Best Practices

One recommended method for creating a PE ring is to connect two edge PEs in an existing SPX domain, as shown in the following figure. The procedure for forming an PE ring is explained in Deployment Scenario 1: Deploying a PE Ring in an Existing Campus Fabric Domain.

Connecting Two Edge PEs in an Existing SPX Domain

The second recommended method for creating a PE ring is to connect the edge PE of the existing PE chain to the CB, as shown in the following figure. The procedure for forming a PE ring is explained in Deployment Scenario 1: Deploying a PE Ring in an Existing Campus Fabric Domain.

Connecting the Edge PE of the Existing PE Chain to the CB

  • Beginning with FastIron 08.0.70, SPX interactive-setup option 2&3 can detect new links between a CB unit and an edge PE or between two edge PE units. When these links are detected, the associated PE chain or, if present, both associated PE chains are converted into a ring. Refer to Deployment Scenario 8: Adding a New Link Between CB-PE or PE-PE to Change Existing Linear Toplogy to Ring Topology.

  • To manage several PEs, you can configure a PE group (for example, for each PE chain) using the pe-groupname parameter with the spx-port or spx-lag command. The following example gives the name "ENG" to the SPX LAG formed by CB ports 1/1/1 and 1/1/2. The show spx command output for the group indicates that the LAG connects to a chain of two PEs (PE 17 and PE 18). 

    ICX7750-48F Router(config-spx-cb)# spx-lag 1/1/1 to 1/1/2 pe-groupENG

ICX7750-48F Router(config-spx-cb)# show spx pe-groupENG                
Show PEs attached to pe-group ENG (port 1/1/1)
T=1d11h57m20.9: alone: standalone, D: dynamic cfg, S: static
ID   Type          Role    Mac Address    Pri State   Comment                   
1  S ICX7750-48XGF active  cc4e.246e.3480 128 local   Ready
2  S ICX7750-20QXG standby cc4e.2438.8780 128 remote  Ready
3  S ICX7750-48XGC member  cc4e.2470.6000   0 remote  Ready
17 S ICX7450-48P   spx-pe  cc4e.248a.8ba8 N/A remote  Ready
18 S ICX7450-24P   spx-pe  cc4e.2489.a818 N/A remote  Ready

    active                    standby                                          
     +---+        +---+        +---+                                           
 -2/1| 1 |2/4--2/1| 3 |2/4--2/4| 2 |2/1-                                       
 |   +---+        +---+        +---+   |                                       
 |                                     |                                       
 |-------------------------------------|                                      

            +----+        +----+                                               
  1/1/1==2/1| 17 |2/3--2/1| 18 |2/3-                                           
            +----+        +----+                                               
                                                                              
ICX7750-48F Router(config-spx-cb)#

  • You can configure a PE name for individual PE units to manage a larger network. 

    ICX7750-48F Router(config)# spx unit  17
ICX7750-48F Router(config-spx-unit-17)# pe-name workstations

ICX7750-48F Router(config)# show run | beg spx unit
spx unit 17
  pe-name workstations
  module 1 icx7450-48p-poe-management-module
  module 2 icx7400-xgf-4port-40g-module
  module 3 icx7400-qsfp-1port-40g-module
  module 4 icx7400-qsfp-1port-40g-module
  spx-lag 17/2/1 to 17/2/2
  spx-port 17/2/3

  • If a PE in jumbo mode does not match the CB mode (for example, if a PE is jumbo-disabled and the CB is jumbo-enabled), the PE will reload soon after joining the CB. To avoid the second reload, configure jumbo in provisional PE mode, if jumbo is enabled on the CB. 

    [Provisional-PE]ICX7450-48 Router(config)# jumbo 
 [Provisional-PE]ICX7450-48 Router(config)# show running-config
Current configuration:
!
ver 08.0.40bT213
!
spx pe-enable
spx suggested-id 56
spx unit 1
  module 1 icx7450-48-port-management-module
  module 3 icx7400-qsfp-1port-40g-module
  module 4 icx7400-qsfp-1port-40g-module
  spx-port 1/3/1
  spx-port 1/4/1
!
jumbo
!
end

  • You can configure a suggested ID while adding a PE. This ID can be configured when the PE is SPX-enabled and in provisional PE mode. If a suggested ID is not configured, the CB assigns the first available ID to the PE. 

    [Provisional-PE]ICX7450-48 Router(config)# spx suggested-id 56

  • You can bring the operational PE unit back to the ICX 7450 standalone unit by using the spx unconfigure me command. 

    [PE]local-18@ICX7450-24P Router# spx unconfigure me
This unit will remove the PE startup file and reload as a standalone. Are you sure? (enter 'y' or 'n'): y
remove PE startup file
[PE]local-18@ICX7450-24P Router#

  • If an operational PE becomes detached from the CB, the non-SPX PE ports become disabled, but PoE on those ports remains up, making the access AP/phones up. The CB keeps the configuration of the PE ports. The SPX ports still stay admin up.

  • Disable LLDP on user ports where it is not required for the FastIron system to scale and avoid high CPU issues.

  • Do not configure one PE as a ring. If a single PE ring is detected in the topology, one of the SPX ports that forms the ring is moved to the ERR-DIS state.

  • Client-facing LAGs are not supported over PE virtual ports.