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

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hmw

Active Member
Apr 29, 2019
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Unless you want 100 or features that only newer cards aupport (RocE v2) the CX3 are fine
I have CX-3 and ESXi 6.7, will probably upgrade to ESXi 7 at some point in which case I would invest in a CX-4 or even CX4-Lx - just so I can use the SR-IOV features
 

vangoose

Active Member
May 21, 2019
326
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Canada
I have CX-3 and ESXi 6.7, will probably upgrade to ESXi 7 at some point in which case I would invest in a CX-4 or even CX4-Lx - just so I can use the SR-IOV features
If you have old platform, like SM X9, sr-iov doesn't work on CX-4 LX cards. It probably looks for sr-iov bios option that doesn't exist. If bios has specific sr-iov option, it will work since it's working on H11 board.

All other cards I have, Intel, Qlogic 57810, Marvell QL41000/45000 all work fine.
 

nerdalertdk

Fleet Admiral
Mar 9, 2017
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::1
Hi all

So i startede to design my new lab, and i'm trying to get the Brocade 7250 in to GNS3
have anyone successful done that ?
 
May 1, 2020
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I've got an ICX-6610-48P on the way along with some mikrotik S+RJ10 SFPs that I'm planning on using to create a 10G link over CAT6 to a Mikrotik CRS305-1G-4S+IN that will sit on my desk. The final piece of my puzzle is the link from the switch to the desktop. From this thread it seems like the best bet is a ConnectX-3 (is that still the case?). I'm just not sure what I need to buy for the QSFP (??) to Mikrotik. I'd prefer to go fiber. If anyone could point me to the correct parts and cable I need to do 10G from the Mikrotik to the Desktop I'd appreciate it.
I recently grabbed myself this HP card (it's actually a rebranded ConnectX-3 and there are instructions on this forum for how to flash it to Mellanox firmware) and this QSFP+ to SFP+ adapter.

Since it sounds like your desktop will be very close to the switch, then you could get a set of these for the desktop and a DAC cable like this (note: this one is only .5m long, so depending on the distance you might need to find a longer one) and that should be sufficient to get you connected.
 

nerdalertdk

Fleet Admiral
Mar 9, 2017
228
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::1
No, but I have 4 * 7250 in a stack. If you have any question, just ask maybe I can help. I really like 7250.
Well it's more for playing with it, Testing some stuff out since I haven't found a 7250 yet (I'm located in EU, so sadly there is longer between 7250 at a good price)

Going to look at MLAG vs stacking, STP and maybe VRRP at some point
 

EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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Hi all! Joining the ICX club. Just scored an ICX7250 on eBay from a seller with a good rating out of Montreal. Also picked up the icx7750-rmk kit to replace the rack ears (where do they go on these switches?!? Never seen a piece of gear so often sold without!).

With the USB/serial cable included in the rmk kit work with the 7250? That'd be a nice bonus considering it's cost.

Second, how much trouble is reversing the airflow on these? I like my ToR switch facing the back. I couldn't find a 6610 in the "I" config with PoE or without missing psus/blocking plates or I would have likely fine that route.

It'll be replacing a Nortel/Avaya 4526GTX-PWR as my top of rack switch. Should be a pretty decent capability upgrade. The Nortel will move upstairs to the other end of a fiber link up drive future PoE cameras. I'll only have 2x fiber runs up there so it's 2x xfp ports won't be a huge limitation and it's nice and efficient/quiet with modded fans already.

Cheers!
Nathan
 

LodeRunner

Active Member
Apr 27, 2019
540
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I don't know what the port on the 7750 is, but on the 7250, the micro-USB is wired as serial. Do not connect it to a regular PC USB port. I sacrificed a USB cable, wired it to a RJ-45 keystone and then plugged my Cisco serial cable into that. The wire order is in thread somewhere.
 

EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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Yes, the adapter cable is mini or micro USB (can't remember which) to rj45 with an rj45 to serial adapter included. I already have a USB to serial cable. If it's micro/mini mismatch only the adapter should be cheap.
 

