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57940

March 8th, 2013 10:00

spanning tree protocol and isolated switch

Hi,

We have a network with two 6248s, two M6220s and four M8024s, a few PowerEdge blade/rack servers and a few EqualLogic iSCSI arrays.

There are few redundant paths in the network topology, but that shouldn't be an issue, since the switches are running by default the rapid spanning tree protocol.

But yesterday we hit an big issue.

After reloading one of the M8024s, it got completely isolated from the network!

The M8024 in question (switch-c1) is connected to another M8024 (switch-b1) and to a 6248 (switch2).

It appears that the spanning tree protocol instance on the latter two switches is blocking the ports connected to the switch in question, see the diagnostic output and the logs below.

And being isolated from the network, the switch in question is running its own spanning tree protcol instance.

Before the reload, the switch was apparently working just fine within the network.

We would expect that only one of the two switches connect to it would block the connection to it to prevent a loop in the network, but not both of them at the same time!

The switch has now been isolated from the network for more than a day, a new STP log entry is created on each of the two switches connected to it every two seconds.

It looks like the issue is not going to resolve automatically.

The 6248s are running firmware version 3.3.5.5.

The M6220s and M8024s are running firmware version 5.0.1.3.

What's wrong with our setup?

Thanks.

P.S.: The MAC addresses and the IP addresses in this message are masked.

switch2#show spanning-tree blockedports
Spanning tree Enabled (BPDU flooding : Disabled) mode rstp
CST Regional Root: 80:00:00:19:B9:11:11:11
Regional Root Path Cost: 0


###### MST 0 Vlan Mapped: 1, 10, 31-46, 150
ROOT ID
Address 00:19:B9:11:11:11
This Switch is the Root.
Hello Time 2 Sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interfaces

Name State Prio.Nbr Cost Sts Role PortFast RestrictedPort
------ -------- --------- ---------- ---- ----- -------- -------
1/xg4 Enabled 128.52 2000 DSC Desg No No
 
switch2# show logging
<189> MAR 08 18:19:18 111.111.111.111-1 TRAPMGR[152561184]: traputil.c(611) 54331 %% 1/0/52 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0
<189> MAR 08 18:19:20 111.111.111.111-1 TRAPMGR[152561184]: traputil.c(611) 54332 %% 1/0/52 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0
<189> MAR 08 18:19:22 111.111.111.111-1 TRAPMGR[152561184]: traputil.c(611) 54333 %% 1/0/52 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0
 
 
 
switch-b1#show spanning-tree blockedports

Spanning tree Enabled (BPDU flooding : Disabled) mode rstp
CST Regional Root: 80:00:A4:BA:DB:22:22:22
Regional Root Path Cost: 0


###### MST 0 Vlan Mapped: 1, 10, 31-45, 150
ROOT ID
Priority 32768
Address 0019.B911.1111
Path Cost 3000
Root Port Te1/1/4
Hello Time 2 Sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Bridge ID
Priority 32768
Address A4BA.DB22.2222
Hello Time 2 Sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interfaces

Name State Prio.Nbr Cost Sts Role RestrictedPort
------ -------- --------- --------- ---- ----- --------------
Te1/1/3 Enabled 128.19 2000 DSC Desg No

switch-b1#show logging
<189> MAR 08 18:08:11 222.222.222.222-1 TRAPMGR[199127520]: traputil.c(637) 57162 %% Te1/1/3 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0
<189> MAR 08 18:08:09 222.222.222.222-1 TRAPMGR[199127520]: traputil.c(637) 57161 %% Te1/1/3 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0
<189> MAR 08 18:08:07 222.222.222.222-1 TRAPMGR[199127520]: traputil.c(637) 57160 %% Te1/1/3 is transitioned from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state in instance 0

switch-c1#show spanning-tree blockedports

Spanning tree Enabled (BPDU flooding : Disabled) mode rstp
CST Regional Root: 80:00:5C:26:0A:33:33:33
Regional Root Path Cost: 0


