Binardat 10G12-1200GSM Switch Experiences

[JumpingJackFlash]

I recently purchased a Binardat 10G12-1200GSM 12-port 10G Fiber switch to expand my internal network speeds as part of an overall goal to have a 10G path all the way to my Verizon FiOS router in anticipation of eventually getting 2Gbps Internet service. The switch downlinks to a BDCOM S2900-48P6X in a 20G port channel and uplinks to a TP-Link ER8411 router.

There is very little information to find on the Internet on the 10G12-1200GSM, or any other Binardat switch for that matter, so I wanted to provide a sort-of baseline about my experiences and a copy of my config for others to reference. The GUI interface is pretty straight-forward in its features and options. However, it soon becomes apparent that a CLI interface is the preferred way to configure the switch. After entering the usual options like internal IP change, account parameters, and DHCP relay, I started to use the console to further configure the device. The generic L3 CLI manual published by Binardat has commands that don't exactly work with this specific model. Additionally, I had no such luck configuring a COM link at the supposedly supported 115200 bps speed. As with the BDCOM switch I have, the normal COM port configuration of 9600-N-8-1 works just fine.

I had to kind-of learn as I go with the command base. Thankfully the commands have a similar look-and-feel to other Cisco and non-Cisco devices I have worked with. I think most all modern switches and routers use some variation of FASTPATH language. Whenever I update any of my network switches and router, I save a copy of the running config in a text file to easily reference, as well as having several SSH terminals open. This makes the trial-and-error process a bit easier. ACLs can be configured via GUI, but I found the command level to be more suited. I created a single basic ACL to filter IP addresses but later removed it (vendor telemetry IP addresses sometimes rotate daily; it's just easier to block them [i.e. 0.0.0.0] at the DNS level via the HOSTS file). One key feature that has to be enabled at the CLI level is password encryption. Timezone configuration line names (descriptions) can be whatever the programmer desires (I used 'EST' and 'EDT' respectivly).

A couple of disappointing configuration factors. One is that I had no luck getting NTP to work with external clock servers. I tried both NTP and SNTP options, as well as changing the NTP version and Key ID values. The solution was to point the Binardat switch to my S2900 switch (which now acts as both an NTP server and client). The other disappointment is with logins, in two parts. One part is that the default username 'admin' cannot be renamed, at least at the GUI level. I have not tried deleting the username at the CLI level. The other part is that passwords are very limited in supporting special characters. Additionally, service password encryption has to be enabled via CLI.

Surprisingly, for being a more generic-type L3 switch, the 10G12-1200GSM works really well. I moved forward with making it L3 vs L2. Research has not exactly yielded the name or model of the CPU the switch utilizes. None of the switch commands have revealed any relevant information, and I am not about to remove the heat sink to find out. Admittedly, I do not currently have the hardware to do a full 10 Gbps test from point A to point B. I have two workstations with 10 Gbps fiber cards, but one of them uses an older AMD 990X chipset PCIe 2.0 bus, and the Mellanox X3 card is in the SB950 PCIe X4 slot, which caps out at about 180MB/s. My two Lenovo EMC PX12 drive arrays tap out at 450-500MB/s between them (each has dual-port 10Gbps Fiber adapter configured as an LaCP port channel) and my main workstation (Lenovo ThinkStation P920 using an Intel 82599 10Gbps Fiber adapter). The closest I have gotten is an internal file copy between the two PX12 arrays, at about 700MB/s.

Any comments, questions, or personal experiences are welcome.

...

