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

[SuperMiguel]

New around here, just got a 6610, what cable i need to connect to the console of this thing? Regular USB to RJ45 serial? or special cable?

Something like this?

Amazon.com: Moyina USB C Console Cable USB C to RJ45 Cable FTDI Chip Essential Accesory of Cisco, NETGEAR, Ubiquity, TP-Link Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux (6 ft,Black) : Electronics

Amazon.com: Moyina USB C Console Cable USB C to RJ45 Cable FTDI Chip Essential Accesory of Cisco, NETGEAR, Ubiquity, TP-Link Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux (6 ft,Black) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

USB-c to work with mac without adapter

 

[fohdeesha]

New around here, just got a 6610, what cable i need to connect to the console of this thing? Regular USB to RJ45 serial? or special cable?

Something like this?

Amazon.com: Moyina USB C Console Cable USB C to RJ45 Cable FTDI Chip Essential Accesory of Cisco, NETGEAR, Ubiquity, TP-Link Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux (6 ft,Black) : Electronics

Amazon.com: Moyina USB C Console Cable USB C to RJ45 Cable FTDI Chip Essential Accesory of Cisco, NETGEAR, Ubiquity, TP-Link Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux (6 ft,Black) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

USB-c to work with mac without adapter

6610 uses regular rj45 serial like cisco

 

[sergi0]

Hi,
I just got a 6450-24p to replace an old netgear. I buy a RJ45-USB serial cable (Prolific PL2303GT) and try to apply Fohdeesha HowTo, but I was not able to get a prompt using Putty. The serial cable is mapped on COM1 and soon after I the power plug in the swith, I hit "b", but nothing happen at all.
I can confirm the switch boot as after a short time, the RJ45 port connected to a laptop start blinking.
Did I miss something or did I have the wrong serial cable ?
S.

 

[LodeRunner]

Do you have the right serial settings? If there’s no text output then you have:
- a bad serial cable
- a bad console port
- wrong port settings

I suppose a brand new serial adapter could also be bad.

 

[ccie4526]

There were a large number of counterfeit PL2303 chips that were manufactured over the last several years, and Prolific's drivers for Win10 detect and basically don't allow communication through those counterfeit chips. I specifically went with FTDI chip USB to Serial adapters for that reason. I'm using one of those right now with a standard Cisco DB9 to RJ45 serial cable, and have had no issues talking to my 6450-24P. In fact already have it fully flashed up per @fohdeesha 's the wonderful step-by-step guide.

 

[sergi0]

I have the same settings as the one in the HowTo (9600 8N1).
I got the cable from Amazon by searching "Brocade serial cable". The model I got is referenced Prolific PL2303GT under Windows devices. It is this one : PL2303GT USB to RS232 Serial Bridge Controller (Built in RS232 XCVR) | Prolific USA | IC Design & Manufacturing .
For the console port, I use the one with this symbol : |[]-[]| .
>h

 

[sergi0]

I'll try another cable. Do you have a precise reference in mind ? Something I can order via Amazon and test quickly ?
S.

 

[tozmo]

I'll try another cable. Do you have a precise reference in mind ? Something I can order via Amazon and test quickly ?
S.

I used this to hack into my 7450

Amazon.com: OIKWAN Console Cable,USB Console Cable, USB to RJ45 Console Cable with FTDI chip Compatible with Cisco, Huawei,HP,Arista,Opengear,Aruba，Juniper Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux : Electronics

Buy OIKWAN Console Cable,USB Console Cable, USB to RJ45 Console Cable with FTDI chip Compatible with Cisco, Huawei,HP,Arista,Opengear,Aruba，Juniper Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux: USB Cables - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[CIR-Engineering]

I have a 6450-24p and 7150-c12p that I would like to stack. Firstly, does fastiron support linear stacking (aka chain stacking)? With the limitations of my system and only two switches I really don't need a ring and redundancy is impossible. Second, can the uplink ports on the 7150-c12 be used for stacking? If so, what are the cli commands?

Ultimately I'd like to do a linear stack using one 10g SFP+ connection, but for now I'd like to just get it up and running in a linear stack if possible with a gigabit port.

Thanks guys,
craigr

 

[sergi0]

I used this to hack into my 7450

Amazon.com: OIKWAN Console Cable,USB Console Cable, USB to RJ45 Console Cable with FTDI chip Compatible with Cisco, Huawei,HP,Arista,Opengear,Aruba，Juniper Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux : Electronics

Buy OIKWAN Console Cable,USB Console Cable, USB to RJ45 Console Cable with FTDI chip Compatible with Cisco, Huawei,HP,Arista,Opengear,Aruba，Juniper Routers/Switches for Laptops in Windows, Mac, Linux: USB Cables - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

thanks ! Looking at the pinout on the RJ45, mine wasn't the same ( DSD TECH Câble SH-RJ45P USB vers Console avec Puce PL2303RA pour commutateurs de routeurs Cisco 1.8M / 5.9FT: Amazon.fr: High-tech ), so that might explain why I did not see any prompt !

