New Features;

• 8812XL SPF+ I/O Module
• SPBM IEEE 802.1aq standards compliance
• VLACP flag detection and damping
• 8895 SF/CPU compact flash compatibility with Windows PC
• Fabric Memory Full Handling
• HTTPS configurable port
• CFM enhancements
• Dynamic VLAN addition to LACP-enabled MLT (LAG)
• EDM enhancements
• EDM support for tri-speed copper SPF

Resolved Issues;

• wi00564787 Packets processed by the CP egress through modules with an IP checksum of 0xffff instead of 0x0000.
• wi00853466 Cannot enable the VLACP hold timer with EDM.
• wi00876718 No backtraces in SMP log file after the switch crashed.
• wi00936425 Remote Fault Indication (RFI) is not reporting the correct operational status on 8634XGRS 10 Gbps ports.
• wi00937554 RSMLT peer IP is not reachable when one leg of the SMLT is down in a square configuration.
• wi00940800 OSPF Hello traffic sourced from the CPU should be marked as qos=7.
• wi00940805 OSPF traffic sourced from CPU should be marked as qos=7.
• wi00940810 IPFIX traffic sourced from CPU should be marked as qos=3.
• wi00940880 Disabling Autonegotiation on Gigabit-only capable ports result in a boot loop.
• wi00941200 Static BFD sessions do not come up after HA failover.
• wi00941202 ACLI allows you to configure a BGP redistribution from one VRF to another VRF.
• wi00941225 Gig ports on 8634XGRS module are not sending Remote Line Fault (RLF) clear signal when the ERS is powered down and then powered back up.
• wi00941227 Gig ports on 8648GBRS module are not sending Remote Line Fault (RLF) clear signal when the ERS is powered down and then powered back up.
• wi00944334 When a link flaps, there is no log message to indicate which side is causing the link to flap or why.
• wi00946689 After configuration and a reboot, LACP interfaces come up operationally different than administratively configured.
• wi00947146 Entering configure ip more-specific-non-local-route enable on a PIM router prevents multicast flow from reaching the receiver.
• wi00949429 After disabling and enabling SMLT links, duplicate packets appearing in the LACP diamond SMLT.
• wi00950141 ICMP, DHCP, Telnet, SNMP, ARP Reply traffic sourced from the CPU should not be marked as qos=7.
• wi00950143 SSH traffic sourced from CPU should be marked as qos=3.
• wi00950871 CPU to take I/O modules offline when certain error thresholds are met.
• wi00951489 IPv6 DiffServ packets have corrupt flow label and payload length fields.
• wi00952222 Port speed (HighSpeed Value) is reported for the next port instead of the current port.
• wi00957781 IST drops when an R or RS module containing a designated port for the IST MLT is removed from the switch.
• wi00958033 Unable to create IPX protocol based VLANs.
• wi00959042 Access policy configuration is lost during upgrade from 5.x to 7.1.1.0 when running ACLI.
• wi00959365 CFM fails when SPB IP is enabled and an incorrect CLIP address is incorrectly entered.
• wi00959844 L2 Trace route for CFM – CMAC does not work when one of the SPBM core switches is restarted and the adjacency is down.
• wi00962669 8648GTRS modules displaying the following error message: CPU5 [07/30/11 17:10:05] KHI WARNING Slot 1 Right Lane is experiencing Ingress RSP Errors – CIF Parity Error, CIF Protocol Error
• wi00962958 OSPF MD5 authentication key not saved in Ospf_md5key.txt file for VLAN 3993.
• wi00968188 EDM allows you to copy the clilog.txt file.
• wi00974401 IS-IS IP redistribution to aggregate IP routes into a summarized network does not work.
• wi00974403 When there are two networks with the same network address but with different masks, the network address with least specific mask is not redistributed.

If you utilize a lot of LACP/LAGs you’ll be happy that you can finally add/remove VLANs without disabling LACP, Dynamic VLAN addition to LACP-enabled MLT (LAG).

Please refer to the release notes for all the details.

Cheers!

The most notable feature in this software release is the inclusion of Shortest Path Bridging  (SPB).

“Release 7.1 of the Ethernet Routing Switch 8800/8600 supports the IEEE 802.1aq standard of Shortest Path Bridging MACinMAC (SPBM). SPBM makes network virtualization much easier to deploy within the Enterprise environment, reducing the complexity of the network while at the same time providing greater scalability.

SPBM eliminates the need for multiple overlay protocols in the core of the network by reducing the core control plane to a single protocol which can provide virtualization services for both layer 2 and layer 3, on a common Ethernet infrastructure using a pure Ethernet technology base. SPBM allows for layering the Ethernet network into edge and core domains with complete isolation between their MAC addresses. This technology provides all the features and benefits required by Carrier-grade deployments to the Enterprise market without the complexity of alternative technologies traditionally used in Carrier deployments (typically MPLS). SPBM integrates into a single control plane all the functions that MPLS requires multiple layers and protocols to support.

SPBM provides any-to-any connectivity in a network in an optimized, loop-free manner. It employs shortest-path trees to each destination, without the long convergence delays experienced with Spanning Tree Protocol. To do that, SPBM uses Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) link state routing protocol to learn and distribute network information. IS-IS dynamically learns the topology of a network and uses its inherent knowledge to construct shortest path unicast and multicast trees from every node to every other node in the network. Also, unlike Spanning Tree Protocol, IS-IS does not block ports to provide a loop free topology, so bandwidth is not wasted.