###### MST 0 Vlan Mapped: 1, 10, 31-45, 150
ROOT ID
Priority 32768
Address 5C26.0A33.3333
This Switch is the Root.
Hello Time 2 Sec Max Age 20 sec Forward Delay 15 sec
Interfaces

Name State Prio.Nbr Cost Sts Role RestrictedPort
------ -------- --------- --------- ---- ----- --------------

802 Posts

March 8th, 2013 11:00

I would suggest setting the span root priority on the current root switch to 4096.  This would keep the switch as the root. We can look at running the clear spanning-tree detected-protocols command and see if the network returns to normal after the reconvergence.  Or you could manually pull one of the redundant cable connecting switch-c1 which would cause a convergence also.

console(config)#spanning-tree priority 4096

Syntax

clear spanning-tree detected-protocols [{gigabitethernet unit/slot/port | port-channel port-channel-number | tengigabitethernet unit/slot/port}]

Example

The following example restarts the protocol migration process (forces the renegotiation with neighboring switches) on 1/0/1.

console#clear spanning-tree detected-protocols gigabitethernet 1/0/1

108 Posts

March 9th, 2013 02:00

Hi Willy,

About changing the priority for the root switch, is that really required?

Even if all switches have the same priority (the default one), wouldn't the different MAC address result in one of them to always be the root switch anyway?

Before we try to clear the the protocols or pull of the cables, we'd like to understand how the isolated switch got stuck in such situation, to avoid a similar issue in the future, after all it was apparently working fine before the reload.

Do you have any ideas on what could have caused the issue and how to prevent it from happening again?

Do you think there is something wrong with our setup? Or could I be a bug in the firmware of one of the switches?

Thanks.

802 Posts

March 11th, 2013 13:00

I'm still researching the possible reasons for the isolation of the switch.

One question I have is how are the trunk links configured on the different switch connections?  Something to consider is that with the 6224 specifically you should have a general mode switchport instead of a trunk switchport to allow management traffic onto the switch over the PVID.   If you use Trunk mode, you will not have the default VLAN on those ports.  The ports will only allow tagged traffic.

If these connections are not set properly then the multicast of the BPDU is blocked and can cause issues like you are seeing.  

802 Posts

March 11th, 2013 13:00

Would it be possible to get a topology and the show tech output for all your switches?

We can communicate thru email.  

If loop guard is set up incorrectly you could also see a situation like this.

802 Posts

March 12th, 2013 13:00

We are seeing in the configurations that you provided that it is possible an issue with the trunking/general ports.  Since you are running all tagged VLANs and no untagged VLANs, then spanning tree should still be going over VLAN 1.

This would make since why the switch would drop off from not receiving any BPDUs.  The weird thing is that it is you are getting BPDUs on B1.  Like you have stated that it is working fine.

The options that are available to tweak the configurations are:

1)  on the 2 M8024s switch to trunk (this will bring VLAN 1 back into the allowed state, allowing BPDU traffic on VLAN 1)

2)  stick with general switchport mode and change the PVID on all four ports to VLAN 1

108 Posts

March 13th, 2013 08:00

Hi Willy,

We didn't understand why with the current configuration switch-c1 would be dropping the BPDUs, could you elaborate a bit on that?

Regarding the suggested options:

1) Doesn't general mode allow VLAN 1 by default (as does trunk mode)?

The show interface detail outputs below seem to confirm that VLAN 1 is already allowed on all the interconnection ports.

2) The outputs also appear to confirm that all ports already have PVID set to 1.

We cannot still figure out why the sent/received BPDU counters keep increasing for all interconnection ports, except for those on the isolated switch, for which only the sent counter keeps increasing, while the received counter is always at 0.

What could be causing that? Anything else we can try to figure out the isolation cause?