 

[LodeRunner]

I have a 6450-24p and 7150-c12p that I would like to stack. Firstly, does fastiron support linear stacking (aka chain stacking)? With the limitations of my system and only two switches I really don't need a ring and redundancy is impossible. Second, can the uplink ports on the 7150-c12 be used for stacking? If so, what are the cli commands?

Ultimately I'd like to do a linear stack using one 10g SFP+ connection, but for now I'd like to just get it up and running in a linear stack if possible with a gigabit port.

Thanks guys,
craigr

You can't cross-model stack.

 

[CIR-Engineering]

So from reading this post:

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/brocade-icx-series-cheap-powerful-10gbe-40gbe-switching.21107/page-218#post-279873

It looks like the 6450 may not even support linear stacking because of firmware limitations? The firmware version for the 6450 in @fohdeesha's guide is 08.0.30BT313 (so below 08.0.90). Is 8.0.90 the earliest version that supports linear stacking? If that's the case I'll probably just skip stacking, but I would like the experience of experimenting with a stack as I have never done it before.

Unfortunately, I don't want to open the walls up in my house again because I live in a 1904 built Victorian. Last time I I ran wires I distinctly remember making a mental note that if I ever open them again I'll have major plaster rework to do... not worth it. Right now there are only two CAT6 cables going between the basement where the 6450 is and the second floor office where the 7150 is. Buying two RJ45 10G transceivers would be worth it, but buying four would get a bit expensive. Also, that would leave me with all my 10G ports in use, so no room for running anymore 10G lines.

Man I really want to linear stack though!

craigr

 

[LodeRunner]

So in your use case, what does stacking get you beyond a single management interface that properly configured STP doesn't?

And again, it doesn't matter if the code train you're supports stacking because stacking across different models is not supported. Additionally, Ruckus also notes that stacked switches MUST run the same firmware.

 

[CIR-Engineering]

Well, from reading this, it does look like the 6450 supports linear stacking...

https://usermanual.wiki/Ruckus/fastiron08020aswitchstackingguide.377537056/html#pf29

craigr

 

[CIR-Engineering]

So in your use case, what does stacking get you beyond a single management interface that properly configured STP doesn't?

And again, it doesn't matter if the code train you're supports stacking because stacking across different models is not supported. Additionally, Ruckus also notes that stacked switches MUST run the same firmware.

It gets me no benefit other than a single management interface. That seems cool and I just want to learn in the lab because I have never setup a stack before.

I think I have read a number of post where people have successfully stacked using different models? I'm on about page ~125 of this thread.

I did not know the switches had to be on the same firmware. This may kybosh the whole thing or maybe I could downgrade the 7150; haven't looked yet to see if it can be backdated far enough. May not be worth it anyway.

Thanks for your input,
craigr

 

[Jason Antes]

You could get the old Brocade Network advisor to put everything into 1 interface to manage. There are some with *licenses* out there. I run my VDX and ICX through BNA to manage them.

 

[sergi0]

With a new cable, everything worked fine. The right config for the serial cable is this one :
DTE Pinouts RTS (1), DTR(2), TXD (3), GND (4), GND (5), RXD (6), DSR (7), CTS (8)

S.

I'll try another cable. Do you have a precise reference in mind ? Something I can order via Amazon and test quickly ?
S.

 

[Tcalp]

I am working at configuring a Brocade 6450-48 , anyone around that could help with some IP routing / VLANs so that our address space will work ?

 

[fohdeesha]

Well, from reading this, it does look like the 6450 supports linear stacking...

https://usermanual.wiki/Ruckus/fastiron08020aswitchstackingguide.377537056/html#pf29

craigr

it can stack a ton of different ways, with one link linearly or two in a ring, or two parallel, etc, but it will only stack with the same model (other 6450's). It had a limited stacking mode as well where it would stack with a 6610, but it just acted like a dumb L2 port extender and if the 6610 died, the 6450 would as well. long story short, if you want to use the stacking feature, you're gunna have to buy another 6450

 

[fohdeesha]

You could get the old Brocade Network advisor to put everything into 1 interface to manage. There are some with *licenses* out there. I run my VDX and ICX through BNA to manage them.

just FYI BNA has been end of life/discontinued for quite some time so I probably wouldn't sink too much time into setting it up and finding licenses if you haven't already @CIR-Engineering