Michael McNamara

technology, networking, virtualization and IP telephony

Perl Scripting

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I really like using Perl because of the Net-SNMP Perl libraries that make it really easy to write code to interact with devices that support SNMP.

Hopefully everyone out there is backing up their network switch configurations in the unlikely event that if their hardware dies they only need to worry about replacing the hardware and not about re-configuring the entire switch.

Quite a few years back I wrote a Perl script that would send the proper SNMP commands to instruct a network switch to copy it’s configuration to a TFTP server. This script essentially became known as “switchtftpbackup.pl” It’s nothing fancy or pretty but it gets the job done.

I’ve posted this Perl script on my webiste under the Perl section.

I run this script from Cron one of our CentOS Linux servers at work every week. The same server also acts as a central TFTP server for the entire organization. I also run other scripts that then archive the weekly backups, in the event that I need to go to a backup that’s more than a week old.

I believe both Nortel’s Optivity NMS and Cisco’s Cisco Works both have options to backup switch configurations these days.

What are you using?

Cheers!

Reboot i2002/i2004

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A question that has often been asked by those working with these devices;

“How can you reboot/reset an i2002/i2004 without unplugging it?”

Well there is good news. You can reboot them without physically disconnecting the CAT 5e/6 cable (or the power supply if your not using the PoE functionality). The bad news is the key sequence is fairly complicated. The following key sequence will also work for all of Nortel’s Internet telephones (i2002, i2004, i2007, 1120e, 1140e, 1150e).

Here’s the key sequence you’ll need to follow;

  1. Mute key,
  2. Up Navigation key,
  3. Down Navigation key,
  4. Up Navigation key,
  5. Down Navigation key,
  6. Up Navigation key,
  7. Mute,
  8. 9,
  9. Goodbye key

Here’s a graphic that might make it a little easier to understand;


Once you strike those keys the i2002/i2004 Internet Telephone will reboot itself at which time you can reconfigure the phone by striking the four soft keys just below the display while the “Nortel Networks” logo displays on the LCD.

DHCP Options (VoIP) Part 2

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In a previous article we reviewed how to configure a Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 5520 using ADAC/LLDP (802.1ab) so a Nortel Internet Telephone could discover the voice VLAN ID automatically without manually configuration of the phone.

If you don’t have a switch that supports ADAC/LLDP you can still utilize automatic VLAN assignment using DHCP. I’ve actually used this method (before Nortel supported LLDP) and it works well but can sometimes be difficult to troubleshoot.

You’ll need to configure DHCP option 191 (string) with the following syntax;

VLAN-A:vvvv.

Where: “VLAN-A” Option 191 begins with this string for all Nortel IP phones.
“vvvv” The VLAN ID for the voice VLAN in decimal
Here’s an example if I were trying to assign the phones with a voice VLAN of 31;

VLAN-A:31.

There must be a colon (:) seperating the VLAN-A from the VLAN ID. The string must also end in a period. It may be necessary, depending on your DHCP server, to enclose the enter string in quotation marks.

How does it actually work?
With the phone and DHCP server configured properly here’s how it will work.

  1. The phone will boot up and make a DHCP request for option 191 in the Default VLAN of the port connecting the phone.
  2. If the phone receives a response to it’s request it will issue a DHCP Release of the address it received in Step 1.
  3. The phone will make a second DHCP request in the VLAN that was returned in option 191. The phone will be requesting DHCP option 128 from the DHCP server, this will include the Call Server information. (Note: if you use a sniffer you will see that the DHCP packets will have an 802.1q header with the appropriate VLAN ID)
  4. The phone will connect to the Call Server specified in DHCP option 128 and will prompt the user for the Node ID and TN information.

With all that said we did leave out one very important piece of the pie… the network switch configuration. You’ll need to configure the VLAN and QoS settings manually depending on the switch vendor.

Cheers!

DHCP Options (VoIP)

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In this post I’d like to cover the DHCP options you’ll need to automatically configured the Nortel i2002/i2004 Internet Telephones as they boot. These DHCP options will actually work with any of Nortel’s Internet Telephones including the i2002/i2004/i2007/1120E/1140E and 1150E.

You’ll need to add a custom vendor DHCP option with a code of “128” as a string value. You should name this DHCP option as “Call Server Information”. The value of this DHCP option will use the following format;

Nortel-i2004-A,iii.iii.iii.iii:ppppp,aaa,rrr;iii.iii.iii.iii:ppppp,aaa,rrr.