Thanks.

switch-c1#show interfaces detail Te1/1/3

Port       Name                         Duplex  Speed    Neg  MTU   Admin  Link

                                                                  State  State

---------  ---------------------------  ------  -------  ---- ----- -----  -----

Te1/1/3                                 Full    10000    Off  9216  Up     Up

Port      Description

--------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Te1/1/3

Flow Control:Enabled

Port: Te1/1/3

VLAN Membership mode:General Mode

Operating parameters:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Default Priority: 0

GVRP status:Disabled

Protected:Disabled

Port Te1/1/3 is member in:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule   Type

----    --------------------------------- -----------   --------

1       default                           Untagged      Default

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged        Static

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged        Static

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged        Static

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged        Static

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged        Static

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged        Static

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged        Static

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged        Static

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged        Static

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged        Static

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged        Static

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged        Static

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged        Static

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged        Static

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged        Static

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged        Static

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged        Static

Static configuration:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Port Te1/1/3 is statically configured to:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule

----    --------------------------------- -----------

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged

Forbidden VLANS:

VLAN    Name

----    ---------------------------------

Port Te1/1/3 Enabled

State: Forwarding                                Role: Designated

Port id: 128.19                                  Port Cost: 2000

Port Fast:  No (Configured: no )                 Root Protection: No

Designated bridge Priority: 32768                Address: 5C26.0A33.3333

Designated port id: 128.19                       Designated path cost: 0

CST Regional Root: 80:00:5C:26:0A:33:33:33       CST Port Cost: 0

BPDU: sent 260144, received 0

switch-c1#show interfaces detail Te1/1/4

Port       Name                         Duplex  Speed    Neg  MTU   Admin  Link

                                                                  State  State

---------  ---------------------------  ------  -------  ---- ----- -----  -----

Te1/1/4                                 Full    10000    Off  9216  Up     Up

Port      Description

--------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Te1/1/4

Flow Control:Enabled

Port: Te1/1/4

VLAN Membership mode:General Mode

Operating parameters:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Default Priority: 0

GVRP status:Disabled

Protected:Disabled

Port Te1/1/4 is member in:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule   Type

----    --------------------------------- -----------   --------

1       default                           Untagged      Default

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged        Static

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged        Static

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged        Static

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged        Static

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged        Static

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged        Static

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged        Static

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged        Static

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged        Static

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged        Static

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged        Static

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged        Static

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged        Static

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged        Static

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged        Static

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged        Static

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged        Static

Static configuration:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Port Te1/1/4 is statically configured to:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule

----    --------------------------------- -----------

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged

Forbidden VLANS:

VLAN    Name

----    ---------------------------------

Port Te1/1/4 Enabled

State: Forwarding                                Role: Designated

Port id: 128.20                                  Port Cost: 2000

Port Fast:  No (Configured: no )                 Root Protection: No

Designated bridge Priority: 32768                Address: 5C26.0A33.3333

Designated port id: 128.20                       Designated path cost: 0

CST Regional Root: 80:00:5C:26:0A:33:33:33       CST Port Cost: 0

BPDU: sent 260151, received 0

switch-b1#show interfaces detail Te1/1/3

Port       Name                         Duplex  Speed    Neg  MTU   Admin  Link

                                                                  State  State

---------  ---------------------------  ------  -------  ---- ----- -----  -----

Te1/1/3                                 Full    10000    Off  9216  Up     Up

Port      Description

--------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Te1/1/3

Flow Control:Enabled

Port: Te1/1/3

VLAN Membership mode:General Mode

Operating parameters:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Default Priority: 0

GVRP status:Disabled

Protected:Disabled

Port Te1/1/3 is member in:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule   Type

----    --------------------------------- -----------   --------

1       default                           Untagged      Default

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged        Static

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged        Static

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged        Static

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged        Static

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged        Static

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged        Static

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged        Static

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged        Static

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged        Static

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged        Static

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged        Static

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged        Static

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged        Static

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged        Static

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged        Static

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged        Static

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged        Static

Static configuration:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Port Te1/1/3 is statically configured to:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule

----    --------------------------------- -----------

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged

31      VLAN0031                          Tagged

32      VLAN0032                          Tagged

33      VLAN0033                          Tagged

34      VLAN0034                          Tagged

35      VLAN0035                          Tagged

36      VLAN0036                          Tagged

37      VLAN0037                          Tagged

38      VLAN0038                          Tagged

39      VLAN0039                          Tagged

40      VLAN0040                          Tagged

41      VLAN0041                          Tagged

42      VLAN0042                          Tagged

43      VLAN0043                          Tagged

44      VLAN0044                          Tagged

45      VLAN0045                          Tagged

150     VLAN0150                          Tagged

Forbidden VLANS:

VLAN    Name

----    ---------------------------------

Port Te1/1/3 Enabled

State: Discarding                                Role: Designated

Port id: 128.19                                  Port Cost: 2000

Port Fast:  No (Configured: no )                 Root Protection: No

Designated bridge Priority: 32768                Address: A4BA.DB22.2222

Designated port id: 128.19                       Designated path cost: 3000

CST Regional Root: 80:00:A4:BA:DB:22:22:22       CST Port Cost: 0

BPDU: sent 260423, received 260416

switch2#show interfaces detail ethernet 1/xg4

Port   Type                            Duplex  Speed    Neg   Admin  Link

                                                             State  State

-----  ------------------------------  ------  -------  ----  -----  -----

1/xg4  10G - Level                     Full    10000    Auto  Up     Up

Port  Description

----  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

1/xg4

Flow Control:Enabled

Port: 1/xg4

VLAN Membership mode:General Mode

Operating parameters:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Default Priority: 0

GVRP status:Disabled

Protected:Disabled

Port 1/xg4 is member in:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule   Type

----    --------------------------------- -----------   --------

1       Default                           Untagged      Default

10                                        Tagged        Static

31                                        Tagged        Static

32                                        Tagged        Static

33                                        Tagged        Static

34                                        Tagged        Static

35                                        Tagged        Static

36                                        Tagged        Static

37                                        Tagged        Static

38                                        Tagged        Static

39                                        Tagged        Static

40                                        Tagged        Static

41                                        Tagged        Static

42                                        Tagged        Static

43                                        Tagged        Static

44                                        Tagged        Static

45                                        Tagged        Static

46                                        Tagged        Static

150                                       Tagged        Static

Static configuration:

PVID: 1

Ingress Filtering: Enabled

Acceptable Frame Type: Admit All

Port 1/xg4 is statically configured to:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule

----    --------------------------------- -----------

10                                        Tagged

31                                        Tagged

32                                        Tagged

33                                        Tagged

34                                        Tagged

35                                        Tagged

36                                        Tagged

37                                        Tagged

38                                        Tagged

39                                        Tagged

40                                        Tagged

41                                        Tagged

42                                        Tagged

43                                        Tagged

44                                        Tagged

45                                        Tagged

46                                        Tagged

150                                       Tagged

Forbidden VLANS:

VLAN    Name

----    ---------------------------------

Port 1/xg4   Enabled

State: Discarding                                Role: Designated

Port id: 128.52                                  Port Cost: 2000

Port Fast:  No (Configured: no )                 Root Protection: No

Designated bridge Priority: 32768                Address: 80:00:00:19:B9:11:11:11

Designated port id: 128.52                       Designated path cost: 0

CST Regional Root: 80:00:00:19:B9:11:11:11       CST Port Cost: 0

BPDU: sent 2155962, received 260267

802 Posts

March 13th, 2013 12:00

As far as elaborating on the cause.  We are getting some unusual reactions from the set up that you have.  

1)  Specifically on the 6200 models you have to use general mode and specify the PVID as 1 in order to allow management traffic across the connection.  On all the other switches trunk mode is a default “all” VLANs including the default VLAN 1.  You would have to explicitly remove a VLAN if you do not want it on the trunk.

