I configured two Powerconnect 8024F switches for use with Equallogic. Firmware version on swithes is 5.0.0.4 and on the Equallogic the firmware version is 6.0.1. I stacked swithes together and I use 6 ports on every switch for that. I configured ports for use with equallogic and servers accessing that equallogic. I created seperate VLAN, set mtu size to 9216 and enable flow control. Here is the problem: I got an error or I should say Warning on Equallogic saying that: Ethernet flow control has been disabled on one or more interfaces. I checked severeal times the configuration but could not find any problems.
Don, we get the same message after upgrading EQL firmware from 5.2.5 to 6.0.1, but we're using M8024-k switches - those should be fully DCB compliant or?
Or will that message disappear after correctly configuring DCB on the switch?
You can see if show recentevents on your EQL returns
1022:41:QRQ:23-Nov-2012 14:20:20.155416:dcb.c:1871:WARNING::9.3.0:Interface eth0 has negotiated DCB priority flow control with the switch. However, the switch did not configure iSCSI traffic for a lossless priority. No Ethernet flow control is enabled for iSCSI on this interface.
To fix it configure flow control manually or change interface to auto-up and allow your storage to configure it.
Setting M8024-k interface to "lldp dcbx port-role auto-up" solved the problem for me.
I've double checked it and it seems to be totally non deterministic. My solution works for one eql storage and doesn't work for another. Both arrays have same firmware revision and are connected to same stacked switches with identically configured ports and only one reports problem.
So probably I'll have to disable DCB which is not the best solution :-/
1. DCB will automatically be disabled if you disable LLDP. This is because DCB parameters are communicated via LLDP packets. So if you turn off LLDP, it will turn off DCB as well. Since many environments use LLDP, turning off LLDP is not an option.
2. Edge devices like NICs and storage devices are in "willing mode", meaning they always inherit DCB parameters from a source switch. So if you want to completely disable DCB in your network, you turn it off on the switch. Some edge devices allow you to disable DCB, usually via the option ROM.
3. It's not good practice to disable DCB on one edge device (i.e. EQL) and leave it enabled at the other end point (i.e. server NIC). This causes flow control incompatibilities.
4. On the PC8024, you can try to disable DCB on the interface itself via the following commands:
no lldp tlv-select dcbxp ets-config
no lldp tlv-select dcbxp ets-recommend
no lldp tlv-select dcbxp pfc
no lldp tlv-select dcbxp application-priority
Also, be sure to disable DCB globally via the "no dcb enable" command.
Thank you for your reply. The problem is that I am unable turn it off globally because there is no such command, I have tried everything so far in vain.
Show version command prints the following:
show ver
System Description................ Dell Ethernet Switch -omitted for brevity- System Model ID................... PCM8024-k Machine Type...................... PowerConnect M8024-k
I was unable to turn lldp off, either because there is nosuch command either.
(config-if-Te1/0/9)#?
description Add Description to the interface do Run Privileged Exec mode commands. dot1x Configure Dot1x interface commands. exit To exit from the mode. show Show configured settings and operational status. shutdown Enable/Disable a port.
rafkos
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Posted October 26th, 2012 11:00
Dwilliam62 THANK YOU!
I disabled DCB and the warning is gone.
Rafko