lab-docu/documentation/fcx.md
2018-06-14 01:06:46 -04:00

11 KiB

Setting up Brocade FCX & ICX6610

Updating The Software

Download the ZIP below, which contains the firmware files and documentation you'll need.

Brocade v8 Firmware/Docu Zip
SW version: 08030s
ZIP Updated: 06-10-2018
MD5: ba19aac64d9601c16efa58233ea318f8

NOTE: If this switch has already been set up and configured with an IP and you just want to update the software/BL, use the files in the ZIP above to update the switch from inside the booted OS using:

#Skip this whole block if the switch has not yet been configured using this guide!
enable
copy tftp flash 192.168.1.8 grz10100.bin bootrom  
copy tftp flash 192.168.1.8 FCXR08030s.bin primary
##update the PoE firmware if you have PoE model.
inline power install-firmware stack-unit 1 tftp 192.168.1.8 fcx_poeplus_02.1.0.b004.fw
reload

Otherwise if this is a new/used switch that has not been configured, do the following:

Connect to the switches serial/console port using a program like Putty (9600 8N1), and connect the dedicated management port to your network (do not use a "normal" port).

You need to set up a temporary TFTP server - I recommend Tftpd32 Portable Edition if you're on Windows and don't want to install anything. Point the server to an empty folder to serve files from. From the ZIP, copy the bootloader from the Boot folder into your tftp server directory. Then, from the Images folder, copy over the image with "R" in the file name to the server as well. For example, FCXR08030s.bin - the other image with an S in it is switching only, with less features.

Power on the switch while watching your serial terminal - it will have a prompt saying Hit b to enter the boot monitor - press b quickly and you'll be dropped into the bootloader prompt, now we can upgrade the software. If you missed the prompt and it boots the OS instead, pull power and try again.

At the boot prompt, we need to give it a temporary IP in the subnet of your network, so it can talk to your TFTP server. This IP will not be used again after it leaves the bootloader. Replace the IP in the example below with an unused IP on your subnet:

ip address 192.168.1.50/24

Now we can update the bootloader. Replace the IP with the IP of your tftp server, and replace the filename with the name of the file you copied out of the boot folder if it differs:

copy tftp flash 192.168.1.49 grz10100.bin boot

After a few seconds it should finish, then we can flash the main OS. Replace the IP with the IP of your tftp server, and change the filename to match if necessary:

copy tftp flash 192.168.1.49 FCXR08030s.bin primary

It will take a little longer. When it finishes, tell the switch to reboot, then it will fully boot into the updated OS:

reset

Initial Configuration

Now that it's booted into the full OS you may get TFTP timed out errors in the console, this is normal. We'll fix that in the next section. Check that the version matches what you just flashed:

show version

Towards the top of the output, it should say SW: Version XX.X.XXX - it should be the v8 version you flashed.

Now to make any changes we must enter the enable level:

enable

We need to erase the existing startup config from the past owner, then reboot:

erase startup-config
reload

It will reboot. Once it's back up, enter the enable CLI level again:

enable

To make configuration changes, we must then enter the configure CLI level:

configure terminal

Now tell it to generate an RSA keypair - this enables SSH access:

crypto key generate rsa

Configuring Network Details

First we need to disable DHCP so it doesn't automatically grab an address and attempt to load a config via tftp, then reload so it takes effect:

ip dhcp-client disable
write memory
exit
reload

Once the switch comes back up, enter the configure terminal level and give the switch a friendly name:

enable
configure terminal
hostname intertubes

We need to give the switch an IP. By default, all ports are in VLAN 1, so it will behave like a typical switch. First we need to give VLAN 1 its own virtual interface:

vlan 1
router-interface ve 1
exit

Now we need to assign that virtual interface an address. Choose an IP that is unused in your subnet, and out of your DHCP server range (ping it first to be sure it's unused):

interface ve 1
ip address 192.168.1.2/24
exit

The switch now has an IP. Unplug your ethernet cable from the isolated management port, and plug it into any of the normal ports on the front. You can now telnet to it and no longer need serial access. It also supports SSH access, but you need to follow the rest of the guide first.

Update PoE Firmware

If your switch is the PoE model, you need to update the PoE controller firmware. If it's a non-PoE model, skip this step. Assuming you completed the previous section and the switch now has in-band network access, just put the fcx_poeplus_02.1.0.b004.fw file on your TFTP server and pull it in:

exit
inline power install-firmware stack-unit 1 tftp 192.168.1.8 fcx_poeplus_02.1.0.b004.fw
#after a minute  or so, hit enter to return to cli
reload
#you'll probably get a message that it hasn't finished. it can take up to 10 minutes
#once it's booted back into the OS:
enable
configure terminal

That's it!

