebastan

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Hi Sebastan,

The stacking technology used in HP A-series (and some E-series) is called IRF (Intelligent Resillient Framework).

The 5500 series supports up to 9 switches in an IRF-stack.

Regards

Fredrik

[sebastan]

Hi Fredik,

Thanks a lot for your answer.

buddy i have one more query about the port density. on te datasheet in shows there are 24 10/100/1000 copper ports and 4 dual personality SFP ports.

But when i am using the online configurator it shows 20 10/100/100 copper ports with 4 dual personality ports. but i go to add sfp ports in the configurator the port no. count starts from 25 to 28. it also states that using SFP port will disable the corresponding port.

Can some please help me out here.

can i use all the 24 10/100/1000 copper ports and still have 4 sfp ports for uplink on this switch.

please help me out  i am really stuck at this and not able to provide solution for my customer.

Regards

Sebastan

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Hi Sebastan,

No you cannot use 24 copper ports and 4 sfp ports at the same time, you can have max 24 active ports.

As you have noticed there are actually 28 physical ports on the A5500-24G, but the last four copper ports and the sfp ports are dual personality and mapped 1:1 against each other, so you can either use port 21 (copper) or 25 (sfp), 22 (copper) or 26 (sfp), 23 (copper) or 27 (sfp), 24 (copper) or 28 (sfp).

Regards

Fredrik

[sebastan]

Hi Fredik,

thanks a lot for your prompt and detailed explaination.

So is there a switch in the A-series that actually supports 24 10/100/1000 coppers ports and plus supports 4 SFP based ports as well.

I am not sure about the A5800G series but i think it supports 24 10/100/1000 ports along with 4 SFP ports as well. Can you please confim on that.

Thanks a lot once again.

 Regards

Sebastan

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Hi Sebastan,

You are correct about the A5800, since the sfp+ ports isnt dual personality they dont "occupy" a copper port. You can indeed use all the 24 10/100/1000 copper ports along with the 4 sfp+ ports.

Since the sfp+ ports are 1/10G they can also be used as IRF ports, so you dont have to buy a separate module for that purpose.

Regards,
Fredrik

[sebastan]

Hi Fredik,

Thanks a lot buddy.

So if I have to use stacking since the A5800G switches support a single slot which supports either 4 port or 3 port 10Gig module. I will have to use the same ports for stacking right. Then what about pors required for uplinking to the data centre.

Can you please advise buddy.

Regards

Sebastan

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Hi Sebastan,

Im not entierly sure I understand your question.. the A5800 has 4 10G ports up front and a module slot on the back where you can put 4 more.

All of those ports can be used in IRF stacking config or as uplinks, you can mix how you want.. depending on how much bandwidth you want in your stack and on your uplinks.

I hope this helped you, otherwise please elaborate your question ;)

Regards

Fredrik