This is what is confusing, because you have been receiving BPDUs on 1 switch but not the other.

2)  I do see the outputs have PVID as 1.  The problem has to be how the trunk/general connections are configured between the switches.  This is how the BPDUs are sent and received.

If you look at the excerpt from the running config on your 6248.  I do not see VLAN 1 listed as added

interface ethernet 1/xg4

mtu 9216

switchport mode general

switchport general allowed vlan add 10,31-46,150 tagged

We can go to the port and add the line (and to all other ports connecting to other switches)

switchport general allowed vlan add 1 untagged

108 Posts

March 14th, 2013 10:00

Hi Willy,

As you suggested, we added the following line to the configuration for switch2 port 1/xg4, switch-b1 port Te1/1/3 and switch-c1 ports Te1/1/3 and Te1/1/4:

   switchport general allowed vlan add 1 untagged

Unfortunately that didn't help: switch-c1 is still isolated and its port Te1/1/3 and Te1/1/4 still show 0 BPDU received.

Also, executing show running-config on the switches, the listed configuration didn't change at all: the above line is not shown, probably because VLAN 1 is allowed by default, so there no explicit configuration line needed for it.

We cannot really understand why switch-c1 is not receiving any BDPUs from switch-b1 and switch2.

Could it be a firmare bug?

Anything else we can do the debug the issue?

Thanks.

802 Posts

March 14th, 2013 16:00

I think at this point it will do us a great service to get a topology of the switches.  We have a pretty good understanding.  Because of the circumstances surrounding this case it would be good to on top of everything.

switch-c1  M8024 - has these ports connecting to what exactly?

Te1/1/3

Te1/1/4  

switch-b1  M8024 - has these ports connecting to what exactly?

Te1/1/3

switch2  6248 - has these ports connecting to what exactly?

1/xg4

I'm still researching on what options we have towards resolution. Sorry to back up a little I just want to make sure we have clear understanding.

108 Posts

March 15th, 2013 10:00

Hi Willy,

Those are the interconnection ports, here is the relevant information from my email from the other day:

"The isolated switch is switch-c1, its port Te1/1/3 is connected to port Te1/1/3 on switch-b1 and its port Te1/1/4 is connected to port xg4 on switch2."

Please let us know as soon as you find out something, we really need to find what's causing this isolation issue and how to prevent it from happening again.

Thanks.

802 Posts

March 15th, 2013 16:00

I'm still in discussion with engineers.  I will reply back when I have further information.

108 Posts

March 19th, 2013 03:00

Hi Willy,

Did the engineers find out anything about this issue?

Thanks.

108 Posts

March 21st, 2013 05:00

Hi Willy,

Is there any additional information we can provide you to help your engineers debug this issue?

Thanks.

802 Posts

March 21st, 2013 11:00

Sorry for the delayed response.

What we are still seeing that VLAN 1 untagged is still not allowed thru the port.

Port Te1/1/3 is statically configured to:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule

----    --------------------------------- -----------

10      VLAN0010                          Tagged

We can change the ports on the 8024 to trunk mode.  This will default to allowing VLAN 1 untagged.

(Make sure NOT to add a statement explicitly removing VLAN 1)

108 Posts

March 23rd, 2013 05:00

Hi Willy,

VLAN 1 traffic is already untagged on Port Te1/1/3 on switch-b1 and switch-c1 with the current configuration, using general mode, see below:

Port Te1/1/3 is member in:

VLAN    Name                              Egress rule   Type

----    --------------------------------- -----------   --------

1       default                           Untagged      Default

If we change it to trunk mode, VLAN 1 traffic would instead be tagged instead.

We're getting a bit confused about the different suggestions to use general/trunk modes on this post and at this point we're afraid that's may not be the cause of our issue.

Maybe the issue lies somewhere else or could this actually be a bug in the firmware?

Thanks.

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