HP A5120 Network Switches

These switches are not like the Procurves. They have a completely different language, and they do some things much, much better than Procurves, at least the older ones. And, they are a lot less expensive.

The A5120 does not use the same command set as the Procurve series. For example, when you first log in, use system to go into the configuration mode (instead of config) and to save a running configuration, use the save command (instead of write mem).

Following are some of the commands I have run across I need.

• display mac-address shows mac address on all interfaces
• display this when editing a BAGG, display parameters
• system-view Enter configuration mode for switch
• quit exit whatever mode you are in
• save save running configuration
• display interface bridge-aggregation shows information on all BAGG's. Use parameters interace_number and/or brief to modify output
• display link-aggregation summary displays summary on all BAGG's showing num ports (up and down)
• display link-aggregation verbose displays summary on all BAGG's showing more information, including member ports
• interface Bridge-Aggregation # Begin editing interface an interface (in this case, Bridge Aggregation #, where # is the number). All subsequent commands are assumed to be configuration for this interface (until another interface is selected with the same command).

Got a couple of these and put them together with some modules and cables that made two 48 port switches into one 96 port. YEAH. Then, began setting up LACP on them so we would have fail over. I decided to use ports 2-whatever as LACP, and ports whatever-48 for IPMI. We'll see how it works.

First, port 1 is used for outside. Going to try an run some different virtual routers for that which have failover. Following is an example for setting up Port 2 on both switches as on LACP trunk. Since this will involve port 2 on switch 1 and 2, I decided to call it Aggregation Port 2, aka BAGG2.

Ports are named by switch, “something” and port number, separated by slashes (/), so I am creating BAGG2 with members

• 1/0/2
• 2/0/2

Meaning “Switch 1, Port 2” and “Switch 2, port 2”.

I'm also disabling access to vlan 1 (the default) and adding access to vlans 10 and 20. The descriptions are free form text; basically for the ports I'm just saying they are members of the bagg (bridge aggregation)

Following are the commands.

interface Bridge-Aggregation 2
 description lacp
 port link-type trunk
 undo port trunk permit vlan 1
 port trunk permit vlan 10 20
 link-aggregation mode dynamic

interface gig 1/0/2
 port link-type trunk
 description bagg2 member 1
 undo port trunk permit vlan 1
 port trunk permit vlan 10 20
 port link-aggregation group 2

interface gig 2/0/2
 port link-type trunk
 description bagg2 member 2
 undo port trunk permit vlan 1
 port trunk permit vlan 10 20
 port link-aggregation group 2

display link-aggregation summary

This command displays all LACP configurations. It will give some interesting information, ie the number of members (integers in columns 4 and 5) which confused me at first, until I realized it will show something different depending on the state of the members; unplugged, plugged but not up, up.

When no network cable connected, or there is no connection, the members will all be invalid (ie, in the fifth column)

BAGG2      D         0x8000, 0000-0000-0000   0      2          Shar

When connected but not configured (ie, powered down or trunk not yet configured on attached device), it will show one member active and one inactive.

BAGG2      D         0x8000, 0000-0000-0000   1      1          Shar

When operating correctly, powered up and the attached device is set up for LACP, both members will show up in the fourth column.

BAGG2      D         0x8000, 1cc1-de6f-e3f4   2      0          Shar