Working with Comware OS (HPE FlexFabric Switching) – Basics

TL;DR

I recently got the opportunity to get my hands on a HPE 5700. This switch come from H3C assets and run the Comware OS.

It is a bit disturbing to work with it when you are used to Cisco’s cli. This post is about basics on the first setup and configuring a HPE Switch running Comware OS 7.

Unfortunately, having only one switch, I am not able to test advanced features like IRF¹.

HPE 5700 48G physical configuration

The 5700 48G (model JG894A) is a datacenter switch composed of the following :
• On the front panel :
◦ 48 x fixed 1GbE base-T ports,
◦ 4 x 10GbE SFP+ ports,
◦ 2 x 40GbE QSFP+ ports.
• On the back :
◦ 1 x 1GbE base-T port, for OOBM (Out of Band Management) purpose,
◦ 1 x console port.

Here is a link to the quickspec of the HP5700

Switching between view/config mode and saving the config

When you first log in, you are in a display mode, which means you can only display the current configuration but take no configuration action (The command prompt is a superior sign).
Typing the command « system-view » take you to the configuration mode and the command prompt become a hash.

hpswitch>system-view
hpswitch#

Saving the running config is done via the « save » command. You can save the running config to startup config with the following command :

hpswitch# save force

The « force » parameter will avoid you confirmation & file naming prompts.

Configuring remote out of band management

This part is composed of five sub-tasks :
1. configure the oobm interface IP,
2. define the default gateway,
3. create a local user with admin rights,
4. activate a remote protocol (preferably ssh),
5. configure the vty (Virtual Teletype).

1. Configure management interface’s IP

After entering system-view mode, you select the management interface then set IP address and network mask.

interface M-GigabitEthernet0/0/0
 ip address 192.168.1.1 24

2. Configure default route on the management interface

ip route-static 0.0.0.0 0 M-GigabitEthernet 0/0/0 192.168.1.254 permanent

3. Create a local user, grant “network-admin” rights and SSH connection

local-user admin
 password simple <PASSWORD>
 service-type ssh
 authorization-attribute user-role network-admin

4. Configure SSH

First enable SSH service :

ssh server enable

Then generate crypto keys :

Public-key local create rss

5. Configure first 15 vty with SSH access

line vty 0 15
 authentication-mode scheme
 protocol inbound ssh

Some useful commands

Configure an uplink in trunk mode and allow all VLANs

Interface GigabitEthernet 1/0/48
 port link-type trunk
 port trunk permit vlan all

Create an SVI for a vlan

interface Vlan-interface <vlan-id>
 ip address 10.0.0.252 24

Split 40GbE interfaces into 4 x 10GbE

The 40GbE interfaces can be split into 4 x 10GbE interfaces. You will need a break-out cable and the switch will have to reload.

Select a 40GbE interface in system-view mode and enter this command :

using tengige

You can see the 10GbE interfaces after the switch have rebooted. The break-out interfaces numbers are appended after a colon – Think sub-interface.

[HPE-5700]display interface brief
…
XGE1/0/53:1          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/53:2          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/53:3          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/53:4          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/54:1          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/54:2          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/54:3          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1
XGE1/0/54:4          UP   10G(a)  F(a)   A    1

Configure a native vlan on a trunk port

Native vlan is possible when the port is operating in hybrid mode (you will have to first put the port on access mode, then activate hybrid mode).

[HPE-5700-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/53:1]port link-type hybrid
Please set the link type of the port to access first.
[HPE-5700-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/53:1]port link-type access
[HPE-5700-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/53:1]port link-type hybrid

Set native vlan

[HPE-5700-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/53:1]port hybrid vlan 500 untagged

Add a vlan to a trunk port

[HPE-5700-Ten-GigabitEthernet1/0/53:1]port hybrid vlan 502 tagged

summary commands for a trunk port with native vlan

port link-type access
port link-type hybrid
port hybrid vlan 500 untagged
port hybrid vlan 501 tagged
port hybrid vlan 502 tagged

Display running config of an object

Here a sample to display running config for all 10GbE interfaces. You can use the same “display current-config” for all objets.

hpswitch# display current-configuration interface Ten-GigabitEthernet