2950 - Power cycle issue

[Jeff Harned]

Hi All,

I am new to networking but have been working with a small LAN setup with success.

This is my issue:

I am using one 2950 switch along with data converison devices converting incoming serial data to multicast data back to serial data.
For the switch configuration I have chosen to use MVR (Multicast VLAN Registration) assigning ports in a VLAN (Virtual LAN) configuration.

I save the configuration steps using the "copy running-config startup-congfig" command.  So far everthing is working great!

However, when I do a power cycle on the switch the ports become inactive (although the port status LEDs are green).  I know no multicast data is getting through to the devices because there are no data activity LEDs lit up on them.

Performing a "show running-config' on the switch shows that the configuration entries are intact.  To get the LAN setup to work again I have to retype the configuration steps again into the switch.  Can someone help me with this issue?

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

Cisco 2950 Switch
IOS Version 12.1(22)EA9
Running Standard Image

24 FastEthernet Ports

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Jeff,

Can you post the output of "sh ver" from the switch?

[Jeff Harned]

Hi Reza,

I will give it a try.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[glen.grant]

  I would think it is something in your config , if you have ports assigned to a given vlan but that vlan is not created in the vlan database the ports will go into an inactive state .  Not sure what it could be though. Check your vtp status and see if it's in transparent mode and if not change it .

[Jeff Harned]

Hi Glen,

I already have set in the begiining of the configuration to the transparent mode as you have stated.  After reading your reply I went ahead and did a power cycle on the switch. Checking the "show vlan" indicates that the vlans are still active!

Is this the same as the vlan database you mentioned??

Has to be an answer somewhere.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[Reza Sharifi]

Jeff,

Show ver output look ok.  After the switch is rebooted, you have to delete all the existing commands and retype them again in order for Multicast to work again?

Anything in the logs before and after reboot?

You may want to try and load a different version of IOS and see if that solves the issue.

One more thing, can you post "sh run"?

HTH

[Jeff Harned]

Reza,

After the switch reboots after a power cycle I do not have to delete any commands, I simply retype the commands and all is good again.

As far as the logs you would have to tell how to do this.

The run file is attached.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[Leo Laohoo]

Can you post the output to the command "sh vlan"?

[Jeff Harned]

Leolaohoo,

Please see the attatchment.  A few things to mention in the document.  The document was generated after a power cycle was performed yesterday.

As you can see the document states the ports that I configured 1,7,13,19,24 are still active yet I have no data output from ports 1, 13, 19!  Disregard port 3 I was trying something.  Still a mystery.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[ebarticel]

Do you have a layer 3 device to do interVlan routing? I know 2950 is not a layer 3 capable device.

You can communicate on port 7 and 24 because they are on same VLAN, but for other ports you need a Layer 3 device

[Jeff Harned]

Eugen,

I understand that the 2950 is a layer 2 switch.  No, I do not use a layer 3 device, just the switch.  In my particular configuration ports 7 and 24 are assigned to a mvr vlan which have two mvr vlan groups assigned, each with its own multicast address.  These are designated as the "source" ports sending multicast data to three other designated

"receiver " ports on the switch (1, 13 ,19). 

These three ports are assigned to individual vlans each.  Since I am using an MVR profile I can then assign each vlan to whatever mvr vlan group or both that I choose.  What this does is give me isolation from the two multicast data streams available  to each "receiver" port.  I can have a single stream or if I choose, both going out of these ports to my output devices.

Whether this scheme is conventional or not I have tested and tested and it works!!   What I do not understand is why after I do a power cycle (pulling the plug) that I loose mulicast data to my output devices, even though the show running config statrup-config command shows that the configuration of the switch in intact.

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[ebarticel]

Hi Jeff,

Did you check to see if you have more than one config file in flash?

It sounds to me that the switch is got a standard startup config which is loaded at power on, but is not the local file that you save.

Have a look in flash and see if there are more that one startup config file.

Check with "dir flash:" command

Also check with "show boot" command to see which file is used to boot.

If you need to change the boot config file use "set CONFIG_FILE flash: [name of the file in flash]"

Hope this helps

Eugen

[Jeff Harned]

Hi Eugen,

Please understand that I do not have a lot of experience yet.  I think you may be on to something here.  I have enclosed a copy of the BOOT and Flash files as you suggested.  I think there is something missing??  Maybe I am not saving my configuration correctly using the "copy running config - startup config" command??

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff

[ebarticel]

When you do save your configuration using "copy running config startup config" by default it saves it in config.text file, but I guess when you reboot the switch it is using the other configuration file.

set the boot to config.text  "boot config-file flash:config.text".

[Jeff Harned]

Hi Eugen,

Things got worse.

Summary:

I looked at the flash directory and it indicated just one config.text file.  Using the more command I opened up the file and my configuration file appeared to be intact.  I performed a boot sytem flash using the image file that was displayed.

What happens now after a power cycle is that I can not eccess the switch using ssh like I have been.  I get the following message: port 22: connection refused.  I have to use the console port to be able to access it.

Looking at the flash directory I now have an added "config.text.renamed" along with "config.text" file.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Regards,

Jeff