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simonorch
simonorch
Explorer
May 19, 2020
Question

Issues with using 40G QSFP DAC cables to thirdparty switches?

  • May 19, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 7722 views

Has anyone come across issues with using 40G QSFP DAC cables with, in this case, Aruba CX 8325 switches (latest firmware release as of writing this)?

 

i've got an 1100E cluster (6.2.4) we're setting up for a project and the HPE original DAC cables (JH235A) don't work. It's not a LAG/LACP issue, we've tested that. Both sides recognise the transceivers and if we test cable switch to switch, or fortigate to fortigate we get a link, but not fortigate to switch. Switch side reports simply 'waiting for link'.

 

We had a spare HPE 25G DAC cable of the same type being used to connect hosts with the same results, ie. ok host to switch, switch to switch and fortigate to fortigate but not switch to fortigate.

 

i hear there are all sorts of issues with 6.2.4 but we initially tested with 6.4

 

Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone?

1 reply

zimmy6996
zimmy6996
New Member
June 2, 2020

simonorch wrote:

Has anyone come across issues with using 40G QSFP DAC cables with, in this case, Aruba CX 8325 switches (latest firmware release as of writing this)?

 

i've got an 1100E cluster (6.2.4) we're setting up for a project and the HPE original DAC cables (JH235A) don't work. It's not a LAG/LACP issue, we've tested that. Both sides recognise the transceivers and if we test cable switch to switch, or fortigate to fortigate we get a link, but not fortigate to switch. Switch side reports simply 'waiting for link'.

 

We had a spare HPE 25G DAC cable of the same type being used to connect hosts with the same results, ie. ok host to switch, switch to switch and fortigate to fortigate but not switch to fortigate.

 

i hear there are all sorts of issues with 6.2.4 but we initially tested with 6.4

 

Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone?

Hi there!  Any updates on this one?  We are about to run in to this EXACT situation ...  Trying to connect Fortigate 1101E's to HPE 8320's using the X242 40GB DAC cables.  Is there a setting, or firmware that breaks/fixes this?  If this does not work, it means we need to purchase some SUPER EXPENSIVE QSFPs for the HP side, along with Fortigate QSFPs for the Fortigate side, and patch cables.  Seems a little over the top.

 

 

simonorch
simonorchAuthor
Explorer
June 3, 2020

Not yet, no. We took it up with an HPE pre-sales SE but he hasn't gotten back to us, that was 2 weeks ago.

We had to patch the switches to 10.4 just to get them to recognize the 25G DAC HPE cables used for the HP hosts. We've tried 10.4.040 and 10.4.200 code.

Another thing, these switches don't support the unsupported transceivers command as yet.

 

I also asked our in-country Fortinet SE's but this was new for them as well

 

We're using a 2 x 10Gbps LAG so we can move forward with the project but we need to get this resolved.

 

I'll certainly post back if we get a solution, please do the same if you do.

simonorch
simonorchAuthor
Explorer
June 12, 2020

We've had it confirmed from Aruba TAC that there is a compatibility problem with these copper DAC cables between 8325 CX switches and third party firewalls/switches.  

We don't know yet if the same applies to optical DAC cables.

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