Zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup topology requirements
The zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup utilities can detect potential SPX connections when clean candidate PE units are connected by non-base module ports (on modules 2, 3, or 4), either directly to the Campus Fabric domain or via other candidate PEs. CB units can be connected to PE candidates through base module or non-base module ports.
From release 08.0.70, zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup are enhanced in the following ways:
- Zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup interoperate with future releases. For example, a CB running release 08.0.80 can detect standalone units running release 08.0.70 and vice versa. However, releases prior to 08.0.70 are not detected and cannot interoperate with newer releases.
- As long as
tftp-serverconfiguration provides correct image location, images can be copied to new units before they are reloaded as PEs so that the PEs run the same image as the CB. - New links can be detected between a CB and an edge PE or between two edge PEs. Detected links are used to convert one or two PE chains to a ring (in this case, the last PE in a chain is an edge PE). Converting new units to PEs and converting PE chains to rings are fully integrated into a single zero-touch SPX interactive-setup process.
Valid and invalid topologies for zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup utilities are described in Campus Fabric topology overview. The utility handles only valid topologies. When the zero-touch utility can detect an invalid topology, it issues a warning.
The SPX interactive-setup utility handles valid topologies and allows user intervention to select desired units or change PE IDs. The interactive-setup utility also handles many invalid topologies when users can select units to create a valid topology. Where possible, interactive-setup presents the discovered topology for user selection. When the system detects a topology it cannot present, it generates a warning.
Zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup for PE units with live traffic
Zero-touch and SPX interactive-setup have enhancements to harden the discovery process as of FastIron release 8.0.61. Previously, if live clients were connected to switches waiting to be converted to PE units, there was a chance of loops. Now, loop packets are dropped until discovery is complete. This greatly enhances the reliability of discovering all PE candidates and links under severe situations. The loops are removed after zero-touch or SPX interactive-setup changes multiple inter-switch links between two units into a LAG.
If your system has no live traffic, you can connect new units the way you want without being concerned about creating loops. If your system has clients carrying live traffic, there are going to be temporary loops. As long as you allow zero-touch or SPX interactive-setup to discover all units and links, and change discovered units to PEs to generate appropriate running-configuration, the loops are handled and should resolve automatically.