Quanta LB4M 48-Port Gigabit Switch Discussion
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Thanks.. Maybe you can help me understand the concept of VMKernel in VMWare.. My VM Host and SAN/NAS Server is connected to the LB4M switch via a 10G link using the Brocade 1020R 10G network card. I have setup ISCSI targets on my SAN Server to be used as VM datastores using the free version of the StarWind software. Below is a screenshot of how I have configure the virtual switch in VMWare. Do I need a VMKernel on Switch 1 since I have an ISCSI adapter configured to connect to the ISCSI datastore target which is used by the 2 VM Guests (GLOVER-GEN, GLOVER-GEN_2). Please advise.
Hello,
i got 2 of these switches. I did something wrong with one and now i dont have any image to load besides the diag image. At least i can get to the Boot Menu, but "10 - Restore configuration to factory defaults" isnt giving me anything back so its not working.
11 - Activate Backup image gives me Backup image failed crc check. Failed to activate Backup image.
Any suggestions how i can get back to the normal image so i can configure the switch for use?
i got 2 of these switches. I did something wrong with one and now i dont have any image to load besides the diag image. At least i can get to the Boot Menu, but "10 - Restore configuration to factory defaults" isnt giving me anything back so its not working.
11 - Activate Backup image gives me Backup image failed crc check. Failed to activate Backup image.
Any suggestions how i can get back to the normal image so i can configure the switch for use?
Just out of curiosity, has anyone been able to install valid CA and Server SSL certificates on their switch? I'm able to upload Base64-encoded (PEM) certs generated by my AD cert. authority, but after re-enabling SSL I get nothing (page cannot be displayed) when connecting via SSL. Maybe I'm just not holding my mouth right when I do it... 
I just bought this switch, I was able to reset it back to factory defaults, however none of the ports are on.. I'm gone through the manual and get any info.. Also, it isn't pulling an IP, due to the ports not working.. Any ideas?
vSphere Networking
http://pubs.vmware.com/vsphere-55/t...e-esxi-vcenter-server-55-networking-guide.pdf
VMware Virtual Networking Concepts http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/virtual_networking_concepts.pdf
In my own words.
A VMware vSwitch is a virtual switch. For each vSwitch you must have dedicated NIC's.
A port group is a set of ports of like configuration.
a VMKernel is All non VM traffic. All kernel traffic NFS, ISCSi, Management, Fault Tolerance, vMotion, must be associated with a VMKernel port. Each of these would have a IP Address.
In Production you would assign each type of traffic with a dedicated VLAN, and map out all hosts and IP's on that vlan ahead of time, and if using 1GB assign more than one NIC's to each vSwitch and then create a vSwitch for each type of traffic. If your using 10GB/40GB, often management, and vMotion, are on one vSwitch, and storage traffic on another.
Often you would then setup a Third vSwitch for all VMware Production traffic, and a VM Network for all associated VLAN's. AKA File Servers VLAN 100. Database Servers VLAN 101.
Now, That's assuming your using ESXi free, and not a version that allows you to use VDS switches, as in that case things get more complicated. That is covered in the linked vSphere Networking PDF.
nvm sorted it out.
Fusion enter config mode with enable -> configure and then "no shutdown all" to enable all ports for use.
Then "exit" to get out of config mode and "write memory" to save the changes.
Fusion enter config mode with enable -> configure and then "no shutdown all" to enable all ports for use.
Then "exit" to get out of config mode and "write memory" to save the changes.
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I can confirm that the SFP Ports will work with Finisar FTLX8571D3BCL and connect at 10GB.
I guess eventually someone did find that thread
I have a TRX100 ( AKA LB4 ) with the 4x CX4 ports that I will soon retire and move to 2x LB4M's
I'm running 2 HP Virtual Connect 1/10f in the C7000 and soon will be adding another top of the rack switch that will allow me to run the whole rack to switch back end on dual 10GB links.