Where the following values are;

  • “Nortel-i2004-A” = Option #128 begins with this string for all Nortel IP phone sets
  • “iii.iii.iii.iii” = the IP Address of the Call Server (S1 or S2)
  • “ppppp” = port number for the Call Server
  • “aaa” = the Action for the Server
  • “rrr” = the Retry Count for the Server

The IP Address must be separated from the port number by a colon (:). The parameters for the Primary (S1) and the Secondary (S2) Call Servers are separated by a semicolon (;). The string must end a period (.).

For this example, enter the following:

Nortel-i2004-A,10.1.1.10:4100,1,5;10.1.1.20:4100,1,5.

This would equate with the following values;

  • Call Server S1 = 10.1.1.10
  • Port S1= 4100
  • Action S1= 1
  • Retry S1= 5
  • Call Server S2 = 10.1.1.20
  • Port S2 = 4100
  • Action S2 = 1
  • Retry S2 = 5

You can use the vendor class of “Nortel-i2004-A” if you’d like to build different scopes within your DHCP server. A default scope for all general devices and then a specific scope for any device that requests the vendor class of “Nortel-i2004-A”.

Let me make this comment… if your DHCP server mistakenly returns a DHCP response that does NOT include DHCP Option 128 the IP phone will just sit at the “Starting DHCP…” prompt. You need to make sure that you return DHCP Option 128 in the DHCP response to the phone.

This all assumes that you’ve setup a DHCP relay on the Voice VLAN on the core ERS 8600 switch or whichever switch you might be using as the router for that VLAN.

I’ll review the basic configuration of the ERS 8600 (core) in a subsequent post as it applies to the example configuration I’ve laid out in the past few posts.

Please feel free to drop a line if you have questions.

Cheers!

Nortel ERS 5520 PwR Switch (Part 2)

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[ad name=”ad-articlebodysq”]In my previous post I outlined all the commands that you would need to configure a Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 5520 to support deploying Nortel’s i2002/i2004 Internet Telephones using LLDP-MED in conjunction with ADAC (Automatic Detection and Automatic Configuration). If you followed the steps your probably well on your way to getting things work. Unfortunately things can sometimes go wrong even with the best documentation and understanding of the product.

In this post I’m going to outline some of the basic commands you can use to troubleshoot any issues you might have between the ERS5520 and the i2002/i2004 phones.

Q. How can I check the log file?
A. show logging

ERS-5520# show logging
Type Time                    Idx  Src Message
---- ----------------------- ---- --- -------
S    00:00:00:00             1    NVR SNTP: Could not sync to NTP servers.
S    2007-04-05 17:18:08 GMT 2    NVR SNTP: Could not sync to NTP servers.
S    2007-04-05 17:22:07 GMT 3    NVR Audit data initialized - incorrect magic number: 0xffffffff
I    2007-04-19 01:21:03 GMT 4        Web server starts service on port 80.
I    2007-04-19 01:21:19 GMT 5        IGMP: Unknown Multicast Filter disabled
I    2007-04-19 01:21:19 GMT 6        PoE Port Detection Status:  Port 1 Status: Delivering Power
I    2007-04-19 01:21:22 GMT 7        PoE Port Detection Status:  Port 35 Status: Delivering Power
I    2007-04-19 01:21:49 GMT 8        Port 0/47 reenabled by VLACP
I    2007-04-19 01:21:49 GMT 9        Port 0/48 reenabled by VLACP
I    2007-04-19 01:23:05 GMT 10       SNTP: First synchronization successful.
I    2007-04-19 01:23:18 GMT 11       Warm Start Trap
I    2007-04-19 01:23:19 GMT 12       Link Up Trap Port: 1
I    2007-04-19 01:23:20 GMT 13       Trap:  pethPsePortOnOffNotification
I    2007-04-19 01:23:20 GMT 14       Trap:  bsAdacPortConfigNotification for Port: 47, Config: Applied

Q. How can I check the state of a port?
A. show interfaces

ERS-5520# show interfaces 47,48
Status                     Auto                      Flow
Port Trunk Admin   Oper Link LinkTrap Negotiation Speed    Duplex Control
---- ----- ------- ---- ---- -------- ----------- -------- ------ -------
47   1     Enable  Up   Up   Enabled  Enabled     1000Mbps Full   Asymm
48   1     Enable  Up   Up   Enabled  Enabled     1000Mbps Full   Asymm

