It never fails … every class I teach I am asked the question “Where do I find topic X in the documentation?” Usually at the top of the lists are the topics that generally have longer configurations surrounding them that are sometimes hard to remember. Topics like FHRP isolation when using OTV, iSCSI gateway configuration on the MDS, Fibre channel zoning, and so on. So I wanted to compile a quick list of the top 3 that I am always being asked about.
The most popular topic is first-hop redundancy protocol isolation when using OTV. This can be a tricky one, as it contains MAC ACLs referencing the VMAC (virtual MACs) for the protocol you are trying to filter, access-list identifying the FHRPs multicast hello address, route-maps, route-redistribution filters, and VACLs. I will have to admit, it is one that I definitely had trouble remembering! The easiest way to find it is by locating the white paper outlining its use! Follow me!
Our famous starting point will always be here, we will call it “root”:
http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/psa/default.html?mode=prod
From here we want to drill down:
Switches >> Data Center Switches >> Nexus 7000 Series Switches >> Nexus 7000 Series Switches
When you get to this page I want you to look off to the right-hand side for a link called “White Papers.”
You should now see a list of white-papers. Search for the one that says “Using OTV to Extend Layer 2 between Two Data Centers.” That’s our huckleberry. Open it up and cruise down to the section called First Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP), or link to it from the top.
This is what you are going to want to work with. A couple caveats however….this specific filter is setup for HSRP versions 1 and 2 … and it is incorrect at that. I have highlighted the portion that is wrong … and bonus points if you can identify WHAT is wrong, without reading the next sentence. HSRP v1’s VMAC basically has 8 bits available at the end of the VMAC to place the group address, in hex. With HSRP v2 they bumped that to 12-bits, but the mask they put on the HSRPv2 MAC ACL only allows 8 to be wild. You will need to change that mask to ffff.ffff.f000 if you have to use this in your lab! Again though, if you use VRRP instead of HSRP, all of the multicast addresses, and MAC ACLs would have to be adjusted for VRRP’s groups/addresses.
The second section I am ALWAYS asked about is iSCSI gateway configuration on the MDS switches. Once again, we want to start with root, then:
Storage Networking >> MDS 9000 Multilayer Directors and Fabric Switches >> MDS 9000 NX-OS and SAN-OS Software >> MDS 9000 NX-OS and SAN-OS Software
Once here, you should see a list of software versions at the top of the page. Click on the MDS 9000 NX-OS Software Release link:
Now under the Configuration Guides section, you should see one that says “Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS IP Services Configuration Guide.” Click on this, and you should see a Configuring iSCSI section on the left that you can drive into, and find what your looking for! This is also handy, as it has FCIP available within the same guide!
Lastly, in some of our VoDs there is a troubleshooting guide that is referenced with regards to FCoE and the Nexus 55xx series devices. People see the video, and remember the mention, but they cant find how to get there once they are actually in the documentation. So here it is:
Switches >> Data Center Switches >> Nexus 5000 Series Switches >> Nexus 5000 Series Switches
Once you drop into this section, scroll all the way down. You should see “Troubleshooting Guides.”
Click there, and it should show you 2 troubleshooting guides that are available to you. The latest one has sections ranging from QoS, to FCoE, to vPC issues. This can come in extremely handy if you find yourself in a bind in the lab, and just maybe need a little nudge in the right direction to help you out!
Hopefully you won’t need to access the documentation in your lab, but if you do, its ALWAYS helpful to know where to go ahead of time. If you know going into the lab that you will have to reference a certain topic (because you just cant remember it), the please integrate the navigation to that topic via the doc-cd into your study regimen. It will certainly save you a lot of time and frustration on lab day! If there is any topic you cannot seem to find, and would like some help doing so, just leave a comment and I will be sure to help you out!
- Jason