How To Configure QSFP+ ports of an MXnet 10G Network Switch to operate as 4 10G SFP+ ports (4x10G Breakout Mode)

How To: Configure QSFP+ ports of an MXnet 10G Network Switch to operate as 4 10G SFP+ ports (4x10G Breakout Mode)

This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to configure one or multiple QSFP+ ports to operate as 4 10G SFP+ ports (to be utilized with a 4x10G breakout cable (The breakout cable SKUs are the following: AC-40G-BOC-01, AC-40G-BOC-02, AC-40G-BOC-03)

The below instructions applies to the following MXnet network switches:

AC-MXNET-10G-SW48Q

AC-MXNET-10G-SW24Q (note: the SW24Q is in the 4x10G SFP+ operation mode by default!)

AC-MXNET-10G-SW24C


Requirements:

Windows PC

Ability to access the Command-Line-Interface (CLI) of the network switch, either via a console cable or telnet session to the switch.

PuTTY or any other Telnet/Serial Communicator


Step One: Accessing the Command-Line-Interface(CLI) of the Network Switch

Accessing the MXNet CLI via the Console Port

1. Connect the RJ45-to-DB9 and DB9 cables together, then plug in the cable to a USB port on the Windows PC and the RJ45 connector to the CONSOLE port on the network switch. 


2. Right-click on the Windows Start button and select Device Manager, then select the Ports (COM & LPT) dropdown menu and locate the device labeled USB Serial Port (COMx).


3. Open PuTTY and enter in the following protocols:
      Connection type: Serial
      Serial line: COMx (x equaling the COM port number found in the previous step)
      Speed: 115200 (if configuring an AC-MXNET-10G-SW48Q)
                   9600 (if configuring the AC-MXNET-10G-SW24Q and SW24C)

4. Select Open to open a new terminal window for PuTTY, then press the Enter key. The server will respond with "User Access Verification" followed by a prompt for the "Username". This indicates that successful communication with the network switch is now established.


5. Login credentials are case sensitive. For the username, type in admin and hit the Enter key to send. For the password, type in admin and hit the Enter key to send. New lines will now begin with switch#, indicating the network switch is now fully accessible.


Accessing the MXNet CLI or Web GUI via the MGMT Port

1. Connect any RJ45 cable from your Windows PC to the MGMT port on the network switch. The example below shows the SW24C but this step applies to all MXNet 10G switches.

2. Type ncpa.cpl into the Windows Search Bar to open the Network Connections settings.

3. Double-click the PC's Ethernet adapter to open the PC's Ethernet Properties window. If you have one or multiple Ethernet adapters, simply disconnect the RJ-45 cable from your PC to the network switch. Whichever adapter changes to “Network Cable Unplugged” is the adapter you will choose.


4. Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) connection, then select Properties.


5. Select the Use the following IP address option and enter in an address on the same subnet as the network switch's static address (192.168.1.238 255.255.255.0) such as the address shown in the screenshot below.


6. Type command prompt into the Windows Search Bar to open a new Command Prompt window, then ping the switch by typing in ping 192.168.1.238 into the Command Prompt terminal and hit the Enter key to send the command.




Accessing the MXNet CLI via the MGMT Port by Telnet Client

1. After successfully pinging the switch using Command Prompt, open PuTTY and enter in the following configurations into PuTTY:
      Connection type: Telnet
      Port Number: 23
      IP Address: 192.168.1.238


2. Select Open to open a new Telnet session to the switch using PuTTY. A prompt saying "Username" will appear in the PuTTY terminal window. Enter in “admin” for the username and “admin” for the password. When you see a prompt labeled “switch#”, you are now successfully connected to the switch.


Step Two: Configuring one or multiple QSFP+ ports to operate as 4 10G SFP+ ports

1. With the PuTTY session still open from following the previous step, enter in the command (no quotes) “config” to enter Configuration Mode on the network switch you’re connected to.


