What to do with Quanta T3048-LY2 switch

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RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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A while back, I bought a Quanta T3048-LY2 switch, primarily because it was cheap... :oops:
And while I no longer have plan for what to use it for, I figure it would be cool if I could find a use for it, in a lab or something.

It's a 48x 10Gbe (sfp+) and 4x 40Gbe (QSFP) bare metal switch, with a Freescale P2020 (powerpc architecture) CPU and a Broadcom Trident+ switch chip.

It came preloaded with an expired installation of Cumulus Linux.

I would like some help to determine what my options are in terms of OS, as far as I can tell my options may be the following but I am hoping someone knows something:
  • Use the existing Cumulus Linux installation (even though it has expired) - I realize that this is probably my best bet, but I do not want to do this.
  • Open Network Linux (ONL) apparently supports it, but my understanding is that ONL is only a base operating system, not a full platform, so what does this actually mean? (can I boot an OS, but not actually use it as a L2/L3 switch?)
  • Quanta has a version of QNOS available for the sibling switch (the T3048-LY2R, which AFAIK is basically the same switch without separate PHY chips), can this be used? and does it require a license?
From what I can gather, SONIC is not an option as the switch is based on a PowerPC CPU.

Anyone has some valuable insight?
 

dandanio

Active Member
Oct 10, 2017
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Donate it. ;) I can supply you with a worthy recipient's address, but only privately. :) Don't want any hate snail mail.
 

Terry Wallace

PsyOps SysOp
Aug 13, 2018
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I also brought the same switch for the same reason. the Ly2 and the ly2R software packages are not interchangeable. If your switch boots with uboot (which it should) you can install the qunata QNOS. The trick is it needs a license key. Now the unit I had was still registered with quanta as having come with qnos originally so I when I opened a support ticket i got a license. Just use their website support area and submit a request.. tell them your trying to reinstall qnos and have lost your license key. However if was originally registered as something else you'd have to pay for a key. Quanta will also give you a 30 day trial key if you put qnos on there so you can see if it works for your needs.

I also tried the ONL route... it was weird and I couldn't get it to work. I got the software loaded and running. But that left me with a switch running linux not doing any switching.. I'm sure i missed something subtle in that attempt.

Maybe if @fohdeesha is bored ;) he'll hack the broadcom firmware over to it as its close to the icx 6650 if I recall.

Also whats the part number on the side of the switch should be something like 1Zb000xxxx
 
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RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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I also brought the same switch for the same reason. the Ly2 and the ly2R software packages are not interchangeable. If your switch boots with uboot (which it should) you can install the qunata QNOS. The trick is it needs a license key. Now the unit I had was still registered with quanta as having come with qnos originally so I when I opened a support ticket i got a license. Just use their website support area and submit a request.. tell them your trying to reinstall qnos and have lost your license key. However if was originally registered as something else you'd have to pay for a key. Quanta will also give you a 30 day trial key if you put qnos on there so you can see if it works for your needs.

I also tried the ONL route... it was weird and I couldn't get it to work. I got the software loaded and running. But that left me with a switch running linux not doing any switching.. I'm sure i missed something subtle in that attempt.

Maybe if @fohdeesha is bored ;) he'll hack the broadcom firmware over to it as its close to the icx 6650 if I recall.

Also whats the part number on the side of the switch should be something like 1Zb000xxxx
That sounds interesting, how did you determine that it had been delivered with QNOS? through the part number? (1Ly2bzz000R btw)

What about the software itself, how did you get that? from Quanta support?
What can you expect in terms of updates? as far as I can tell, they are good at updating the LY2R switch, does the same apply for the LY2?

The ONL route looks interesting, I found what looks like an internal note suggesting that you may also want something called OF-DPA on it. Now if OF-DPA is all it takes, I don't know, but it looks interesting enough to consider as a 2nd option in case the QNOS falls through.
 

RTM

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Jan 26, 2014
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Donate it. ;) I can supply you with a worthy recipient's address, but only privately. :) Don't want any hate snail mail.
Haha .... no, if push comes to shove, I may try to sell it on eBay.
 

Terry Wallace

PsyOps SysOp
Aug 13, 2018
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1Ly2bzz000R is a bare metal switch model (sold to companies like yahoo or amazon etc in bulk who put their own switching software on it)
I've had one of those before. The only path is to open a ticket on quantas website with the serial number and hope that you may get a "nice" tech support person who provides you a license.
Or stick with cumulus
 

RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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That is too bad, but I suppose that is just how it goes when you do impulse shopping like that.

I'll put it into the pile of projects for when I may have the time to look into ONL + OF-DPA (or whatever it takes).... probably never I guess
 

Terry Wallace

PsyOps SysOp
Aug 13, 2018
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ServerKing,
I had no problem. I contacted QCT in seattle.
emailed back and forth with Ben.Habr@qct.io
his answer was
"
Hi Terry W.,
$359 for the license. Payment will need to be made to our parent company in Taiwan. Let us know if we can still help with this case.
Thanks,
Ben

"
 
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hatchi

Member
Nov 8, 2014
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Hi Everyone
I know this is old topic but just wanted to warn everyone from buying even T3048-LY2R version
As I got some of it and they are ODM gear So QCT does not support or sell the OS to them even

currently have few of them even missing any OS and not sure where to find any OS to work on them
 

mailinglists

New Member
Mar 3, 2017
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@hatchi you are correct, QCT won't support them :) However QNOS can be found on Quantas website.

I am willing to buy them at a cheap price, if you, or any others are interested.
Cheap means 300$ per unit. Even the ones that do not have any OS installed or any license.

On a related note, I am also willing to buy or trade "used" QNOS 5 licenses. No need to come of LY2R, can be from others like LB9.