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

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Cheburashka

New Member
Aug 10, 2020
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08.0.80f was the last version where the files were all separate, after that version all the firmware comes in the ufi format that contains everything necessary for the upgrade/update
Thank you,

I've proceeded with setting setenv image_name xxxxx and loading the new images into flash.
 

zdude

What is a Computer?
Aug 29, 2017
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This may be a really dumb question as this is my first time using a switch of this caliber but I have my network currently configured to have most stuff use VLAN1 by default but then isolate IoT crap to VLAN2. Currently in the ruckus CLI as soon as I add a port to carry tagged traffic for VLAN2 it removes the port from VLAN1 and no traffic from VLAN1 can be carried anymore. Is this expected behavior?
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
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fohdeesha.com
I am going to wipe my 7150-c12p clean and rebuild it. I did this by running erase flash primary/secondary and clearing the startup config.

I am going through Fohdeesha.com and I've come across his TFTP setup.

Code:
setenv image_name ICX7xxx/SPR08090mc.bin
setenv uboot ICX7xxx/mnz10118.bin
In my case, I don't want to use SPR because I don't want routing.

I did download the ICX7150 --> 08095n file and the images files are:

  • SPR08095nufi.bin
  • SPS08095nufi.bin

I will set my image name to be:

Code:
setenv image_name SPS08095nufi.bin
But I am unsure if I need the uboot file. I don't see any files in the Ruckus 08095n folders that start with a mnz.


Edit:

I found another thread that goes over the ICX firmware recovery ( How to: ICX firmware recovery (boot mode) – Habitech Limited ) and they mention the uboot file, which looks to be bootcode (uboot=brocade/ICX7150/bootcode/spz10106b002)

I'm not sure where to source this file when the Brocade-Ruckus download .zip doesn't seem to include it.
zero reason to run the switching only firmware image, unless you want a less tested/vetted image for some reason. they don't even build switch only images anymore
 
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korpo53

New Member
Aug 12, 2016
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This may be a really dumb question as this is my first time using a switch of this caliber but I have my network currently configured to have most stuff use VLAN1 by default but then isolate IoT crap to VLAN2. Currently in the ruckus CLI as soon as I add a port to carry tagged traffic for VLAN2 it removes the port from VLAN1 and no traffic from VLAN1 can be carried anymore. Is this expected behavior?
You'd have to tell the switch that the port can receive tagged traffic for VLAN2, and any untagged traffic becomes VLAN1. Unless you want to make it a trunk port where it receives tagged VLAN1 and VLAN2 traffic.
 

NablaSquaredG

Bringing 100G switches to homelabs
Aug 17, 2020
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This may be a really dumb question as this is my first time using a switch of this caliber but I have my network currently configured to have most stuff use VLAN1 by default but then isolate IoT crap to VLAN2. Currently in the ruckus CLI as soon as I add a port to carry tagged traffic for VLAN2 it removes the port from VLAN1 and no traffic from VLAN1 can be carried anymore. Is this expected behavior?
What you are looking for is called "dual-mode" in old FastIron
 

zdude

What is a Computer?
Aug 29, 2017
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You'd have to tell the switch that the port can receive tagged traffic for VLAN2, and any untagged traffic becomes VLAN1. Unless you want to make it a trunk port where it receives tagged VLAN1 and VLAN2 traffic.
As soon as I tell it to add a port for tagged traffic on VLAN2 it is removed from VLAN1 and I get an error when trying to add it back for untagged traffic in VLAN1. I will upload the exact error later today.
 

BoGs

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
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As soon as I tell it to add a port for tagged traffic on VLAN2 it is removed from VLAN1 and I get an error when trying to add it back for untagged traffic in VLAN1. I will upload the exact error later today.
Yes VLAN1 is special and you should use any other vlans then 1 as it does disappear. Create another default vlan and use those two instead of the default.
 

kpfleming

Active Member
Dec 28, 2021
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Pelham NY USA
As soon as I tell it to add a port for tagged traffic on VLAN2 it is removed from VLAN1 and I get an error when trying to add it back for untagged traffic in VLAN1. I will upload the exact error later today.
Depending on the FastIron software version (you haven't included that detail), if you don't enable `dual-mode` on the port then it can only handle untagged *or* tagged traffic, but not both.
 

