Configuring ArubaOS-CX VSX and Comware IRF on GNS3

step-1
step-2
step-3
step-4
step-5
  1. On GNS3, click icon.
  2. I named my project lab.
  3. Built a topology with 2x ArubaOS-CX switches running VSX and 2x Comware switches running IRF and connect them in close loop setup. Then icon to start all devices.
  4. All devices were started, indicated by green nodes in the Topology summary.

    5. Note: for Comware switches, GNS3 automatically started and launched VirtualBox console.

    Note: for ArubaOS-CX switches, I manually right clicked the icon and selected icon to start the PuTTY session.

  5. Last screenshot shows all four switches console connections.

The scenario configured ArubaOS-CX switches with VSX, which would have two control planes and single data plane and Comware switches with IRF, which would have single control and data planes. The following screenshot shows the status of VSX and IRF on all switches. Notice that for Comware switches, I needed only to console to Comware-sw1 as it's the IRF Master switch.

ArubaOS-CX VSX and Comware IRF status

When connecting the switches without configuring multi-chassis LACP / LACP, the network setup formed a loop condition. With spanning-tree enabled, in this simple lab, we could see that port 1/1/3 on ArubaCX2 was put in the BLOCKING state.

Spanning-tree status

Further observation on connectivity between GNS3 and VirtualBox, I ran wireshark, and all I saw was UDP communication between 192.168.113.1 and 192.168.113.128.

Wireshark traces between GNS3 and VirtualBox
LLDP neighbor status

Easter Egg: connecting PuTTY to Simware switches aux port

VirtualBox console does not allow copy-paste function, thus it is better to establish console connection using PuTTY to Comware switches. Below footprints depict the way to do it.

step-1
step-2
step-3
  1. Record down the Path\Address by navigating the VirtualBox machine, Machine > Settings... > Serial Ports > Port 2

    2. Note: lab-device1 showed the aux port Path\Address was on \\.\pipe\lab-device1

    Note: lab-device2 showed the aux port Path\Address was on \\.\pipe\lab-device2

  2. Use PuTTY to establish serial connection to the aux port as per the above names.
  3. PuTTY successfully established the connection to Comware switches aux port.

    4. Note: you still need to correctly configure the aux port before it works as expected. For example, set the aux port to user-role network-admin.

This concludes the setup of HPE Networking lab on GNS3, which comprises of ArubaOS-CX appliance and Simulated Comware (Simware) devices.

<< Previous :: Index