Hello Experts!
Let me give a little background to better explain where I'm coming from: Our organization currently has about a dozen Dell PowerConnect 6248P switches. They have been fine so far and all connect back by fiber to a Dell Layer 3 "core" switch that does the routing. We also bought a Dell PowerConnect 5424 for budget purposes as one of our locations didn't need PoE and some of the other nice features. We have a Management VLAN (VLAN 4) where we statically assign the IP address for our switches and APs. The Default VLAN (VLAN 1) is for regular data traffic while VLAN 6 is for Voice (IP phones).
The problem is that I can't quite figure out a configuration issue with the 5424. It's CLI is somewhat different to the 6248P. Right now, I have the switch configured (IP address is on the Management VLAN) where I can telnet into it and ping to various other IPs and subnets. So far so good. However, I am not able to get traffic across to VLAN 1 (data VLAN), so my computers are not getting a DHCP and talking with the rest of the network. I thought it was because I needed this command on the trunk port that goes back to the core switch: "switchport trunk allowed vlan add 1". But it gives me this error: "VLAN 1: VLAN was not created by user."
Is there a limitation of this switch, or I am configuring something wrong? I'll attach some modified configs so you can get a general idea how I've configured them. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
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Hope you got it working, but if not I see an issue in your CLI sequence thats different from my (working) documented procedure for 5224 deployments.
1) VLAN 1 is indeed a special. Its a managemnet VLAN that all ports belong to, established in hardware, and not modifiable by the user. It carries the managment IP adress too.
Just pick a different VLAN numbering scheme - you CANNOT use VLAN 1 for your purpose.
2) heres a working example of two VLANS (100, 200) trunked between two 5424 via port 24 (with 23 as a spare)
console> enable
console# config
console(config)# vlan database
console(config-vlan)# vlan 100
console(config-vlan)# vlan 200
console(config-vlan)# exit
console(config)# interface ethernet g23
console(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
console(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 100
console(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 200
console(config-if)# interface ethernet g24
console(config-if)# switchport mode trunk
console(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 100
console(config-if)# switchport trunk allowed vlan add 200
So what I'd change on yours lines 22-24 and wherever thats repeated to:
interface ethernet g24
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk allowed vlan add 6
exit
I know that you did that above, but the intervening exit commands are cancelling it before its needed at line 23.
This will work, review your use of exits and see if a bunch can come out, but by all means insert the mode statement before the vlan add to be certain.
dnilson:
I know this is question is a year and a half old. But I'm having problems getting a diffinitive answer and this popped up when I searched for 5224.
We're buying a MD3200i SAN, and Dell is recommending two 6424 switches, a vendor of ours says that's rediculous. They go with older 5224's with there many MD3000i SAN's. So we were thinking of doing the same, but maybe with 5324's, but our vendor said he's heard of issues with the 5300 & 5400 (even though the 5400 is supposed to be optimized for iSCSI).
We're trying to not spend an extra $1500-$2500 on switches, but we don't want to have performance issues either.
If you could shed some light, it would be very much appreciated!
SURE (cool how this site lets you get in touch huh?)
First of all, the examplie I posted 118 mos ago was for an interface between an MD3000i and a bunch of Dell 2950 servers. Its been extended with MD1000's but I havent touched the switches since they were instaleld way-back-when. Three VLANS, one for LAN, one for DMZ, and one for iSCSI.
Best I can tell, Del lsoesnt sell 52xx and 53xxx anymore, only 54xx. As short a time as 53xx was on the market, mabe there is a problem with them, but I cannot speack to that. However there are still plenty of 52xx avaialble used.
I assume you mean 6224 not 6424. At least thats what I base my answer on.
I cannt imagine the relavance of 6224 for iSCSI. Why are they recomending a layer 3 switch for what is a lyaer 2 switching function? I cannot imagine. Perhaps your consultatn knows somethign about your network I dont, and the 6224 is a hedge aginst having to buy a bunch of different switches, but If they cannot make that argument, Id go with 52xx or its kin.
I cant imagine why you would need the extra cost / complexity of layer 3 switching for this function - so as kthem WHY!
So where do you get 52xx? well of course eBay, but if thats not your cup of tea, try Better Than New (BTN) ssystmes Inc, who will sell you Dell used equipemnt and can include full 3 year, NBD priority service striaght from Dell on most items. Very professional and relaible.
http://www.btnsystems.com/
I'm sure there are many others, but they are my first choice for used Dell
Yeah, I fogot to mention that these iSCSI switches are going to be dedicated to iSCSI not even touching the LAN. As that's what I've read is the best way, as doing VLAN's is going to slow things down, and not needed unless you REALLY need 1 switch doing both.
The consultant? Not sure if you mean the Dell Sales Engineer, he's recommending the 5424's (after I told him we were told the 6424 were too much). The vendor I mentioned, is actually our online backup vendor who we're really close with. They run a bunch of MD3000i's with older 5224's they pick up off of eBay for sub-$200. He said to buy 3 and have 1 for a spare, said it works fine. I mentioned to him was thinking of 5324, almost same price, 2 years newer, current firmware, but he said he heard there were issues with both 5324 & 5424 (even though the latter is supposed to be designed for iSCSI). I've even read that unmanaged Netgears perform the best if segmented, but I think I rather stick to Dell so they can only point fingure at themselves (/w exception of older switches).
So my only concern was that since the 3200 is newer than his 3000's, that it was somehow going to outperforma and flood the NIC ports, where if it was the older 3000, the 5224 would be fine.
Funny you mention BTN, our BU vendor did as well.
Thanks for your input...esp. so quickly.
Well it would have been quicker if I didnt decide to preview, then push the wrong button, and had to start over ..... too angry to proofread the second time ....
Given all you say, I cant recomend anything other than the 5224, or 52xx.
Like I said, 6224 is a layer 3 switch , and its not a question of overwhelm so much as what layer 3 function would you need for iSCSI that would justify the cost?
Not hearing an answer, 5224!
5324 and 5424 are upward replacements for 5224, and Dell was cost cutting on lots of lines during the 5324 timeframe, but I dont have any real information on them being bad.
Dell Sales CANT sell you anything but the 5424 anymore.... but at $200 i'd go with the 5224's because they DO work well for iSCSI.
At that price I may buy one for home .
Gotcha on the cost cutting, maybe that's what our BU vendor might have heard with the 5300. Only thing I can think of with 5400, is I've read they've increased the buffer on the 5400 to help it with iSCSI traffic. And the only valid benefit that our BU vendor did say about the 6400 is that it's stackable, where the 5x00's you have to use LAG on the ports. So he said if not the 5200, a cheaper (than 6400) stackable switch. But we're not dealing with much traffic, VERY small setup with 2 R610 Hyper-V hosts that the client wants for redundancy. Figured 4 ports for LAG for 4GB will be enough.
Just didn't want to have to bump the HW costs up $1500-2500 for a couple switches when I've read people doing it with less, unless someone can proove to me that we're going to have problems with latency or whatever the case may be.
Thanks for your input!
Have a great weekend.
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Answer for Membership
by: wwilmothPosted on 2009-09-03 at 06:20:33ID: 25250339
I have seen a similar issue with older models of the 6000 series "Layer 3" switches. Instead of using the trunk mode on your uplink ports, use the general mode.
You will need to use the "switchport general allowed vlan" command to add your other vlans, and you may have to use the "switchport general pvid" command to define the untagged portion of the trunk, but I think general mode defaults to vlan 1.
You can then verify with the "show interface switchport" command to show what vlans are allowed and tagged.