GVRP between 2 Powerconnect Switches

Hi,

Is there a reason you are using GVRP, typically it is not recommended. You may want to run show gvrp error-statistics and see if it shows any errors. Page 205 http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/common/powerconnect-3524_reference%20guide_en-us.pdf

Does the firmware match on both of the switches?

Hello Josh,

Thank you for the reply. I'm trying to use GVRP to maintain consistency across the infrastructure, and prevent having to ensure VLANs are named correctly each place. It also makes it easier to set up my trunk ports (well, theoretically, at least) and makes it so you dont have to memorize all VLANs when configuring new hardware. It's also an IEEE standard, and I've set it up very easily with Ubiquiti switches before.

When I check for error s, I don't see any. I also am not seeing actual Join messages, however.

The firmwares do not match: one was 2.0.0.40, and one was 2.0.0.48.  I will update them both to 2.0.0.66 and see if that improves things.

Doesn't seem to have fixed GVRP between the two switches.  Warning: big text dump below.

Note that on 3524, I've added VLANs 3,4,5,11,12,13 statically.  G3 is the interconnect port.  The port is set up in Trunk, with GVRP enabled, and the native PVID as 1.

On the 3548, I've added VLANs 3,11,12,13 (had to to get things working).  G4 is the interconnect port.  The port is set up in Trunk, with GVRP enabled, and the native PVID as 1.

Expected Result: VLANs 4,5 would propagate from 3524 to 3548 as dynamicGvrp in the vlan database.

Actual Result: Nothing happens.

3524P switch (has all of the static VLANs):

GVRP CONFIG (note port g3)

powerconnect-24P-1# show gvrp configuration


GVRP Feature is currently Enabled on the device.
Maximum VLANs: 254


Port(s)  GVRP-Status Registration Dynamic VLAN  Timers(milliseconds)
                                    Creation    Join      Leave      Leave All
-------- ----------- ------------ ------------  ----      -----      ---------
e1       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e2       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e3       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     

e23      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e24      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g1       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g2       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g3       Enabled     Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g4       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
ch1      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
ch2      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     

GVRP Statistics

powerconnect-24P-1# show gvrp statistics

GVRP Statistics:
----------------
Legend:
  rJE  : Join Empty Received    rJIn: Join In Received
  rEmp : Empty Received         rLIn: Leave In Received
  rLE  : Leave Empty Received   rLA : Leave All Received
  sJE  : Join Empty Sent        sJIn: Join In Sent
  sEmp : Empty Sent             sLIn: Leave In Sent
  sLE  : Leave Empty Sent       sLA : Leave All Sent


 Port   rJE  rJIn  rEmp  rLIn   rLE   rLA   sJE  sJIn  sEmp  sLIn   sLE   sLA  
------ ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
  g3     0     0    70     0     0    14     0     0    140    0     0    16   

Port g3 Config

powerconnect-24P-1# show interfaces switchport ethernet g3
Port : g3
Port Mode: Trunk
Gvrp Status: enabled
Ingress Filtering: true
Acceptable Frame Type: admitAll
Ingress UnTagged VLAN ( NATIVE ): 1
Protected: Disabled
 
Port is member in:
 
Vlan               Name               Egress rule Port Membership Type
---- -------------------------------- ----------- --------------------
 1                  1                  Untagged          System        
 3                 HVAC                 Tagged           Static        
 4               Cameras                Tagged           Static        
 5                 Fire                 Tagged           Static        
 11            Wireless              Tagged           Static        
 12            Employee              Tagged           Static        
 13            Cats             Tagged           Static        

 
Forbidden VLANS:
Vlan               Name                     
---- --------------------------------

 
Classification rules:
 
Protocol based VLANs:
Group ID Vlan ID
-------- -------

VLANs

powerconnect-24P-1# show vlan

Vlan       Name                   Ports                Type     Authorization
---- ----------------- --------------------------- ------------ -------------
 1           1         e(1-12,14-24),g(1-4),          other       Required    
                       ch(1-15)                                               
 3         HVAC                e(6,17),g3           permanent     Required    
 4        Cameras                  g3               permanent     Required    
 5         Fire                  e13,g3             permanent     Required    
 11     Wireless               e6,g3             permanent     Required    
 12     Employee               e6,g3             permanent     Required    
 13    Cats               e6,g3             permanent     Required

3548P switch (should be getting configs from 3524p):

