The Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 will automatically search for several boot configuration files as it boots up. It will look for several files in a specific order;
- /pcmcia/pcmboot.cfg
- /flash/boot.cfg
- /pcmcia/boot.cfg
The file /pcmcia/pcmboot.cfg is designed to allow network engineers to deploy the ERS 8600 remotely instructing local site personnel to simply copy a file (pcmboot.cfg) that could be emailed to them to the PCMCIA flash card, inserted it into the switch and the switch booted up. I’ve never personally used this feature but I have remotely installed several ERS 8600s by having a modem attached to the console port.
What would a normal boot.cfg file look like?
Here’s the current standard that I’m using on the 37 ERS 8600 switches that I maintain.
# # TUE JUL 22 07:25:38 2008 EDT # box type : 8k boot configuration file # flags daylight-saving-time true flags ftpd true flags savetostandby true flags telnetd true flags tftpd true flags verify-config false tz dst-end M11.1.0/0200 tz dst-name "EDT" tz dst-start M3.2.0/0200 tz name "EST" tz offset-from-utc 300 choice primary image-file "/flash/p80a4163.img"
The commands should be self explanatory for the most part. The last line of the file instructs the switch which agent code it should boot, in this example I’m running 4.1.6.3 software so we’ll boot /flash/p80a4163.img.
Cheers!
Hi Michael,
I would like to know what the command
“config bootconfig flags telnetd true”
If this command is enabled, will config auto sync between active and standby supervisor.
will there be traffic loss during failover?
Thank you very much.
Also would like to know about any good forums for nortel ERS products.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Haze,
The command you referred to, “config bootconfig flags telnetd true” will allow you to telnet into the 869xSF (CPU). With two 869xSFs in an ERS 8610 chassis they will operate in cold standby mode with a brief reset of the switch during fail over. If you are interested in the high-availability mode then you need to issue the following command, “config bootconfig flags ha-cpu true” and reset both CPUs.
There are links to the Tek-Tips forums on the right hand side of this page.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Michael,
Thanks for clearing up about the ha mode.
I also wanted to know what the flag “savetostandby” do?
What is the best practice when it comes to chassis with dual supervisors? will there be any traffic disruption during failover if HA is enabled?
Sorry about all these questions, i have downloaded a lot of PDF from nortel about these but i have great difficulty in finding help.
Your site has been real helpful to me. Keep up the great work :)
Hi Haze,
The command “config bootconfig flags savetostandby true” just instructs the switch to save the switch configuration to both the primary CPU and the standby CPU whenever you save the configuration file. If that option isn’t enabled you need to manually save the configuration file to the standby CPU every time you save it to the primary CPU.
There are a few protocols which aren’t supported in HA mode but for the most part it’s a hitless event (less than 50ms fail over).
Good Luck!
Hi Michael,
If I have 2 CPUs, it’s recommended to activate the flags “ha-cpu” to have high availability and the “savetostandby” to save config both CPUs.
Now my configuration is:
ha-cpu false (failover not working?)
savetostandby false
Thanks!
Hi David,
You need don’t necessarily need to run in an HA mode. It’s a design and operational consideration. You should examine the pros and cons of running in “standby” mode against running in “HA” mode.
You want “savetostandby” enabled no matter what mode you are running. Anytime you save the configuration, the configuration will be saved to both the primary and standby CPU.
If you want HA mode you need to enable HA mode on each CPU and then reboot the CPU.
Good Luck!
Hi Michael,
I have a full-mesh network and I need to configure DVMRP or PIM protocols. Multicast, DVMRP, PIM and PGM protocols are not available on my full-msh devices.
All my ERS 8600’s are in HA (config bootconfig flags ha-cpu true). I’m not really sure if I need to disable ha-cpu.
Tanks in advance.
Hi Alex,
What version of software are you running? I believe the latest software release (v7.0) now supports all protocols including IPv6 in an HA configuration. In older versions the protocol will still work but it’s not HA, meaning the protocol will need to restart if there is a CPU/SF switchover.
Good Luck!
Hi Michael,
I’m running 4.1.8.2 version. I found this no Release Notes 4.1.0 “The following protocols, features and modules are not available with High
Availability mode:
…
Multicast dynamic routing protocols (DVMRP, PIM-SM, PIM-SSM, PGM)
• VRRP Fast Advertisement Interval
…”
And I found this on Release Notes 7.0 “For Release 7.0, HA-CPU supports the following in Hot Standby mode:
• platform configuration
• Layer 2 protocols: IGMP, STP, MLT, SMLT, ARP, LACP, VLACP
• Layer 3 protocols: RIP, OSPF, VRRP, RSMLT, VRF Lite
HA-CPU supports the following in Warm Standby mode. After failover,
these protocols are restarted:
• DVMRP, PIM-SM, PIM-SSM”
Now I have HA-CPU enabled (hot standby), I think it is the reaseon beacuse of I saw multicast protocols disabled. I´ll be disabling HA-CPU (warm standby) and I´ll see the effect.
I´m understanding multicast L3 protocols are not supported in hot standby mode enabled (config bootconfig flags ha-cpu true).
Thanks for your comments!
Hi,
I’m having problems with the following command:
config bootconfig tz dst-start [Mm.n.d/hhmm | MMddhhmm]
What is ‘n’ given that ‘d’ is presumably day?
M3.?.14/0200
Thanks.
Hi Prince,
I don’t believe ‘d’ is for the day, although I’m not 100% sure what it’s for.
tz dst-end M11.1.0/0200
tz dst-start M3.2.0/0200
M11 – November
1 – First Sunday
0 – ?? delay perhaps
0200 – 2:00AM
M3 – March
2 – 2nd Sunday
0 – ??
0200 – 2:00AM
Cheers!
Hi,
Could you please tell me. What is command line using for see HA syncing.
Thanks.
Hi Adu,
I’m not quite sure myself… I would suggest you post your question in the discussion forums where I’m sure someone will respond.
http://forums.networkinfrastructure.info/nortel-ethernet-switching/
Good Luck!