The SPBM components introduced in this release are:

1. Shortest Path Bridging (IEEE 802.1aq) for simple and safe VLAN extensions across a network. SPBM does not use spanning tree, and all its links are active.
2. SMLT for dual-homing of non-SPBM switches to a pair of SPB/IST switches.
3. SPBM/IP for simple and safe VRF extensions across a network infrastructure without OSPF or BGP.
4. InterISID routing for routing of L2 VPNs in the SPB domain“

You can review the configuration guide around SPBM here.

You fine the release notes here along with an upgrade document here.

Cheers!

We now know that any new switches purchased with the 8895SF/CPU will be labeled an ERS 8800 a opposed to an ERS 8600 switch. We also know that Avaya has released 7.0 software which will put pressure on their customers to upgrade to at least 5.x software. We also know that a lot of old hardware is coming MD and/or EoL. I just realized that the classic non-E cards (8648TX, 8608SX, 8608GB, 8608GT) have been EoL since 2006. I knew they were EoL but I didn’t think it was 4 years ago. So I went back and looked over the last few bulletins announcing (in some cases updating previous announcements) regarding the MD (Manufacture Discontinued) of various hardware modules.

Here are some notes that I came up with after looking threw the various bulletins;

• The Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8691 SF/CPU, 8616SXE, 8632TXE, 8616GTE, 8648TXE, 8608SXE, 8624FXE, 8608GBE, 8608GTE, 8632TXM, 8648TXM, 8608GBM, 8608GTM, 8672ATME, 8672ATMM, 8683POSM modules are to be declared Manufacturing Discontinue effective either Dec 31, 2009 or Apr 30, 2010. The official End of Life for these modules isn’t until April 30, 2015 (5 years).
• The Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch Web Switching Module (WSM) was declared Manufacturing Discontinue effective Feb 28, 2009. At this time for the Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 Security Modules (SDM 8660 versions) are also being declared Manufacturing Discontinue effective Dec 31, 2009. The official EoL for this module isn’t until March 31, 2014. Please note that the WSM includes the following products that were already MD in January 2009,  8600SM 8660FW, 8600SDM 8600TPS, 8600SDM 8600FW/TPS.
• The Avaya Data Solutions (ADS) [Nortel] Ethernet Routing Switch 8800/8600 R-Modules, namely 8630GBR (DS1404063-E5), 8648GTR (DS1404092-E5), 8683XLR (DS1404101-E5), and 8683XZR (DS1404064-E5) are to be declared Manufacturing Discontinue effective July 30, 2010 with an associated last order date of June 30, 2010. The official EoL for these modules isn’t until July 30, 2015 (5 years).

If the intention is to support the older hardware for 5 years isn’t it obvious that Avaya will also need to support the software for 5 years?

If you’re looking to deploy a new ERS 8600 you might really need to consider that the older cards and software will probably only be supported until 2015. However, if you deploy an ERS 8800 switch you’ll likely be supported for much longer than that… again 10+ years might not be unreasonable, although you might also consider a VSP9000 or similar high density 10Gbps switch.

Bulletins:

• Hardware Lifecycle Support Update for ERS 8800/8600 R-Modules Pre-Notification of Manufacture Discontinue
• Hardware Lifecycle Support Update for ERS 8691SF, and E/M Modules Final Notification of Manufacture Discontinue
• Hardware Lifecycle Support Update for ERS 8600 WSM and Security Modules Notification of Manufacture Discontinue

Cheers!

Ethernet Routing Switch 8800 release 7.0 software introduces support for the new 8895 Switch Fabric/CPU Module. When an 8000 Chassis is equipped with the 8895 SF/CPU, this system is known as an Ethernet Routing Switch 8800; conversely, when equipped with an 8692 SF/CPU module (with SuperMezz) the system is known as an Ethernet Routing Switch 8600. Ethernet Routing Switch 8800 release 7.0 software can only operate on an Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 system with appropriate hardware configurations.

With release 7.0 software, the Ethernet Routing Switch 8800 takes over as the go-forward solution for new customers seeking the most reliable and versatile Campus LAN Core Switch. Additionally, release 7.0 software ensures high levels of investment protection and continuity of service for returning Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 customers, as existing Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 deployments can be incrementally upgraded to take
advantage of new features.

In this document, use of the term Ethernet Routing Switch 8000 in relation to software and supported features indicates applicability to both 8600 systems and 8800 systems.

Here are some of the new features included in the 7.0 software release;

• 8895 SF/CPU
• 8003-R 3-slot chassis
• Enterprise Device Manager (EDM)
• Key Health Indicator (KHI) enhancements
• BPDU Filtering
• DHCP snooping
• Dynamic ARP Inspection
• IP Source Guard
• IGMP Layer 2 querier
• Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR)
• PIM-SSM with SMLT
• IP Multinetting
• Route Switch Processor Packet Tracing
• ERCD Records Dump
• IPv6 RSMLT
• IPv6 VRRP
• BGP+
• IPv6 RADIUS
• IPv6 DHCP Relay
• Singular Record Operations
• show debug generic

If you are serious about IPv6 then 7.0 should be a welcome upgrade. You shouldn’t have any issues deploying IPv6 with 7.0 software now that everything is supported in an IPv6 environment. Also added are some of the Ethernet Routing Switch 5000 series features such as BPDU filtering, DHCP snooping, IP source guard, IGMP v2 querier and dynamic ARP inspection.

In order to run 7.0 software you’ll need a 8692SF w/Mezz and all R/RS modules.

I would suggest you review the release notes and upgrade notes for all the details.

Cheers!