Troubleshooting Tip: Managed FortiSwitch coming online on wrong FortiGate

Description

This article describes an issue where FortiSwitch shows as online on the wrong FortiGate.
.

Scope

FortiGate, FortiSwitch.

Solution

Setup:

In some deployments, it is necessary to manage FortiSwitch on the respective firewalls with an inter-switch link.
For example, refer to the diagram below, where the requirement is that 'FSW1' has to be be managed by 'FGT1' and 'FSW2' has to be managed by 'FGT2'.
In these situations, issues may appear where both FortiSwitches show up on both FortiGates and connection fluctuates.

Solution:

 

By default, all FortiSwitch ports are mapped with 'default-auto-isl' LLDP profile.

That is the reason why when 2 managed FortiSwitches are connected with inter switch link (ISL), both FortiSwitches will automatically form a FortiLink trunk and will try to come online on FortiGate.

For example:

 

FSW# show switch physical-port port1               <-----  'LLDP' profile is set to 'default-auto-isl'.
config switch physical-port
    edit "port1"
        set lldp-profile "default-auto-isl"
        set speed auto
    next
end

 

FSW # show switch lldp profile default-auto-isl    <----- 'default-auto-isl' 'LLDP' profile has 'auto-isl enable'.

config switch lldp profile

    edit "default-auto-isl"

        set auto-isl enable

    next

end

 

While deploying these setups, follow these steps:

 

1. First bring up 'FSW1' on 'FGT1' and 'FSW2' on 'FGT2'. Do not connect a link between both FortiSwitches (Port3).
2. Map the 'default' 'LLDP' profile on port3 of both FortiSwitches.
   

 

The 'default' LLD profile has auto-isl disabled, so FortiSwitches will not form ISL FortiLink trunk and will not come online on other FortiGates.

Map the profile from FortiGate GUI where possible. Go to WiFi & Switch Controller -> FortiSwitch Ports, select the Port number, select the 'LLDP' profile column, then edit and map the 'default' 'LLDP' profile.

 

If the LLDP profile column is not visible, add the column by right-clicking and then adding the column:

 

 

 

 

3. On 'FGT1', disable discovery for the 'FSW2' serial number, and on 'FGT2', disable discovery for the 'FSW1' serial. For example:

 

FortiGate # config switch-controller global
FortiGate (global) set disable-discovery <switch serial#>
end

 

Related document:

Managed FortiSwitch guide - Fortinet documentation

4. Connect ISL Port3 on both FortiSwitches. The FortiSwitches will not come online on other FortiGates.

If an inter-switch link (ISL) was already connected and FortiSwitches show up on the wrong FortiGate, follow these steps:

• Disconnect the ISL between the FortiSwitches.
• Delete the switch entry from the wrong FortiGate. Go to Managed FortiSwitch and select the FortiSwitch and select 'Delete'.
• Gain CLI access to both FortiSwitches and delete the FortiLink ISL trunk.
  

 

For example, if FortiSwitch S248EFTF1-----75 Port23 is connected to FortiSwitch S248EFTF18-----1 Port23, both FortiSwitches will have an ISL FortiLink trunk which gets automatically formed.

 

Delete the trunk.

On FortiSwitch S248EFTF1-----75:

 

# sh switch trunk

    edit "8EFTF18-----1-0"

        set mode lacp-active
        set auto-isl 1

        set members "port23"

config switch trunk
    delete "8EFTF18-----1-0"
end

 

On FortiSwitch S248EFTF18-----1.

 

sh switch trunk
    edit "8EFTF18000075-0"
        set mode lacp-active
        set auto-isl 1
        set members "port23"

config switch trunk
    delete "8EFTF1-----75-0"
end

 

Once the trunks are deleted, follow steps 1-4.

Related documentation:
FortiSwitch 6.4 documentation
LLDP profile, page 117 - Fortinet documentation