[c-nsp] PXE not working on Cat2948

[Jens Neu]

Der all,

I have a Catalyst 2948G which seems to keep PXE boot from working 
properly. This one Cat2948 is the only Layer 2 device between the DHCP/PXE 
boot server and the PXE client - both are directly connected and share a 
/24. PXE boot is not working at all, and DHCP is unbearably slow, for no 
apparent reason. Both PXE Server and Client(s) are various IBM xSeries 
using the onboard GBit interfaces.
Now the fun stuff: when I put a second Layer 2 device between the Cat 2948 
and the PXE client, it is magically working.
Means: PXE Server -> Cat 2948 -> "some cheap Netgear Office switch" -> PXE 
Client == works. In fact, any additional Layer 2 device that appears 
between PXE Client and the Cat 2948 scares the problem away.

Anyone seen this before? Any hints where to start looking? The switch 
looks as follows:

WS-C2948 Software, Version NmpSW: 8.4(11)GLX
Copyright (c) 1995-2006 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
NMP S/W compiled on Apr 27 2006, 12:46:44
GSP S/W compiled on Apr 27 2006, 11:47:52

System Bootstrap Version: 6.1(4)

Hardware Version: 2.5  Model: WS-C2948  Serial #: JAE061500JB

Mod Port Model              Serial #              Versions
--- ---- ------------------ -------------------- 
---------------------------------
1   0    WS-X2948           JAE061500JB          Hw : 2.5
                                                 Gsp: 8.4(11.0)
                                                 Nmp: 8.4(11)GLX
2   50   WS-C2948G          JAE061500JB          Hw : 2.5

       DRAM                    FLASH                   NVRAM
Module Total   Used    Free    Total   Used    Free    Total Used  Free
------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ----- ----- -----
1       65536K  37349K  28187K  12288K  10648K   1640K  480K   85K  395K

best regards!

Jens Neu

Phone: +49 (0) 30 68905-2412
Mail: jens.neu at biotronik.de


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