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6 Posts

22193

January 28th, 2004 03:00

Funky behavior with 5224

This concerns a Dell 5224 switch with versions as follows:
Loader Version: 1.0.0.0
Boot ROM Version: 1.0.0.5
Operation Code Version (a fancy name for "firmware"): 3.1.0.8

Here is a description of the problem: Servers plugged into ports 1 through 12 can ping any other server on port 1 through 12, but CANNOT ping any server on port 13 or higher. Servers plugged into ports 13 or higher can ping any other server on port 13 or higher, but CANNOT ping any server on port 1 through 12.

Routing is handled by a fiber connected Cisco 3550 Layer 3 switch. I could ping the IP address of the Dell 5224 switch from some of the servers on the Dell 5224, but not from others. These ping packets would enter the Dell 5224, get tagged as VLAN 13, hopefully get shot out port 24 on their way to the Cisco 3550 switch for routing, then come back through port 24 on VLAN 99 to communicate with the estabished IP address of the Dell 5224 switch. In an ideal world, the Dell switch would respond on VLAN 99, send its reply packets out of port 24 to the Cisco for routing, then back up through port 24 on VLAN 13 and enter the server that sent the origional ping packet. This did not always happen; it sometimes depended on which side of the switch your servers were plugged into: sometimes ports 1-12 would respond and 13-23 wouldn't. Other times, 13-23 would respond but 1-12 wouldn't. And still other times, no ports could get a response.

The following is a dump of the running-config from the Dell 5224 switch. This ru has been edited here and there to protect our network, but is otherwise untouched.

!
hostname Dell5224
!
!
snmp-server community private rw
snmp-server community public ro
!
!
username admin access-level 15
username admin password 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
username guest access-level 0
username guest password 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
enable password level 15 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
!
!
!NOTE: The VLAN names below have been changed to protect the guilty
!However, the lengths of the names below are as long as the longest
!VLAN name we've used in the production environment
vlan database
vlan 1 name VLAN-001_NAME----------1 media ethernet state active
vlan 2 name VLAN-002_NAME----------2 media ethernet state active
vlan 3 name VLAN-003_NAME----------3 media ethernet state active
vlan 4 name VLAN-004_NAME----------4 media ethernet state active
vlan 5 name VLAN-005_NAME----------5 media ethernet state active
vlan 6 name VLAN-006_NAME----------6 media ethernet state active
vlan 7 name VLAN-007_NAME----------7 media ethernet state active
vlan 8 name VLAN-008_NAME----------8 media ethernet state active
vlan 9 name VLAN-009_NAME----------9 media ethernet state active
vlan 10 name VLAN-010_NAME---------10 media ethernet state active
vlan 11 name VLAN-011_NAME---------11 media ethernet state active
vlan 12 name VLAN-012_NAME---------12 media ethernet state active
vlan 13 name VLAN-013_NAME---------13 media ethernet state active
vlan 14 name VLAN-014_NAME---------14 media ethernet state active
vlan 15 name VLAN-015_NAME---------15 media ethernet state active
vlan 51 name VLAN-051_NAME---------16 media ethernet state active
vlan 53 name VLAN-053_NAME---------17 media ethernet state active
vlan 99 name VLAN-099_NAME---------18 media ethernet state active
!
!
interface ethernet 1/1
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/2
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/3
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/4
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/5
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/6
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/7
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/8
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/9
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/10
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/11
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/12
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/13
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/14
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/15
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/16
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/17
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/18
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/19
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/20
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/21
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/22
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/23
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/24
no negotiation
switchport allowed vlan add 99 untagged
switchport native vlan 99
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
switchport acceptable-frame-types tagged
switchport mode trunk
switchport allowed vlan add 13,99 tagged
!
!
interface vlan 99
ip address 192.168.30.32
!
ip default-gateway 192.168.30.3
!
no spanning-tree
!
line console
!
line vty
!
end

My problem continues in the next post.