2. To configure one or multiple QSFP+ ports, start by addressing the port in question by entering in the following command: “interface ethernet 1/1/1”. QSFP+ ports are always addressed by using the middle number of the three listed in said command, so this command will configure the first QSFP+ port on any of the 10G switches listed in this document. If you wish to configure multiple QSFP+ ports, separate the ports using a semicolon ;.

Example command to address multiple QSFP+ ports: 

interface ethernet 1/1/1;1/2/1;1/3/1;1/4/1;1/5/1;1/6/1
The command above will address all six QSFP+ ports on an AC-MXNET-10G-SW48Q.

Example screenshot for configuring both QSFP+ ports on a SW24Q or SW24C:



3. Once you address the desired QSFP+ port(s), enter in the command (no quotes) “hardware profile mode 4x10G”. If you are configuring any QSFP+ ports on an MXnet 10G network switch other than the SW24Q, enter in the command (no quotes) “no port-group” after, to remove the pre-configured stacking configuration on said port(s).



Note: The same command to configure the 4x10G SFP+ operation mode can be nullified by adding a “no” in front of “hardware profile mode 4x10G”. Example command: no hardware profile mode 4x10G

4. After both commands above are executed, enter in the command “end” to return to normal operation mode (you will see “switch#” as the prompt). Then, enter in the command (no quotes) “write”, followed by a “y” if prompted to do so. This will save the configuration so the network switch will utilize the changes upon a restart.



5. Now that the ports have been configured and the configuration has been saved, enter in the command (no quotes) “reload”, followed by a “y” to confirm. This will reboot the network switch. After the switch is rebooted (you may need to re-connect the session if you were communicating via the MGMT port), re-login, and enter in the command “show run”. This outputs the currently running configuration profile of the network switch. Hit the spacebar on your keyboard until you see the “switch#” prompt again.

If the hardware profile was configured successfully, you should now see towards the end of the running configuration that your QSFP+ ports, which were originally “interface ethernet 1/x/1” with “x” being the QSFP+ port number, are now showing “interface ethernet 1/x/1, interface ethernet 1/x/2, interface ethernet 1/x/3, interface ethernet 1/x/4”, indicating the single QSFP+ port is now functioning as 4 SFP+ ports.

Example below for an SW24C with both QSFP+ ports configured to operate as 4 10G SFP+ ports:



Your QSFP+ ports are now ready to operate as 4x10G SFP+ ports, and you are free to connect the AOC Breakout Cable from said QSFP+ port to any MXnet 10G endpoints.


Optional: Pre-Made Configuration Scripts to apply to the 10G Switches

Below are optional configuration scripts to quickly configure an AC-MXNET-10G-SW48Q, AC-MXNET-10G-SW24C, and AC-MXNET-10G-SW24Q (hardware profile removal). These are meant for users who are already familiar with the Command-Line-Interface, and just want the commands to configure the breakout mode.

These commands can simply be pasted into PuTTY (right click) once you log in to the switch. Reboot the switch afterwards, and the configurations are done. 

AC-MXNET-10G-SW48Q:
1 Port:
config
interface ethernet 1/1/1
no port-group
hardware profile mode 4x10G
end
write
y

All QSFP+ ports (note, if you need specific ports, simply delete the non-desired ports in the "interface ethernet 1/x/1" command string):
config
interface ethernet 1/1/1;1/2/1;1/3/1;1/4/1;1/5/1;1/6/1;
no port-group
hardware profile mode 4x10G
end
write
y

SW24C:
1 Port:
config
interface ethernet 1/1/1
no port-group
hardware profile mode 4x10G
end
write
y

All QSFP+ ports:
config 
no port-group 1
interface ethernet 1/1/1;1/2/1
hardware profile mode 4x10g
end
write
y

SW24Q:
Hardware profile removal:
config
interface ethernet 1/1/1;1/2/1
no hardware profile mode 4x10G
end
write
y

Hardware profile removal + port-group (Stacking configuration) addition:
config
port-group 1 mode on
interface ethernet 1/1/1;1/2/1
no hardware profile mode 4x10G
exit
ip igmp snooping vlan 1 mrouter-port interface port-channel1
end
write
y

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