HP switches compatible with other vendors modules

[karamahmed]

Hi all,

We have a solution based on HP core switches, but the customer stipulated that the core switches should support other vendors services modules.

i think no vendor have such a feature like this but i want to know if this feature is available in one of HP core switches?

Thanks in advance,

[Fredrik Lönnman]

HP do have some service modules with say Microsoft stuffs on them, but you cannot take another vendor SKU service module and put them in a HP chassi.

[Matcol]

There are 2 HP Procurve service modules for the 5406zl, (one is J9289), and you can get Riverbed or Fortinet software to go on them - I haven't used them so I don't know whether you can put any software on them you want - probably not.

It seems an unusual request, because it doesn't seem likely that any vendor supports this.

Perhaps they haven't worded their requirement correctly, and what they really want is that the switch modules accept non-HP transceivers?

HP Procurve switches reject non-Procurve transceivers, so if you have a non-Procurve transceiver, you have to get the vendor of that transceiver to code it with a Procurve part number to "fool" the Procurve switch into accepting it. I have used many transceivers in this way - generally expensive long-range, 10Gb, and "colour" SFPs which are a lot cheaper than the official ones.

HP H3C switches don't, in my experience, check a transceiver's part number when you insert it, so H3C switches should accept all your transceivers.

[Mik-HPN]

http://pro-networking-h17007.external.hp.com/us/en/products/application-delivery/index.aspx