6 Posts

January 28th, 2004 03:00

A co-worker then saved the ru to a tftp server and set the switch back to factory defaults. He then proceeded to manually enter the config file listed below. The config file below is based off of the one above. He left out a lot of fluff (like VLAN names) just to get the unit up and running. Using this config file, all the servers could talk to each other no matter what port they were plugged into on the Dell 5224 switch. The switch even responed to pings, telnet, and web browsing on its IP addy as configured on VLAN 99. This means the Cisco 3550 was routing between VLANS properly.

!This is the config file that works perfectly
!
!
snmp-server community private rw
snmp-server community public ro
!
!
username admin access-level 15
username admin password 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
username guest access-level 0
username guest password 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
enable password level 15 7 ha!wouldn'tyouliketoknow
!
!
!
vlan database
vlan 1 name DefaultVlan media ethernet state active
vlan 13 media ethernet state active
vlan 99 name media ethernet state active
!
!
interface ethernet 1/1
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/2
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/3
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/4
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/5
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/6
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/7
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/8
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/9
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/10
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/11
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/12
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/13
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/14
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/15
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/16
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/17
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/18
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/19
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/20
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/21
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/22
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/23
switchport allowed vlan add 13 untagged
switchport native vlan 13
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
!
interface ethernet 1/24
no negotiation
switchport allowed vlan add 99 untagged
switchport native vlan 99
switchport allowed vlan remove 1
switchport mode trunk
switchport allowed vlan add 13,99 tagged
!
!
interface vlan 99
ip address 192.168.30.32 255.255.255.0
!
ip default-gateway 192.168.30.1
!
line console
!
line vty
!
end

My problem continues in the next post.

6 Posts

January 28th, 2004 04:00

Scratching his head, he proceeded to make the smaller perfectly working script resemble the larger original script. As he added more configuration options to the ru, something made it break again. The Dell 5224 returned to its original state where servers couldn't always talk to other servers and the switch itself wouldn't always respond to ping, telnet, or http requests.

My coworker believes that the script may be too long and that during boot, a buffer overflow is taking place. I beleive there is something in our original script that has unearthed a flaw in the 3.1.0.8 firmware (...oops! I meant "Operation Code Version").

Can someone shed some light on this subject?

2 Intern

 • 

169 Posts

January 28th, 2004 12:00

This is definitely an issue that we will need to investigate further, but the forum is not an ideal medium for that (as we may require information that may be considered of a sensitive nature).

I would strongly recommend contacting Dell technical support at 1-800-822-8965, so that we can give this issue prompt attention and begin investigating the cause.

2 Posts

August 11th, 2004 04:00

I've got a similar issue and I wondered if this issu got resolved.

6 Posts

August 11th, 2004 11:00

The 3.0.1.16 firmware did the trick. I just get more and more dissapointed with Dell switches the more I use them. It seems like I'm always discovering a flaw that requires the latest firmware to fix it. Plus scheduling down time in the middle of the night. Sigh....

2 Intern

 • 

812 Posts

August 11th, 2004 11:00

This looks related to a VLAN bridging issue found with the 3.1.0.8 firmware. It is mostly seen when using VLAN port overlapping, but I was able to duplicate the problem simply by configuring 2-3 VLANs on the switch and adding member ports.

Updating the firmware to the most recent revision, 3.1.0.16, should resolve this problem.

2 Posts

August 11th, 2004 21:00

I've done that upgrade and it solves the problem.

Initially I looked at relevant Firmware section under Downloads for this device which still lists the old 3.1.0.8 code. See http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/type.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=PWC_5224&category=0&os=NAA&osl=en&deviceid=2626&devlib=31

Once I knew there was a later version I explored some more and found it under the Network Drivers section for the switch. See http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/type.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&SystemID=PWC_5224&category=0&os=NAA&osl=en&deviceid=2626&devlib=5

I would good if the latest version was available at both locations.
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