Cheburashka

New Member
Aug 10, 2020
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zero reason to run the switching only firmware image, unless you want a less tested/vetted image for some reason. they don't even build switch only images anymore
When you say, they don't build switch only images anymore, is that with verion 9/10?

I've only been loading the SPS images based on what I've found here. Normally I would use a L3 switch and just disable routing but I was going by what I've read in the forums for the ICX 7150 line.
 

NablaSquaredG

Bringing 100G switches to homelabs
Aug 17, 2020
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Normally I would use a L3 switch and just disable routing
No need to disable routing. If you don't define any SVIs, there's nothing to route...

I've read in the forums for the ICX 7150 line.
I just see fohdeesha repeating "use the SPR Firmware" again and again. Just use the SPR (or TNR or whatever) firmware...
 
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56ip1234

New Member
Jun 6, 2023
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I'm looking for a new switch with more 10G SFP+ ports. Is the only difference between the ICX7150-48ZP-E2X10G and ICX7150-48ZP-E8X10G the default license? As far as I can tell from fohdeesha's documentation the 7XXX series are easy to add licenses for the 10G ports.
 

zdude

What is a Computer?
Aug 29, 2017
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Depending on the FastIron software version (you haven't included that detail), if you don't enable `dual-mode` on the port then it can only handle untagged *or* tagged traffic, but not both.
Sorry, should have specified. I flashed the latest version available on the guide from the first post here. Looks like it was from Jan 8th this year.
 

BoGs

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
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I have a 48ZP running and I can confirm the license steps in the guide work as any other ICX7000 series do. Works like a dream.
 
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DangerMc

New Member
Aug 14, 2024
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Is there any way of getting access to an ICX7450 without using the console? I've tried every cable, every setting, restarting while connected, screen, putty, windows and linux but no output (or input). I see that there is an option to send configuration settings to the switch during reboot, but that does seem to be dependent on the switch being told to reset to factory default first?

The switch has worked in the past, i.e. I've gotten console access to it, but for whatever reason, I am just unable to do so now...

Fixed.
For anyone else, these two items eventually got me access.
USB to RS232 Serial Adapter, USB Mini 5 Pin Male to DB9 9 Pin Female Serial Converter Cable 1.8M/6Feet (Mini USB to RS232 Serial)
CableCreation USB to RS232 Adapter with FTDI Chipset, USB to RS232 Male DB9 Serial Converter for Cashier Register, Modem, Scanner, Industrial Machinery, CNC, Black
 
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ngr2001

New Member
Dec 3, 2024
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After reading this post I recently purchased an ICX-7250 to replace my Cisco 3650. Thanks to this post setup was a breeze.

However, I ran into one issue I cant seem to figure out. My network consists of a PFSense firewall and the ICX-7250. When I connect the PFSense LAN NIC to the ICX via a 10Gb port the performance of my 1Gb clients drastically suffers. My understanding is that the ICX series have very small buffers thus the issue. Well I ran into this same problem with my Cisco 3650 and the solution was a very simple Global Command: " qos queue-softmax-multiplier 1200".

For the life of me I cant seem to figure out how to increase buffer sizes on the ICX in a similar fashion. It it matters or helps, I did successfully enable Flow Control on the ICX, not sure if that would help or hurt things regarding the performance issue when mixing 1Gb clients when the uplink to the firewall is 10Gb.

If anyone could help me here I would greatly appreciate it, I'd rather not have to fall back to my Cisco 3650, but if that is honestly a better switch please advise.
 

TonyArrr

Active Member
Sep 22, 2021
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Straylia
After reading this post I recently purchased an ICX-7250 to replace my Cisco 3650. Thanks to this post setup was a breeze.

However, I ran into one issue I cant seem to figure out. My network consists of a PFSense firewall and the ICX-7250. When I connect the PFSense LAN NIC to the ICX via a 10Gb port the performance of my 1Gb clients drastically suffers. My understanding is that the ICX series have very small buffers thus the issue. Well I ran into this same problem with my Cisco 3650 and the solution was a very simple Global Command: " qos queue-softmax-multiplier 1200".

