Brocade ICX Series (cheap & powerful 10gbE/40gbE switching)

[Spearfoot]

noob Question: I have a Brocade 7250-48p. if I run 10Gig fiber cable from it to a " Brocade ICX7150-C12P " that is two stories up from the Brocade 7250.

My use case is : plugging a 10GBe Workstation into the 7150-C12P via DAC cable; and plugging 3 CAT6 cables as well to run 3 Workstations.

I know this is not called a stacked switch config; but is it called a 'branch switch' config?

(sorry for not knowing the correct term) -

QUESTION: can i just plug cables in and be good to go; or must I do "something" on the 7250 Top-of-Rack switch to properly setup the 7150-C12P as the "branch switch"?

We were all noobs at one time or another...

How do you have your network configured? Are you using VLANs?

If your network is flat -- a single subnet; no VLANs -- then you ought to be able to just hook everything up and "Bob's your uncle".

If you're using VLANs, things are different. You'll need to configure trunk ports to connect the two switches. At least, I think of them as trunk ports... On Cisco switches you designate them with switchport mode trunk, but I believe trunk means something completely different in the Brocade/Ruckus world.

Semantics aside, if you're using VLANs you need to configure specific ports to carry your tagged VLAN traffic between the two switches.

I use my ICX 7150-C12P much the way you seem to be planning to. I connect my office PC to one of its SFP+ ports (1/3/1), the other SFP+ port (1/3/2) connects via fiber to my shop switch (an ICX 6610-48P). This later port is configured as a trunk -- it carries tagged traffic for the 4 VLANs that I use. I've also configured the two non-PoE 'uplink' ports (1/2/1 & 1/2/2) as trunk ports; one connects to a Cisco SG350-10P switch in my living room, the other is unused.

Here's the relevant snippet from my startup config. You'll see ports 1/2/1, 1/2/2, and 1/3/2 tagged on very VLAN:

!
vlan 1 name DEFAULT-VLAN by port
 router-interface ve 1
!
vlan 10 name Secure by port
 tagged ethe 1/2/1 to 1/2/2 ethe 1/3/2 
 untagged ethe 1/1/1 to 1/1/12 ethe 1/3/1 
 router-interface ve 10
!
vlan 20 name Gizmos by port
 tagged ethe 1/2/1 to 1/2/2 ethe 1/3/2 
 router-interface ve 20
!
vlan 30 name WiFi by port
 tagged ethe 1/1/12 ethe 1/2/1 to 1/2/2 ethe 1/3/2 
 router-interface ve 30
!
vlan 40 name Cameras by port
 tagged ethe 1/2/1 to 1/2/2 ethe 1/3/2 
 router-interface ve 40
!

 

[tommybackeast]

As long as you don't expect any Layer 3 stuff on the 7150, it's plug and play for Layer 2 (no different than sticking a switch into another switch's ethernet port).

Edit: Minor correction. Plug and play as long as the TOR switch port is in "some" VLAN, not the default VLAN (although that could be worked as well, but that's a whole another story). All your devices on the 7150 will be in "that" VLAN that is defined on the 7250.

I apologize for doing a terrible job explaining in my prior post. thanks for your time. Please recall I'm a noob; and have not set up any VLANs.

but before I buy a 7150 I wish to make sure it will work for me. ReCap: 7250 is at Server Rack and Top-of-Rack Switch.

7150 would be in another room, a home office. Connection is 10GB Fiber from 7250 to 7150. On the 7150 : I wish to plug in 10GB Workstation on VLAN01, plug in a Printer via CAT6 and have that on VLAN02; and long-term plug in a POE Security Camera into 7150 and have that on VLAN03.

Is this possible? (your sentence of " All your devices on the 7150 will be in "that" VLAN that is defined on the 7250. " I wasn't sure how to take this sentence. Can the 7250 setup the above 3VLANS and have them working on the 7150?

(note: I know I lack the skill/knowledge to setup secure VLANS, and I'm seeking $ help to setup pfSense router with two 10GB NICs that go into the TOR 7250.

I am sorry I lack the tech skill to ask my question in a professional manner.