10G12#show run
!
service password-encryption
!
hostname 10G12
sysLocation Default
sysContact Default
!
multi config access
!
username admin privilege 15 password 7 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
!
authentication line console login local
!
!
!
clock timezone EST subtract 5 0
clock summer-time EDT recurring 02:00 2 Sun Mar 02:00 1 Sun Nov
!
!
ssh-server enable
ssh-server timeout 600
!
ip http secure-server
!
no ip http server
web-auth timeout 60
!
ip forward-protocol udp bootps
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
ip domain-lookup
!
dns-server 192.168.2.35
dns-server 192.168.1.1
!
!
vlan 1
!
load-balance dst-src-mac
!
port-group 1
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/1
description ER8411_Uplink
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/2
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/3
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/4
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/5
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/6
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/7
description System1
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/8
description Thinkstation
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/9
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/10
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/11
description S2900_Downlink_1
port-group 1 mode active
lacp port-priority 32767
!
Interface Ethernet1/0/12
description S2900_Downlink_2
port-group 1 mode active
!
Interface Port-Channel1
description S2900
!
interface Vlan1
bandwidth 10g
ip rip send version 2
ip rip receive version 2
ip address 192.168.2.253 255.255.255.0
!forward protocol udp 67(active)!
ip helper-address 192.168.2.1
!
interface Loopback1
ip address 192.168.100.2 255.255.255.255
!
router rip
network 192.168.2.0/24
network 192.168.100.1/32
neighbor 192.168.2.1
neighbor 192.168.2.254
!
ip route 0.0.0.0/0 192.168.2.1
!
ntp enable
ntp server 192.168.2.254
!
exec-timeout 35791 0
no login
!
end

10G12#

 

[blunden]

What does the management GUI look like? Also, can you show us the available commands in the top level of the CLI? That might reveal some clues.

 

[WhiteNoise]

This is a other router based on realtek chips.
Mokerlink has an identical model. This is likely made hrui.

I am gonna venture and say that it is based on the Realtek RTL9302C (similar to the 9303 but with different bandwidth partition).

It's an interesting model. You can consolidate a larger home or small business in just one switch. It's priced competitively.

This is really an L2 switch. It doesn't have the cpu-chops to do L3-things. You'll tank the throughout if you do.

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

Sorry, those Realtek controllers max out at 160 Gbps bandwidth respectively, as they are more like the MIPS 34Kc chip that runs at 800 MHz. This Binardat switch has a max bandwidth of 240 Gbps and is more comparable to a D-Link DXS-1210-12TC, EnGenius 5512F, Mokerlink 10G120GSM, Netgear XS512EM, PLANET XGS-6311-12X, Sodola SL-SWTG3C12F, or Trendnet TL2-F7120. Unfortunately, none of these vendors mention the controller specs, and none of my Internet searches have yielded an answer.

I forgot to mention that I am using JDSU PLRXPL-SC-S43NA1 SFP+ transceivers. I have found these to be very compatible with multiple vendors.

I will post GUI pics as soon as I get a chance.

 

[WhiteNoise]

Sorry, I just googled it and landed on the amazon page for version with 8x2.5G+2x10GbaseT+2xSFP+ (which, I think is a more interesting combo)

Nevertheless, the story does not change, you have something based on Realtek RTL9313. This is an alternative setup with some baseT ports.

The RTL931** has dualcore CPU vs the single core of RTL930**.

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

I went back and looked through all of the controllers listed on Realtek's website, and none of them indicated a peak of 240Gbps. I don't know why all of the switch makes/models I mentioned are so secretive about the controller they use. If you can think of any other chip manufacturers, let me know. I can tell you I've polled the switch's CPU usage multiple times, and it never goes above 7%, whether configured as L2 or L3.

 

[WhiteNoise]

Sadly the Realtek website does not list everything. It lists the RTL9311, which is similar to the RTL9313 but in a different configuration.

The maximum switching capacity reported by the manufacturer can't be greater than the combined speed of all ports times 2 (full duplex)

It won't make make difference just changing the setting from L2 to L3. You should notice a slowdown once unce you start using L3 features, like routing at L3 level.
L2 level functions are hardware accelerated in these realtek switches. L3-level go through the CPU. This is common in most entry and medium level switches.

Anyway, if the GUI looks similar to the SunSoont, it's certainly realtek based. They all look similar.

It's interesting that the Binardat is the only one with the ports on two rows.

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

Some of the others I mentioned in a previous reply have two rows. I know the Trendnet one does. But you are right, some use a single long row. Typically, the long single rows are full rack width. The Binardat is 330mm, so it has ears that are about 2" wide. The Trendnet, and one or two others, follow that newer short rack design that has become popular.

 

[JumpingJackFlash]

Yeah, it looks like the unit is based on the RTL9313 chip. I found another switch that actually mentions it in their data sheet: S5300-12S Switch Data Sheet | FS. And it turns out STH did a review on the Sodola version, and it mentions the chip: Sodola SL-SWTG3C12F 12-Port 10G Managed Switch Review - ServeTheHome .