Nexus 2232 - sfpInvalid

[bvj197222]

I get sfpInvalid when inserting a FET-10G in a Nexus 2232. I've inserted several FET's in several ports, same error on all ports. Output;

nx-d12-01# sh int eth115/1/5 transceiver details
Ethernet115/1/5
    transceiver is present
    type is Fabric Extender Transceiver
    name is CISCO-JDSU     
    part number is PLRXPL-VC-S43-CG
    revision is B  
    serial number is JUS1708B94M    
    nominal bitrate is 10300 MBit/sec
    Link length supported for 50/125um OM3 fiber is 100 m
    Link length supported for 62.5/125um fiber is 10 m
    cisco id is --
    cisco extended id number is 4

           SFP Detail Diagnostics Information (internal calibration)
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Current              Alarms                  Warnings
                Measurement     High        Low         High          Low
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Temperature   31.91 C        75.00 C      5.00 C     70.00 C       10.00 C
  Voltage        3.30 V         3.63 V      2.97 V      3.46 V        3.13 V
  Current        0.00 mA       10.00 mA     2.59 mA     8.50 mA       3.00 mA
  Tx Power        N/A           2.69 dBm  -11.30 dBm   -1.30 dBm     -7.30 dBm
  Rx Power        N/A     --    2.99 dBm  -13.97 dBm   -1.00 dBm     -9.91 dBm
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Note: ++  high-alarm; +  high-warning; --  low-alarm; -  low-warning

The port is configured default (no config on port);

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

Port          Name               Status    Vlan      Duplex  Speed   Type

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------    
Eth115/1/5    --                 sfpInvali 1         full    10G     --        

[bvj197222]

I have tried to set the mode to fex-fabric;

nx-..(config)# int eth115/1/1

nx..(config-if)# switchport mode fex-fabric
error: fabric mode not supported for interface type

nx..(config-if)# do sh run int eth115/1/1

!Command: show running-config interface Ethernet115/1/1
!Time: Thu Jul  4 11:22:47 2013

version 5.2(1)N1(4)

interface Ethernet115/1/1

nx..(config-if)#

[Steve Fuller · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The Cisco Fabric Extender Transceiver is supported for FEX fabric links only i.e., those that connect from the Cisco Nexus 2000 Series FEX to the parent switch. In the Cisco Nexus 2232 FEX these are the eight ports on the right hand side with the yellow around them.

From the output you posted above you're trying to install the FET in FEX ports 1 and 5 i.e., the host interfaces that are used to connect to end systems. It is expected that the FET will not operate in the ports.

Regards

[Leo Laohoo]

Eth115/1/5    --                 sfpInvali 1         full    10G     -- 

Steve,

Is "Eth 115/1/5" a Nexus 2K?  I thought this would be something like a 5K/6K/7K or something.

[Steve Fuller]

Hi Leo,

Apologies in advance if I'm teaching you to suck eggs in this explanation.

I guess technically and logically this is an interface on the parent Nexus switch, but in this case we can deduce it to be a physical interface on a FEX. Here we know the parent switch is a Nexus 5K as we can see the NX-OS version 5.2(1)N1(4) from the sh run int eth115/1/1 command output that was included. The N designation in the NX-OS version number is that given to the Nexus 5K platform.

nx..(config-if)# do sh run int eth115/1/1

!Command: show running-config interface Ethernet115/1/1

!Time: Thu Jul  4 11:22:47 2013

version 5.2(1)N1(4)

interface Ethernet115/1/1

The Nexus 5K built in ports are numbered Eth1/1-32 and eth2/1-16 (N5548) or Eth1/1-48, eth2/1-16, eth3/1-16 and eth4/1-16 (N5596) so it's not one of those.

For the host interfaces on the FEX, the number is in the form eth X/Y/Z where X is the number assigned to the FEX in the parent switch configuration, Y is always 1, and Z is the number of the physical interface on the FEX. In the case of the Nexus 2232 this would obviously be in the range 1-32.

So what we can see from the output the OP has included is that the FET has been inserted in host interface 1 and 5 of the FEX that is assigned the number 115 in the parent switch.

Regards

[Leo Laohoo]

Cool.  Thanks for the explanation.

[bvj197222]

The answer is not correct. I'm using the first port of the 32 ports available for hosts, it's none of the last 8.

[Steve Fuller]

Hi,

Your post states that you're getting sfpInvalid when you insert a FET (Fabric Extender Transceiver) into a Nexus 2232 and you then posted the output of the sh int eth115/1/5 transceiver details which indeed shows a FET inserted in that port.

nx-d12-01# sh int eth115/1/5 transceiver details

Ethernet115/1/5

    transceiver is present

    type is Fabric Extender Transceiver

    name is CISCO-JDSU     

    part number is PLRXPL-VC-S43-CG

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but to me this appears that you have a FEX numbered 115 and you have installed the FET into host port 5. As I indicated above, the FET is not supported in the host ports of the FEX i.e., ports 1-32.

The second posting shows you have tried to configure the switchport mode fex-fabric on host interface 1 of the same FEX. As indicated by the error message, this command is not supported configured on the FEX host interfaces; this command is configured on the physical and port-channel interfaces of the Nexus 5K that connect to the FEX.

Can you post the output of the show fex detail command so we can see exactly what FEX you have and how they are connected?

Regards

[bvj197222]

I must have misunderstood your last post. You are right, we have put an FET into port 1 and it says "sfpinvalid". So FET can only be used between the 2xxx (FEX'es) and 5xxx boxes, in this case meaning we can only use the FET's in the last 8 ports.

We are trying to connect a HP Proliant server with a CNA-adapter (type CN1000Q,

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13554_div/13554_div.pdf) to the 2232-box using 10 GB. What kind of SFP do we need to do this, an SFP-10G-SR?

[Steve Fuller]

Hi,

Correct. The FET is only supported for connecting the FEX to the parent Nexus 5K/6K/7K and so only supported in the right hand eight ports of the Nexus 2232.

As far as connecting your servers, the SFP-10G-SR would be the correct optic if you want to use fibre, but if the FEX is top of rack and you only have a short distance between the FEX and the servers, you also have the option to use the Twinax cables. These are much more cost effective than the SR optics. The complete list of certified cables can be found in the Twinax Cables Certification Matrix for Cisco Nexus 2000 and Nexus 5000 Series Switches Data Sheet.

Regards