PS: are you have a 7150 : are they as silent reviewers have stated? how hot does the unit get? can you put your hand on the outside of it?

 

[tommybackeast]

We were all noobs at one time or another...

How do you have your network configured? Are you using VLANs?

I apologize for doing a terrible job explaining in my prior post. thanks for your time. Please recall I'm a noob; and have not set up any VLANs.

but before I buy a 7150 I wish to make sure it will work for me. ReCap: 7250 is at Server Rack and Top-of-Rack Switch.

7150 would be in another room, a home office. Connection is 10GB Fiber from 7250 to 7150. On the 7150 : I wish to plug in 10GB Workstation on VLAN01, plug in a Printer via CAT6 and have that on VLAN02; and long-term plug in a POE Security Camera into 7150 and have that on VLAN03.

Is this possible? (another poster wrote sentence of " All your devices on the 7150 will be in "that" VLAN that is defined on the 7250. " I wasn't sure how to take this sentence. Can the 7250 setup the above 3VLANS and have them working on the 7150?

(note: I know I lack the skill/knowledge to setup secure VLANS, and I'm seeking $ help to setup pfSense router with two 10GB NICs that go into the TOR 7250.

I am sorry I lack the tech skill to ask my question in a professional manner.

Bluntly, right now, I am not really seeking HOW-TO do the above Wish List, but simply can the 7250+7150 combo do this. (so I know it's ok to start shopping for one)


PS: are you have a 7150 : are they as silent reviewers have stated? how hot does the unit get? can you put your hand on the outside of it?

 

[klui]

I am sorry I lack the tech skill to ask my question in a professional manner.

You need to obtain more knowledge of VLANs in order to understand what others are recommending. Check out some videos on Youtube or articles on the web. Here's one that's easy to understand.

The 7150-C12P is silent because there is no fan. Mine is not deployed but without any ports used its top vents are lukewarm to the touch.

 

[tommybackeast]

You need to obtain more knowledge of VLANs in order to understand what others are recommending. Check out some videos on Youtube or articles on the web. Here's one that's easy to understand.

The 7150-C12P is silent because there is no fan. Mine is not deployed but without any ports used its top vents are lukewarm to the touch.

Thank you for the URL : and thanks for real-world info on the heat from a 7150 (I asked given where I am thinking of putting it should I buy one).

I do understand the macro concept of VLANs and segmenting. I am comfortable with tech; but very far from an IT pro. It's the real-world actually DOING the VLANS and Trunks; and doing it 99.999% securely that worries me.

I have good hardware for pfSense box with Dual SFP+ to go into 7250-48p, and had found someone to pay $ to help me set it up (including doing DHCP on the 7250, etc) but he had a major personal issue crop up.

Most gently said: i respect many/most on this thread are IT pros; or experienced /r/homelab users; but creating a secure network of pfsense + packages + brocade VLANS + DHCP + figuring out the entire network config is very daunting task for a noob. also, for good or bad, I learn by doing something complex with a smart person over my shoulder; I never learn complex things by only watching youtube. i've watched hours of Terry Henry videos and many others, but I still don't understand in my gut HOW-TO actually do it real-world.

so any pfsense + brocade experts wanna help me design the network VLANs and make $ by helping me over the phone let me know (serious)

 

[Spearfoot]

...can the 7250+7150 combo do this. (so I know it's ok to start shopping for one)

Yes, those two switches will absolutely do what you want.

And so will many other combinations of switches. Brocade/Ruckus may not be the optimal choice for you; everyone's needs and situation are different, so that's something you will have to decide for yourself.

PS: as you have a 7150 : are they as silent reviewers have stated? how hot does the unit get? can you put your hand on the outside of it?

The 7150-C12P is completely silent -- it has no fans. It gets warm to the touch but won't burn your hand by any means. I run a small, whisper-quiet Caframo Chinook fan on my desk top to keep everything cooled off and my C12P doesn't even get warm. The fan is by far the loudest piece of gear in my office.

 

[tommybackeast]

Yes, those two switches will absolutely do what you want.

