5400R zl2 V3 switch Group Table in hardware

[John_Q1]

Hello, 

I'm using HP 5400R zl2 V3 switch. It is suppose to have group table in hardware. I found in the  KA16.01 Administrator Guide that group type "ALL" is supported in hardware. I don't quit understand what kind of actions we can have in the group buckets.  From the description, the Actions have to be only Outport.  But there is another example when demonstrating "show openflow instance inst-name groups". The group table is in hardware and it have setfield actions combined with outport action.  Are those two parts conflict with each other? Which one is correct?

BTW, I tried to create a group table as follows in custom pipeline mode. But it returns a error like type: "OFPET_GROUP_MOD_FAILED(6)" and "code: OFPGMFC_EPERM(14)" .

Any help?

Thanks,

John

 Bucket 1
         Packet Count     : 0
         Byte Count       : 0
         Watch port       : Any
         Weight           : 0
         Action           : Set Field Ethernet Source 2:2:2:2:3:3
                            Output 1
      Bucket 2
         Packet Count     : 0
         Byte Count       : 0
         Watch port       : Any
         Weight           : 0
         Action           : Output 3

These are the related parts in Adminstrator Guide. Group type “ALL”
Some of the OpenFlow Groups are now supported in hardware apart from the existing support
in Software. The OpenFlow group type “ALL” is now supported in hardware for v2 and v3 cards.
The capabilities provided by this feature include:
• Only the type “ALL” Groups would be supported in hardware while the rest of the Groups
continue to be supported in software.
• The group of type “ALL” with buckets containing output port action will be installed in
hardware. If the group of type “ALL” has other actions in the buckets, then the group is
installed in software.
• The ports that can be supported in OpenFlow “ALL” Group are Physical ports and LAG ports.

Syntax

show openflow instance inst-name groups

Show openflow instance group

HP-Switch(of-inst-test)# show openflow instance test groups

 OpenFlow Instance Groups

   Group ID                     : 1
   Group Type                   : All
   Group Location               : Hardware
   Is Hardware Counter Available: Yes
   Reference Count              : 0
   Packet Count                 : 0
   Byte Count                   : 0
   Duration                     : 22
   Action Buckets               : 1, 2
      Bucket 1
         Packet Count     : 0
         Byte Count       : 0
         Watch port       : Any
         Weight           : 0
         Action           : Set Field Ethernet Source 2:2:2:2:3:3
                            Output 1
      Bucket 2
         Packet Count     : 0
         Byte Count       : 0
         Watch port       : Any
         Weight           : 0
         Action           : Output 3

[Abhay_B]

Hi John,

The 5400R zl2 v3 switch does support OpenFlow Groups in hardware. The only group type supported in hardware is "all". Also, the only type of action supported in each of the group action bucket in hardware is "output" to a physical port (LAGs included). Any other action type such as "set-field" or "output" to OpenFlow reserved ports such OFPP_FLOOD are not allowed in group buckets of a hardware group.

The example used in 16.01 manuals for the show command of groups is incorrect. The group location should be software instead of hardware for that example. The 16.02 manuals has this corrected.

On instances running in pipeline-model "custom", only hardware groups are supported. Any group that cannot be accomodated in hardware would be rejected. In case of instances running in pipeline-model "standard-match" or "ip-control", groups that cannot be accomodated in hardware are automatically put in software.

Hope this clarifies your query. Let us know if you have further questions.

Thanks!

Abhay