[F10-nsp] E-series CLI look/feel feedback

[Mike Hughes]

--On 08 September 2005 15:12 -0700 Sam Crooks <scrooks at ebocom.net> wrote:

> I'm interested in potentially using Force10 switches, but I'd like some
> feedback on the feel of the CLI and (if there is one) the GUI.  I am
> well versed in Cisco, both IOS and CatOS, and like IOS, hate CatOS..

Very IOS like, though with some changes, and the parser is sometimes
inconsistent (like it can be sensitive to the spaces between Ethernet and
x/y) - which seems to be common with a lot to switches TBH.

Found that the SNMP IfIndex interface numbering is somewhat trippy:

interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.33865786 = GigabitEthernet 0/0
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.34127930 = GigabitEthernet 0/1
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.34390074 = GigabitEthernet 0/2
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.34652218 = GigabitEthernet 0/3

They are predictable (separated by 2^18), if otherwise human unfriendly.

Some issues with terminal wrapping, so if there is a line wrap, the top
lines will scroll off the top in the pager - terminal length is supported,
but it can't seem to sense the terminal width.

If you've been used to Foundry, where everything is ethernet x/y, finding
you now have fastethernet x/y, gigabitethernet x/y, and tengigabitethernet
x/y a bit weird, especially when gigabitethernet x/y is a 100/1000 port -
ISTR there's no 10Mb/s support on the Gig Copper cards (if you're
interested in needing backward compatibility.

Load balancing seems to be a global setting for the entire system, and LACP
can be tricky to fire up, but it does work.

By default, all the ports are route only, and you have to tell them
"switchport", but ranged commands are supported :).

Cheers,
Mike
-- 
Mike Hughes     Chief Technical Officer  London Internet Exchange
mike at linx.net   http://www.linx.net/
     "Only one thing in life is certain: init is Process #1"