And so will many other combinations of switches. Brocade/Ruckus may not be the optimal choice for you; everyone's needs and situation are different, so that's something you will have to decide for yourself.

The 7150-C12P is completely silent -- it has no fans. It gets warm to the touch but won't burn your hand by any means. I run a small, whisper-quiet Caframo Chinook fan on my desk top to keep everything cooled off and my C12P doesn't even get warm. The fan is by far the loudest piece of gear in my office.

thank you for confirming the 7150 will work in the 2nd floor home-office as a "branch" switch (btw, what is the correct IT term for this scenerio? 7250 in basement and 7150 on 2nd floor..... the 7150 could be called a what exactly? "extension switch" ?

 

[klui]

for good or bad, I learn by doing something complex with a smart person over my shoulder; I never learn complex things by only watching youtube.

I don't learn like that. Having someone watch over me when I do something new is like relying on training wheels. I would need a separate set of training wheels for every new problem I have to solve. You can try breaking a large problem into smaller, more manageable pieces and solve little problems and connect them until you've solved your original problem. Think about how the folks in the space program developed the entire ecosystem to go to the moon. There were no smart people who did that before. They broke down an overwhelming problem into smaller easier-to-solve problems. I don't think you're supposed to learn complex things by watching a 5-15 minute Youtube video. You do that by taking a course. Youtube videos typically show you solutions to simple problems that could be combined to solve a more complex problem.

I understand and retain that knowledge better when I associate a problem I have and think of various ways to accomplish the task through trial and error. Yes it can seem daunting when there is a very complex system but it could be understood if I think logically about what I want to accomplish and move one step at a time. If I try to create the entire solution all at once there are too many pieces for me to juggle. The important thing for me is to learn by repetition through changing configurations, and adding/deleting components. Think about what needs to be done, create theories on what must happen, apply changes and see if they align with theory.

Let me ask: How do you assemble a jigsaw puzzle? I tend to either start from the corners, edges or concentrate on a patch and work my way out. I don't try to put every distinct piece in their right place.

Your 7250 and 7150 are edge switches. Meaning they are typically used to connect edge devices like computers, APs, printers, and cameras. Consider instead a core switch that's used to provide connectivity to edge switches. Perhaps a better way to describe your topology, or most home topologies, is to use upstream/downstream instead. Here your 7150 would be a a switch downstream from your 7250--the 7250 would be the upstream switch from your 7150.

 

[kapone]

<snip>
so any pfsense + brocade experts wanna help me design the network VLANs and make $ by helping me over the phone let me know (serious)

Something to get you started...

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/layer-3-switch-w-pfsense.23236/post-216621

 

[tommybackeast]

. Here your 7150 would be a a switch downstream from your 7250--the 7250 would be the upstream switch from your 7150.

Thank you - Those terms make perfect sense.

Regarding the educational/learning aspects of what you wrote. Reality is we are all different. One of life's secrets is to figure out how you yourself work, how you need to process/learn new information. We all learn differently. Long ago I was an amateur photographer, learning all by myself with some books to guide me. But I had no one to stand over me and ask questions. When I did have a professional photographer to stand next to me, showing me things, I learned 100x faster/better. Years later, I became a commercial photographer myself and found myself then helping out some amateurs who asked me for help. Circle of knowledge that keeps our civilization flowing and improving.

I don't learn anything by watching the electrician wire the outlet; but I do learn if I'm doing the work with him standing next to me telling me what to do, and what not to do. Hence my desire/need to find someone to pay $ to help me over the phone with my pfsense + Brocade home network design + VLAN for in my case, that will be money well spent as I learn by doing-it with smart person to guide me, and prevent dangerous security errors.

Think about a surgeon : would you want someone to operate on you who watched 10,000 hours of youtube -or- do you want your surgeon to have learned their skills by having other surgeons show them the process while standing over them.

 

[tommybackeast]

Something to get you started...

