[c-nsp] 7500 Crashes

[Lamar Owen]

On Saturday, October 15, 2011 12:57:45 PM Jason Berenson wrote:
> NAME: "Line Card 6", DESCR: "Versatile Interface Processor (VIP6-80)"
> PID: VIP6-80           , VID: Hardware Version : 2.01 Board Revision : 
> A0, SN: 29452845
> 
> NAME: "Card Slot 6, Bay 0", DESCR: "GigabitEthernet Port Adapter"
> PID: PA-GE             , VID: Hardware Version : 1.0 Board Revision : 
> A1, SN: 18636663

As Rodney mentioned, this combination isn't actually supported; the GEIP he mentions is effectively a VIP2 with a PA-GE (GEIP+ is a VIP4 with a special double GE that is particular to that card).  

I tried running the PA-GE in a VIP4 and that didn't work so well.  But given that the PA interface is a 32-bit PCI bus running at 33MWords/s max, you aren't going to get anywhere close to gigabit throughput on it anyway; the GEIP+'s double-width PA has two separate GE chips and two PCI bus connections to the VIP4 (one to each of the two PCI busses on the VIP) and is only supported in 7500 to the best of my knowledge; but even it won't get you a full gigabit (in my experience). 

So you're not limiting your throughput by downshifting from a VIP6 to a VIP2, if you have one.  If you don't have one, let's talk....

On a 7507 I have running 12.4(18c), I have a VIP2-50 that has a sticker label 'GEIP' on it with a PA-GE in it, and here's what the system says about it in sh inv:

NAME: "Line Card 4", DESCR: "Versatile Interface Processor"
PID: VIP2-50           , VID: Hardware Version : 2.02 Board Revision : C0, SN: 13942154   

NAME: "Card Slot 4, Bay 0", DESCR: "GigabitEthernet Port Adapter"
PID: PA-GE             , VID: Hardware Version : 1.0 Board Revision : A0, SN: 11608697   

Here's show redundancy (and note the uptime of the box):
#sh red
Redundant System Information :
------------------------------
       Available system uptime = 1 year, 27 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 57 minutes
Switchovers system experienced = 1
              Standby failures = 0
        Last switchover reason = user forced

                 Hardware Mode = Duplex
    Configured Redundancy Mode = rpr-plus
     Operating Redundancy Mode = rpr-plus
              Maintenance Mode = Disabled
                Communications = Up

Current Processor Information :
-------------------------------
               Active Location = slot 3
        Current Software state = ACTIVE
       Uptime in current state = 1 year, 27 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 50 minutes
                 Image Version = Cisco IOS Software, RSP Software (RSP-IK9O3SV-M), Version 12.4(18c), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc3)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2008 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sat 06-Sep-08 10:44 by prod_rel_team
                          BOOT = disk1:rsp-ik9o3sv-mz.124-18c.bin,1;
                   CONFIG_FILE = 
                       BOOTLDR = bootflash:rsp-boot-mz.124-18b.bin
        Configuration register = 0x2102

Peer Processor Information :
----------------------------
              Standby Location = slot 2
        Current Software state = STANDBY COLD-CONFIG
       Uptime in current state = 1 year, 27 weeks, 4 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes
                 Image Version = Cisco IOS Software, RSP Software (RSP-IK9O3SV-M), Version 12.4(18c), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc3)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2008 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sat 06-Sep-08 10:44 by prod_rel_team
                          BOOT = disk1:rsp-ik9o3sv-mz.124-18c.bin,1;
                   CONFIG_FILE = 
                       BOOTLDR = bootflash:rsp-boot-mz.124-18b.bin
        Configuration register = 0x2102


I wouldn't mind seeing the 'show inventory' output for someone with a factory GEIP card running; this one has a PA-GE from an unknown router source married to a VIP2-50 that has a GEIP physical sticker on it; should be equivalent, but it may not be).  Of course, I got the VIP2-50 from an unknown box, and it's theoretically possible that it had the VIP sticker replaced with a GEIP sticker.....

But the system has been rock solid stable with the PA-GE in the VIP2-50, but it crashed rather often (not with your symptoms, though) when the PA-GE was in a VIP4.  And this system is doing Stateful NAT (of all things) along with 802.1q trunking and firewall 'things' (H.323 CBAC and more).  It's SNAT standby is a 7401ASR; hey, I use what I've got to do things, and thus have earned the nickname 'Mr. Make-Do' from some folks.....  I had two 7401's in this role, but one of them started developing some 'issues' and I rolled in the first spare I could get my hands on....

But the fact that this 7507 in this decidedly non-7500-ish role is working quite well (at the moment) should say something.... if nothing else it speaks to my stubbornness in pressing such hardware into a very CPE-ish role....