ArubaOS-CX VSF
Aruba VSF (Virtual Switch Framework) on the Aruba CX line of switches provides the ability to manage a number of switches (upto 10 from memory) as a single virtual network node. This simple How-To gives a quick overview of an addition and removal of a switch to/from a stack. There is lots of official documentation available, and may well be other methods, but this works fine for me.
Adding a switch to an existing stack
When adding a new switch, boot the new switch up and configure it as switch 1 with the appropriate type and links.
6300-New# show run vsf ! vsf member 1 type jl665a link 1 1/1/49 link 2 1/1/50 !
On the existing stack, provision the new switch with appropriate number type and links. In this example we are adding switch 3 to the existing stack.
6300-Stack# show run vsf ! vsf member 1 type jl665a link 1 1/1/49 link 2 1/1/50 vsf member 2 type jl665a link 1 2/1/49 link 2 2/1/50 vsf member 3 type jl665a link 1 3/1/49 link 2 3/1/50 !
We can check to confirm the VSF member is defined correctly and isn’t currently present as shown for switch 3 below.
6300-Stack# sh vsf de VSF Stack MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 Secondary : 2 Topology : chain Status : No Split Split Detection Method : None Software Version : FL.10.04.0030 Name : Aruba-VSF-6300 Contact : "Network Team" Location : Member ID : 1 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Master ROM Version : FL.01.05.0003 Serial Number : SG9XXXKX8B Uptime : 16 hours, 21 minutes CPU Utilization : 17% Memory Utilization : 20% VSF Link 1 : Down VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 1 Member ID : 2 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:99:d6:40 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Standby ROM Version : FL.01.05.0003 Serial Number : SG9XXKXX8X Uptime : 15 hours, 52 minutes CPU Utilization : 5% Memory Utilization : 11% VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Down Member ID : 3 MAC Address : Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Not Present ROM Version : Serial Number : Uptime : CPU Utilization : 0% Memory Utilization : VSF Link 1 : Down VSF Link 2 : Down 6300-Stack#
Install new switch in rack etc and connect cables etc. On the new switch issue the renumber from 1 (standalone) to 3 which is our planned stack number.
6300-New# 6300-New# conf 6300-New(config)# vsf renumber-to 3 This will save the VSF configuration and reboot the switch. Do you want to continue (y/n)? y 2020/01/01 09:07:30 Registration with Credential Manager successful or deferred. 2020/01/01 09:07:30 Encrypt value in User table in password column , 2020/01/01 09:07:30 Ignoring ssh_host_keygen_requested in system table to be saved in config
Switch will reboot and should join the stack assuming the cables are all patched etc.
Once the switch has rebooted, the VSF status can be checked as shown below.
6300-Stack# sh vsf de VSF Stack MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 <<<SNIP>>> Name : Aruba-VSF-6300 Contact : "Network Team" Location : Member ID : 1 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 <<<SNIP>>> VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 3, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 1 Member ID : 2 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:99:d6:40 <<<SNIP>>> VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 3, link 1 Member ID : 3 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:98:cf:00 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : OS Version Mismatch ROM Version : Serial Number : Uptime : CPU Utilization : 0% Memory Utilization : VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 1link 2 1/1/50
However as you can see the OS is miss-matched, the new switch will be upgraded / downgraded and be rebooted automagically.
6300-Stack# sh vsf de VSF Stack MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 <<<SNIP>>> Name : Aruba-VSF-6300 Contact : "Network Team" Location : Member ID : 1 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 <<<SNIP>>> VSF Link 1 : Down VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 1 Member ID : 2 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:99:d6:40 <<<SNIP>>> VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Down Member ID : 3 MAC Address : Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Not Present ROM Version : Serial Number : Uptime : CPU Utilization : 0% Memory Utilization : VSF Link 1 : Down VSF Link 2 : Down 6300-Stack#
After new switch is booted, the VSF will show connected with details.
6300-Stack# sh vsf de VSF Stack MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 Secondary : 2 Topology : ring Status : No Split Split Detection Method : None Software Version : FL.10.04.0030 Name : Aruba-VSF-6300 Contact : "Network Team" Location : Member ID : 1 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:97:dd:c0 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Master ROM Version : FL.01.05.0003 Serial Number : SG9XXXKX8B Uptime : 16 hours, 27 minutes CPU Utilization : 4% Memory Utilization : 20% VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 3, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 1 Member ID : 2 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:99:d6:40 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Standby ROM Version : FL.01.05.0003 Serial Number : SG9XXKXX8X Uptime : 15 hours, 58 minutes CPU Utilization : 6% Memory Utilization : 11% VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 3, link 1 Member ID : 3 MAC Address : 88:3a:30:98:cf:00 Type : JL665A Model : 6300F 48-port 1GbE Class 4 PoE and 4-port SFP56 Switch Status : Member ROM Version : FL.01.05.0003 Serial Number : SG9XKXXX8V Uptime : under a minute CPU Utilization : 0% Memory Utilization : 8% VSF Link 1 : Up, connected to peer member 2, link 2 VSF Link 2 : Up, connected to peer member 1, link 1 6300-Stack#
Other commands available show the connectivity within the stack.
6300-Stack# sh vsf topol Mstr Stdby +---+ +---+ +---+ | 1 | 1==2 | 3 | 1==2 | 2 | +---+ +---+ +---+ 2 1 +=====================+ 6300-Stack# sh vsf link VSF Member 1 Link Peer Peer Link State Member Link Interfaces ---- ---------- ------- ------ --------------------------- 1 up 3 2 1/1/49 2 up 2 1 1/1/50 VSF Member 2 Link Peer Peer Link State Member Link Interfaces ---- ---------- ------- ------ --------------------------- 1 up 1 2 2/1/49 2 up 3 1 2/1/50 VSF Member 3 Link Peer Peer Link State Member Link Interfaces ---- ---------- ------- ------ --------------------------- 1 up 2 2 3/1/49 2 up 1 1 3/1/50 6300-Stack#
Interestingly if you connect a USB console to anything other than the stack master, you can log in, but only with local account. Tacacs etc only appear to function on the stack master. I suspect this will be fixed in a later version of code as this appears to be the opposite of the expected desired behaviour.
Finally just for reference, this was all done on an 6300 running AribaOS-CX FL.10.04.0030