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/layer-3-switch-w-pfsense.23236/post-216621

a big thank you for that URL - I'm multi-tasking right now, and that detailed post you wrote up is blurring in front of me, but certainly shall read it tonight when I can focus 100%. I'm printing it out onto paper so i'll have it and doesn't get lost in the pile of browser bookmarks; or 100 open browser tabs. yes Sir , your words are worthy of being printed onto real paper

 

[Tenshou]

On the 6610, is it possible to use the 2 breakout ports as Trunks to other switches with normal QSFP cables? Or they must be connected to the normal ports?

 

[LodeRunner]

I believe the breakout ports you'd have to do a 4x10 LACP using a fanout cable.

 

[Tenshou]

That won’t be a clean solution if you are trunking it to another 40g switch

 

[adman_c]

Sorry, missed a notification and life got me away from this thread (not worry, not for bad things).


Yea... it says... buuut...



Mine does this as well, same power usage as another user in this thread. I don't know if it was a typo in the brochure or if the power supply used has changed during the lifetime of the model, or whatnot... but yea, the power usage is higher than what it says.



Fair enough, but the real question is: are we sure that the 6450-48P will draw the stated 50W, or would it exceed like the little brother? I don't have an answer about this.

Just to add another data point here, my 6450-24p draws 32-33w with nothing but the console cable plugged in. I don't think the switching load my office/lab machines put on it makes any measurable difference in the power usage. On the plus side, I'm replacing 3 different 8 port Unifi switches and a Mikrotik CRS305 with this one switch, so the power draw will work out pretty close to even.

Big thanks to @fohdeesha, @kapone, @infoMatt, and everyone else who has contributed to this thread.

 

[Jason Antes]

I saw your included URL of Synology+10GB+SMB 3.1+Windows 10

The model I have could come with 10GbE but if it didn't there is no way to update it to be able to. Netgear was "nice" like that. My Synology NAS is also only 1GbE but it only has 1 port as it is a DS218+. I'm looking for a good rackmount 10GbE NAS that won't break my wallet but looks like I'll be waiting a while. The dual 1GbE will get me by for a while until all my Bluray rip and encodes are ready to push to it. It already takes way to long to copy a few much less do backups from it.

 

[EngChiSTH]

The model I have could come with 10GbE but if it didn't there is no way to update it to be able to. Netgear was "nice" like that. My Synology NAS is also only 1GbE but it only has 1 port as it is a DS218+. I'm looking for a good rackmount 10GbE NAS that won't break my wallet but looks like I'll be waiting a while. The dual 1GbE will get me by for a while until all my Bluray rip and encodes are ready to push to it. It already takes way to long to copy a few much less do backups from it.

how important is have to be rackmounted? I use qnap 332x for primary NAS for home and connect 10GB link between it and 6450 switch, zero issues, pretty happy. 332x gives me 3 primary HDD (bays) and 2 M2 SSDs if I want to (I use single one for automatic caching right now).

 

[Jason Antes]

how important is have to be rackmounted? I use qnap 332x for primary NAS for home and connect 10GB link between it and 6450 switch, zero issues, pretty happy. 332x gives me 3 primary HDD (bays) and 2 M2 SSDs if I want to (I use single one for automatic caching right now).

I have a 19" 42u rack. My Netgear is a rackmount but my Synology isn't. So while it would be nice, it isn't life and death. Just works better for cooling.

 

[EngChiSTH]

I have a 19" 42u rack. My Netgear is a rackmount but my Synology isn't. So while it would be nice, it isn't life and death. Just works better for cooling.

how much storage do you want in the NAS (my need were simple and 15TB was enough for me)? When I looked
- I did not see anything Synology that has SFP+ and decent price
- I refuse to pay crazy prices for old Celeron hardware just because it is in NAS
- QNAP had much better choices however to go below $100/drive bay I picked 332X with SFP+

 

[PnoT]

Has anyone setup snmp to monitor temps for their 7250? I'm having a tough time trying to figure out which OID to use.

snChasActualTemperature .1.3.6.1.4.1.1991.1.1.1.1.18 returns an integer of 163 and the description states each unit is 0.5 degrees Celcius but when doing the math doesn't add up to what sh chassis has for either the mgmt plane or the psu temps.

What am I missing?