For the life of me I cant seem to figure out how to increase buffer sizes on the ICX in a similar fashion. It it matters or helps, I did successfully enable Flow Control on the ICX, not sure if that would help or hurt things regarding the performance issue when mixing 1Gb clients when the uplink to the firewall is 10Gb.

If anyone could help me here I would greatly appreciate it, I'd rather not have to fall back to my Cisco 3650, but if that is honestly a better switch please advise.
I have a similar setup, 7250 as the core switch connected to the firewall via a 10Gb DAC, but I don’t have any performance issues with wired or wireless clients.

I imagine that since you’re using PFsense, all your VLANs are trunked through to it for DHCP? Mine is connected via a Transit VLAN, so I don’t know how much impact that difference might have… but all inter-VLAN traffic of mine is routed in the 7250’s ASIC, so only internet bound traffic goes to the firewall
 

BoGs

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
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If anyone could help me here I would greatly appreciate it, I'd rather not have to fall back to my Cisco 3650, but if that is honestly a better switch please advise.
You should check that the uplink is at 10GB as you had not mentioned if you applied all the licenses for 8x10G. Check both PFSense and ICX that is at 10G link, next do you know if you were doing routing on the switch? You could do what @TonyArrr mentioned with intervlan transit, when I tried PFSense I could only do intervlan routing on PFSense at 1-2G which is why I went to using Mikrotik 2116 :)
 

kapone

Well-Known Member
May 23, 2015
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You should check that the uplink is at 10GB as you had not mentioned if you applied all the licenses for 8x10G. Check both PFSense and ICX that is at 10G link, next do you know if you were doing routing on the switch? You could do what @TonyArrr mentioned with intervlan transit, when I tried PFSense I could only do intervlan routing on PFSense at 1-2G which is why I went to using Mikrotik 2116 :)
Setup issue. :)

@ngr2001 :

1. Your performance issues for the 1gb clients is almost certainly a config/user error issue. Just gotta get the configuration right. I ran pfSense with the ICX for the longest time and had zero issues with 1gb or 10gb (or 40gb) clients. But...read below.

2. Really, with these types of L3 switches (i.e powerful/line rate L3 switching), there is zero reason to do VLAN routing in your firewall. All VLAN routing should be at L3 level, with only external ingress/egress going to your firewall.

p.s. A lot of people confuse the fact that you don't VLANs in pfSense/OpnSense to do firewall rules. Aliases/Networks (which is what a VLAN is)/Single Hosts all work just fine. The only reason to create interfaces/VLANs in pfSense/OpnSense with a L3 switch, would be if you wanted your firewall for DHCP.... There's many ways to not do that.
 
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BoGs

Active Member
Feb 18, 2019
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Setup issue. :)

@ngr2001 :

1. Your performance issues for the 1gb clients is almost certainly a config/user error issue. Just gotta get the configuration right. I ran pfSense with the ICX for the longest time and had zero issues with 1gb or 10gb (or 40gb) clients. But...read below.

2. Really, with these types of L3 switches (i.e powerful/line rate L3 switching), there is zero reason to do VLAN routing in your firewall. All VLAN routing should be at L3 level, with only external ingress/egress going to your firewall.

p.s. A lot of people confuse the fact that you don't VLANs in pfSense/OpnSense to do firewall rules. Aliases/Networks (which is what a VLAN is)/Single Hosts all work just fine. The only reason to create interfaces/VLANs in pfSense/OpnSense with a L3 switch, would be if you wanted your firewall for DHCP.... There's many ways to not do that.
Not entirely true, as I have firewall rules that are easy to duplicate on L3 switch such as not letting some vlans talk to others, to impossible to replicate on L3 switch such as downloading DoT and DoH ip addresses, blocking dns queries to them and NAT regular DNS to my servers that block ads, trackers and all that at the network level so I see no ads. All above that it allows me to block sites that spy on me such as Google, CLoudflare, meta, etc etc. as much as possible.