Spearfoot

Active Member
Apr 22, 2015
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I recently picked up an ICX7150-C12P on Ebay. It managed to boot once and then all it would do is flash the leds once when you plugged it in and that was about it. Found the reddit thread recommending this PS SL Power LB130S56K 56V 2.32 130W Power Supply 689192481516 | eBay. FYI they don't go for 30 bucks any more :)

After receiving the replacement supply and removing the old supply, I slid off the plastic mounting retention from the pins (they are tight but it can be done) and flipped them so the output cables were correct. I also took the old AC input retention plastic and installed it on the new power supply so the ac input cable fit correctly.

This fixed the booting issue. After booting with installed firmware 08060d the console log continuously spewed POE power errors. Since this is still the non-ufi based firmware, I had to upgrade to the non-ufi 08090b first and install the new bootloader. After a reboot the POE firmware was upgraded automatically. Error messages were now gone. I then upgraded to the ufi version of 08090b and rebooted. This allowed me to install the latest 08092b ufi only firmware and the 7150 has been working great the last couple of days.

Looking at the original power supply, it seems heat dissipation was an afterthought with all the conductive thermal pads added along with all the shrink wrapped metal bars that were on top of the mosfets(didn't look up the part number so don't quote me on this) to increase contact to the aluminum frame of the original power suppply. I have actually never seen thermal pads this thick before. Really bad design.

Thanks to this forum and @fohdeesha 's posts on these switches which are a hell of a deal.

--MikeP
I had the same experience this morning! Bought an ICX7150-C12P 32 days ago on eBay... this morning it suddenly died. When I tested it I found that the front panel LED's briefly flash when it's plugged in, same as you. So now I'm off to find a new power supply. Thanks for the link.
 
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EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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Does anyone know if it's a problem to reverse airflow in the 7250? I just read in the spec sheet that only the G model is back to side, the others are side to back.
 

EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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I just noticed in the photos of the unit I bought (had to zoom in) that the metal plate that covers one section of the RJ45 plugs is damaged. How concerned should I be about this?


 

Schut

New Member
Apr 13, 2020
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I just noticed in the photos of the unit I bought (had to zoom in) that the metal plate that covers one section of the RJ45 plugs is damaged. How concerned should I be about this?
I would test jacks 21 & 22, but if they link and pass traffic, I wouldn't give it a second thought.
 

EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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Seller offered to send me a different unit without the damage at the same cost rather than refund, I accepted. I offered to purchase the other unit (listed at a slightly higher cost due to license differences) outright after a refund on the first unit but I guess he figured just swapping the two was easier.

All's well that ends well, assuming the other unit functions fully. :)
 

nickf1227

Active Member
Sep 23, 2015
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To my friends here in this thread, I hope one of you has an answer for me.
Are there any reasonably priced and more purpose built alternatives to the mini-usb to db-9 adapters out there?
I literally have to take one of USB mini to rj-45s, convert it to DB9 like in this picture:

I really miss using my Aruba/HP/Cisco either DB-9 to USB or RJ-45 to USB adapters....one nice meter long cable that doesnt have to adapt to 3 different connectors to work...

The resulting setup costs around $40 at minimum and is about 5 meters long which is insane..

s-l1600.jpg

Then to one of these adapters to get it back to USB to my laptop:
s-l1600 (1).jpg
 

EngineerNate

Member
Jun 3, 2017
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I think you're stuck with that unless you wire your own short "USB" to db-9 cable on the switch side.

I think brocade made some that were one piece so you'd eliminate the adapter but not fix the length.

Maybe find a USB to serial that's shorter? The real issue here is that nothing has serial ports anymore. Without the USB ->serial adapter your setup would be at worst marginally less convenient than a straight serial cable with db-9 on one end and rj45 on the other.
 

infoMatt

Active Member
Apr 16, 2019
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I just noticed in the photos of the unit I bought (had to zoom in) that the metal plate that covers one section of the RJ45 plugs is damaged. How concerned should I be about this?
IMHO, do not worry... It is just a grounding metal sheet around the real structure of the ports underneath, nothing to worry about.
 

fohdeesha

Kaini Industries
Nov 20, 2016
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it's funny, it looks more like the entire bottom section was purposefully snipped off rather than broken. wonder if the previous user had some weird cables that weren't fitting or something
 

infoMatt

Active Member
Apr 16, 2019
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it's funny, it looks more like the entire bottom section was purposefully snipped off rather than broken. wonder if the previous user had some weird cables that weren't fitting or something
Or maybe when removing one the latch catched the rim of the grounding sheet and tore it apart... It is strange nonetheless.
 
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