Also I have 2 HP Virtual Connect 4GB SAN switches as well en-route for the SAN
And now for some eye candy
In order of appearance from top to bottom:
HP C7000 Blade Enclosure
HP Proliamt ML370 G5 ( Dual 3.0GHz Quad Core - 64GB DDR2 )
HP MDS600 - currently about 30% populated - 38TB
By the way... the 2 Brocade Switches are coming out and being replaced by the Virtual Connect SAN switches as mentioned earlier, as well as the other 2 HP GbE2C switches are being retired as they were replaced with the Virtual Connect 1/10 which are now being replaced by the 1/10f
( Currently you can see the 2 Gore CX4 cables coming out of the modules going to my TRX100 )
2 BL680c G5s on the way as well
all 4 BL680's have the same configuration :
4x 2.4GHz Hexacore Xenon, 64GB DDR2, Qlogic QMH2462 Dual Port 4GB HBA in Mezzanine 1 ( Interconnect bays 3 and 4 ), HP NC532M 10GB in Mezzanine 2 ( Interconnect bays 5 and 6 - which i will eventually add the 10GB Ethernet switch )
the other 4 half height blades are XW460c which are workstation blades all 4 running Dual Quad Core Xenon's and 16GB DDR2 also they all have 2 nVidia Tesla Mezzanine cards. the top 4 will be BL490 blades that will allow me to play around with different virtualization environments.
Ok, so I have to ask...
I'm contemplating this switch (purely for the cheap access to 2x10G ports and LACP support), I've found a set of these on Ebay for an LB4M with dual PSUs and 2x10G SFP+'s included for close to $140 US.
I'm ok with the extra power draw, and I think I can make it considerably quieter, so I'm ok with those two "main" issues,
however, I've read/seen several threads of people who have had nothing but major problems with these switches... are these diamonds in the rough, or fake diamonds ?
I'm contemplating this switch (purely for the cheap access to 2x10G ports and LACP support), I've found a set of these on Ebay for an LB4M with dual PSUs and 2x10G SFP+'s included for close to $140 US.
I'm ok with the extra power draw, and I think I can make it considerably quieter, so I'm ok with those two "main" issues,
however, I've read/seen several threads of people who have had nothing but major problems with these switches... are these diamonds in the rough, or fake diamonds ?
I think it may be that the switch is "rough" around the edges for users who are not familiar/adapt to its syntax or used to a "soho" switch.
It has its annoying shortcomings, like some items simply not existing in gui such as jumbo frame for trunks, so you really need to go and telnet into it if you want a good experience.
If that is no blocker for you, enjoy 800 pages of CLI documentation and a great switch for "no money".
Welp, just ordered myself an LB4M with 2x10Gb SFP's included for $100US + shipping ($20). So can't complain for that kinda price.
hey guys, just found this thread/site and I was going to try and add some helpful info, but I think most stuff is covered.
I can't say for certain who else used these switches, but they were pretty commonly used in Microsoft datacenters a few years ago, and a large number have obviously been decommed and have hit the channels. (I thought the M in LB4M was for "Microsoft" - some of the pics on ebay still have the asset tags on them)
Anyway, since I worked on these in the past I can say I never saw one that was anything other than L2. I picked one up off ebay for less than $100 and it was clean inside and out. I measured about 60W idle power with nothing plugged in and about 58db at 1M with a cheap sound meter. Significantly noisier than the Dell switch I was using before, somewhat more power usage, but I get 10gb ports to play with.
Oh yeah I'm probably supposed to say that I work at Microsoft. Legal crap applies, etc.
I can't say for certain who else used these switches, but they were pretty commonly used in Microsoft datacenters a few years ago, and a large number have obviously been decommed and have hit the channels. (I thought the M in LB4M was for "Microsoft" - some of the pics on ebay still have the asset tags on them)
Anyway, since I worked on these in the past I can say I never saw one that was anything other than L2. I picked one up off ebay for less than $100 and it was clean inside and out. I measured about 60W idle power with nothing plugged in and about 58db at 1M with a cheap sound meter. Significantly noisier than the Dell switch I was using before, somewhat more power usage, but I get 10gb ports to play with.
Oh yeah I'm probably supposed to say that I work at Microsoft. Legal crap applies, etc.