GVRP Configuration (note port g4)

powerconnect-48p-1# show gvrp configuration


GVRP Feature is currently Enabled on the device.
Maximum VLANs: 254


Port(s)  GVRP-Status Registration Dynamic VLAN  Timers(milliseconds)
                                    Creation    Join      Leave      Leave All
-------- ----------- ------------ ------------  ----      -----      ---------
e1       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e2       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e3       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e4       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e5       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e6       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000

e46      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e47      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
e48      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g1       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g2       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g3       Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
g4       Enabled     Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
ch1      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
ch2      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     
ch3      Disabled    Normal       Enabled       200       600        10000     

GVRP Statistics

powerconnect-48p-1# show gvrp statistics

GVRP Statistics:
----------------
Legend:
  rJE  : Join Empty Received    rJIn: Join In Received
  rEmp : Empty Received         rLIn: Leave In Received
  rLE  : Leave Empty Received   rLA : Leave All Received
  sJE  : Join Empty Sent        sJIn: Join In Sent
  sEmp : Empty Sent             sLIn: Leave In Sent
  sLE  : Leave Empty Sent       sLA : Leave All Sent


 Port   rJE  rJIn  rEmp  rLIn   rLE   rLA   sJE  sJIn  sEmp  sLIn   sLE   sLA  
------ ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
  g4     0     0    234    0     0    26     0     0    130    0     0    26

Port g4 Configuration

powerconnect-48p-1# show interfaces switchport ethernet g4
Port : g4
Port Mode: Trunk
Gvrp Status: enabled
Ingress Filtering: true
Acceptable Frame Type: admitAll
Ingress UnTagged VLAN ( NATIVE ): 1
Protected: Disabled
 
Port is member in:
 
Vlan               Name               Egress rule Port Membership Type
---- -------------------------------- ----------- --------------------
 1                  1                  Untagged          System        
 3                 HVAC                 Tagged           Static        
 11            Wireless              Tagged           Static        
 12            Employee              Tagged           Static        
 13            Cats             Tagged           Static        

 
Forbidden VLANS:
Vlan               Name               
---- --------------------------------
                                            
 
Classification rules:
 
Protocol based VLANs:
Group ID Vlan ID
-------- -------

VLANs

powerconnect-48p-1# show vlan

Vlan       Name                   Ports                Type     Authorization
---- ----------------- --------------------------- ------------ -------------
 1           1         e(1-43,45,47-48),g(1-4),       other       Required    
                       ch(1-15)                                               
 3         HVAC                e(44,46),g4          permanent     Required    
 11     Wireless                g4               permanent     Required    
 12     Employee                g4               permanent     Required    
 13    Cats                g4               permanent     Required

Try putting the ports in general mode instead of trunk mode. 

Hello,

I ended up giving up on GVRP for now, so if anybody else sees this post in the future and gets to this point, feel free to document how you actually got it working.

Hi Zlacelle,

I've used hours trying to get this to work as well.

Main points I've figured out:

• Dell PowerConnect 5524 require the ports to be in general mode, thus essentially making GVRP irrelevant, as you would still need to apply all VLAN numbers in your switchport general allow add statement. (When i experienced this, the switch only received GVRP Join messages, so what you're describing reminds me of my issue).
• GVRP is pruning all VLANs. This means that the VLAN you're testing will HAVE to be in use in order to dynamically make the vlan. I've tested it doing the following:

(With vlans created)                       (No vlans)                  (Client port assigned to VLAN)

Switch 1               ->                Switch 2            ->                     Switch 3         <-------   Client

As soon as you assign a VLAN to an access port, the VLAN will be created, so it's hard to test with just 2 switches, as the VLANs will be static as soon as you've assigned a vlan to the port.

When you've made this setup, the VLAN should be dynamically added to Switch 2.

• GVRP has to be enabled both Globally & inter-switch links (gvrp enable)
• GVRP doesnt pass VLAN named, so dynamically created VLANs will be named "VLAN0001".

I've given up on implementing GVRP in our network because the PowerConnect 55xx series bug makes it irrelevant. I've tested the setup on the new Dell series (Dell N11xx-ON) and it works, so when our entire infrastructure is updated, I'll reconsider implementing this.

To be fair, I havn't tested with the latest PowerConnect 55xx firmware, but Dell seems to refer to the workaround of using general-mode ports so I doubt they've done anything about it yet.

If I've missed something about automatically adding new VLANs  to General mode interfaces, please enlighten me, as the workaround seems ridiculous. (I'm coming from a Cisco environment (love VTPv3), so not exactly the specialist yet).

Hope the information can help you out or prevent further frustration.

\\Martin

Why is GVRP not recommended? Complexity?