Q. How can I check the VLACP state of a port?
A. show vlacp interface

ERS-5520# show vlacp interface 47,48
===============================================================================
VLACP Information
===============================================================================
PORT ADMIN   OPER    HAVE    FAST  SLOW  TIMEOUT TIMEOUT ETH  MAC
ENABLED ENABLED PARTNER TIME  TIME  TYPE    SCALE   TYPE ADDRESS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0/47  true    true    yes    500   30000 short   3       8103 01:80:c2:00:11:00
0/48  true    true    yes    500   30000 short   3       8103 01:80:c2:00:11:00

Q. How can I check what FDB entries have been learned on a specific port?
A. show mac-address-table port

ERS-5520# show mac-address-table port 47
Mac Address Table Aging Time: 300
Number of addresses: 9

MAC Address      Source          MAC Address      Source
-----------------  --------      -----------------  --------
00-00-5E-00-01-01  Trunk: 1      00-15-40-45-68-00  Trunk: 1
00-17-D1-57-30-00  Trunk: 1      00-17-D1-57-30-10  Trunk: 1
00-17-D1-57-32-03  Trunk: 1      00-18-B0-CC-F0-00  Trunk: 1
00-18-B0-CC-F0-10  Trunk: 1      00-18-B0-CC-F2-01  Trunk: 1
00-1B-25-4C-74-00  Trunk: 1

Q. How can I check the FDB table for a specific MAC address?
A. show mac-address-table address

ERS-5520# show mac-address-table address 00:18:b0:cc:f0:10
Mac Address Table Aging Time: 300
Number of addresses: 1

MAC Address      Source          MAC Address      Source
-----------------  --------      -----------------  --------
00-18-B0-CC-F0-10  Trunk: 1

Q. How can I check to see if ADAC has been configured/enabled?
A. show adac

ERS-5520# show adac
ADAC Global Configuration
---------------------------------------
ADAC:  Enabled
Operating Mode:  Tagged Frames
Traps Control Status:  Enabled
Voice-VLAN ID:  12
Call Server Port:  None
Uplink Port:  48

Q. How can I check to see if ADAC has been applied to a specific port?
A. show adac interface

ERS-5520# show adac interface 20
Port  Auto-Detection  Auto-Configuration
----  --------------  ------------------
20       Enabled            Applied

Q. How can I check to see the LLDP information with a specific port?
A. show lldp port neighbor detail

ERS-5520# show lldp port 20 neighbor detail
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 lldp neighbor
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Port: 20    Index: 5                  Time: 8 days, 13:47:49
 ChassisId: Network address    ipV4  192.168.100.101
 PortId:    MAC address        00:17:65:ff:e0:fc
 SysCap:    TB / TB            (Supported/Enabled)
 PortDesc:  Nortel IP Phone
 SysDescr:  Nortel IP Telephone 2002, Firmware:0604DAS

 PVID: 0                              PPVID Supported: not supported(0)
 VLAN Name List: none                 PPVID Enabled: none

 Dot3-MAC/PHY Auto-neg: supported/enabled       OperMAUtype:  100BaseTXFD
 PSE MDI power:         not supported/disabled  Port class:   PD
 PSE power pair:        signal/not controllable Power class:  2
 LinkAggr: not aggregatable/not aggregated      AggrPortID:   0
 MaxFrameSize: 1522
 PMD auto-neg:          10Base(T, TFD), 100Base(TX, TXFD)

 MED-Capabilities: CNLDI / CNDI       (Supported/Current)
 MED-Device type:  Endpoint Class 3
 MED-Application Type: Voice                    VLAN ID: 12
 L2 Priority: 6         DSCP Value: 46          Tagged Vlan, Policy defined
 Med-Power Type: PD Device            Power Source: Unknown
 Power Priority: High                 Power Value:    5.4 Watt
 HWRev:                               FWRev: 0604DAS
 SWRev:                               SerialNumber:
 ManufName: Nortel-01                 ModelName: IP Phone 2002
 AssetID:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Port: 20    Index: 6                  Time: 8 days, 13:48:20
 ChassisId: Network address    ipV4  10.119.241.50
 PortId:    MAC address        00:17:65:ff:e0:fc
 SysCap:    TB / TB            (Supported/Enabled)
 PortDesc:  Nortel IP Phone
 SysDescr:  Nortel IP Telephone 2002, Firmware:0604DAS

 PVID: 0                              PPVID Supported: not supported(0)
 VLAN Name List: 12                   PPVID Enabled: none