If Access Protection Is NOT Required

If you do not want to password protect access to the switch (you're using it in a lab), follow this section. If you'd like to password protect it, skip to the next section.

Allow SSH login with no passwords configured:

ip ssh permit-empty-passwd yes

If Access Protection IS Required

If you do want to secure access to the switch, follow this section. If not, skip it.

To secure the switch, we need to create an account - "root" can be any username string you wish:

username root password yourpasshere

We also need to tell it to use our new local user account(s) to authorize attempts to log in as well as attempts to enter the enable CLI level:

aaa authentication login default local
aaa authentication enable default local

Enable authentication for telnet access as well:

enable telnet authentication

If your switch is outside of your home, or accessible by others in any way, telnet should be disabled entirely, and access to the serial console should also be password protected. Otherwise skip this step at your discretion:

no telnet server
enable aaa console

OPTIONAL: Key Based SSH Access

If you have followed the above to set up authentication, and also wish to disable password-based SSH login and set up a key pair instead, follow this section. If not, skip it. Enable key login, and disable password login:

ip ssh key-authentication yes
ip ssh password-authentication no

Now we have to generate our key pair with puttygen on windows or ssh-keygen -t rsa on linux. The default settings of RSA @ 2048 bits works without issue. Generate the pair and save out both the public and private key.

Copy the public key file to your TFTP server. Then use the following command to import it into your switch:

ip ssh pub-key-file tftp 192.168.1.49 public.key

You shouldn't need to be told basic key management if you're following this section, but just in case - copy your private key to the proper location on the *nix machine you'll be SSH'ing from, or if you're on windows, load it using pageant. Now when you SSH to the switch, it will authenticate using your private key.

Saving & Conclusions

Whenever you make changes (like above) they take effect immediately, however they are not saved to onboard flash. So if you reboot the switch, they will be lost. To permanently save them to onboard flash, use the following command:

write memory

Your switch now has a basic configuration, as well as an IP address you can telnet or SSH to for further configuration.

Some more useful general commands:

Show chassis information like fan and temperature status:

show chassis

Show a table of all interfaces:

show interface brief

To show one interface in detail:

show interfaces ethernet 1/1/1
#Also works for virtual interfaces:
show interfaces ve 1

Give a port a friendly name:

interface ethernet 1/1/1
port-name freenas
show interfaces brief ethernet 1/1/1
exit

Show the running configuration:

show run

Show the system log:

show log

To remove configuration options, put a no in front of them at the appropriate CLI level:

no hostname intertubes

Tips

To exit the CLI level you are at, use exit. So assuming you are still at the configure terminal level, type the following to exit back to the enable level:

exit

Commands can also be shortened, as long as they are still unique. So to re-enter the configure terminal level, Instead of typing the entirety of configure terminal, the following will also work:

conf t

There is also tab help and completion. To see all the commands available at the current CLI level, just hit tab. To see the options available for a certain command, just type that command (like ip) then hit tab.

Advanced Configuration

Default Route & DNS

To give the switch a default route and a DNS server so it can reach external hostnames and IP's (to ping external servers or to update time via NTP etc), do the following. replace the IP with the IP of your gateway/router/etc. Assuming you are still at the configure terminal level:

ip dns server-address 192.168.1.1
ip route 0.0.0.0/0 192.168.1.1

NTP

To have the switch keep its time synced via NTP (so its logs make more sense), use the following. If you live in an area that doesn't use Daylight Savings, skip the clock summer-time command. Use tab completion for the timezone command to see what's available. The IP's in the following example are google's NTP servers and work well for most cases:

clock summer-time
clock timezone gmt GMT-05
ntp
disable serve
server 216.239.35.0
server 216.239.35.4
exit

SNMP

To quickly enable SNMPv2 (read only), follow the below. SNMP v3 is available but you'll have to refer to the included documentation:

snmp-server community public ro

SFP/Optics Information

Brocade does not restrict the use of optics by manufacturer, they'll take anything given it's the right protocol. However optical monitoring information is disabled unless it sees Brocade or Foundry optics.

So if you want to see information like this :

telnet@Route2(config)#sh optic 5
 Port  Temperature   Tx Power     Rx Power       Tx Bias Current
+----+-----------+--------------+--------------+---------------+
5       32.7460 C  -002.6688 dBm -002.8091 dBm    5.472 mA
        Normal      Normal        Normal         Normal

You'll need to pick up some official Brocade or Foundry optics on ebay, or buy some flashed optics from FiberStore.

Thanks:

FBOM

Contributing:

The markdown source for these guides is hosted on our Github repo. If you have any suggested changes or additions feel free to submit a pull request.

Documentation version: v0.7 (06-10-18)