 Dot3-MAC/PHY Auto-neg: supported/enabled       OperMAUtype:  100BaseTXFD
 PSE MDI power:         not supported/disabled  Port class:   PD
 PSE power pair:        signal/not controllable Power class:  2
 LinkAggr: not aggregatable/not aggregated      AggrPortID:   0
 MaxFrameSize: 1522
 PMD auto-neg:          10Base(T, TFD), 100Base(TX, TXFD)

 MED-Capabilities: CNLDI / CNDI       (Supported/Current)
 MED-Device type:  Endpoint Class 3
 MED-Application Type: Voice                    VLAN ID: 12
 L2 Priority: 6         DSCP Value: 46          Tagged Vlan, Policy defined
 Med-Power Type: PD Device            Power Source: Unknown
 Power Priority: High                 Power Value:    5.4 Watt
 HWRev:                               FWRev: 0604DAS
 SWRev:                               SerialNumber:
 ManufName: Nortel-01                 ModelName: IP Phone 2002
 AssetID:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sys capability: O-Other; R-Repeater; B-Bridge; W-WLAN accesspoint; r-Router;
T-Telephone; D-DOCSIS cable device; S-Station only.
Med Capabilities-C: N-Network Policy; L-Location Identification; I-Inventory;
S-Extended Power via MDI - PSE; D-Extended Power via MDI - PD.

Those are some of the commands that you might have to execute if you needed to perform troubleshooting between an ERS5520 and a i2002/i2004 phone.

Your DHCP server logs will be your friend during your troubleshooting. If you don’t see the phone making a DHCP request (or a request in the proper VLAN) then you should check that ADAC was applied to the switch port. ADAC is the component that will automatically add the switch port (the switch port the phone is connected to) into the Voice VLAN. If ADAC is not applied (or enabled) on the port then you’ll be able to see that the switch port in question is only a member of the Data VLAN. You need to remember that ADAC works on MAC address ranges. You need to check that the MAC address of your phone is in the ADAC MAC address table.

5520-48T-PWR# show adac mac-range-table
Lowest MAC Address          Highest MAC Address
------------------------    -------------------------
00-0A-E4-01-10-20            00-0A-E4-01-23-A7
00-0A-E4-01-70-EC            00-0A-E4-01-84-73
00-0A-E4-01-A1-C8            00-0A-E4-01-AD-7F
00-0A-E4-01-DA-4E            00-0A-E4-01-ED-D5
00-0A-E4-02-1E-D4            00-0A-E4-02-32-5B
00-0A-E4-02-5D-22            00-0A-E4-02-70-A9
00-0A-E4-02-D8-AE            00-0A-E4-02-FF-BD
00-0A-E4-03-87-E4            00-0A-E4-03-89-0F
00-0A-E4-03-90-E0            00-0A-E4-03-B7-EF
00-0A-E4-04-1A-56            00-0A-E4-04-41-65
00-0A-E4-04-80-E8            00-0A-E4-04-A7-F7
00-0A-E4-04-D2-FC            00-0A-E4-05-48-2B
00-0A-E4-05-B7-DF            00-0A-E4-06-05-FE
00-0A-E4-06-55-EC            00-0A-E4-07-19-3B
00-0A-E4-08-0A-02            00-0A-E4-08-7F-31
00-0A-E4-08-B2-89            00-0A-E4-09-75-D8
00-0A-E4-09-BB-9D            00-0A-E4-09-CF-24
00-0A-E4-09-FC-2B            00-0A-E4-0A-71-5A
00-0A-E4-0A-9D-DA            00-0A-E4-0B-61-29
00-0A-E4-0B-BB-FC            00-0A-E4-0B-BC-0F
00-0A-E4-0B-D9-BE            00-0A-E4-0C-9D-0D

Total Ranges: 21

If the MAC address of your i2002/i2004 phone does not match any of the MAC address ranges in the switch you’ll need to add a range to include those MAC addresses. If the MAC address of your i2002 phone was 00:18:b0:11:22:33 you could use the following commands;

5520-48T-PWR> enable
5520-48T-PWR# config terminal
5520-48T-PWR (config)# adac mac-range-table low-end 00:18:b0:00:00:00 high-end 00:18:b0:ff:ff:ff

You might think you could configure a port mirror and run a quick packet capture to understand what’s going on… unfortunately you cannot configure any port with port mirroring that has ADAC enabled.

Thats all for now.

The last step is the DHCP server so stay tuned.

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