[f-nsp] FCX and target path 8.0.10m (and an aside)

[Jethro R Binks]

I thought I was doing the right thing by upgrading a couple of my slightly 
aging FCXs to target path release 8.0.10m, which tested fine on an 
unstacked unit with a single OSPF peering.

The ones I am running on are stacks of two, each with two 10Gb/s 
connections to core, one OSPF peering on each.

Since the upgrade, both stacks suffer packet loss every 2 minutes (just 
about exactly) for about 5-10 seconds, demonstrated by pinging either a 
host through the stack, or an interface on the stack.  There are no log 
messages or changes in OSPF status or spanning tree activity.  When it 
happens, of course a remote session to the box stalls for the same period.

Shutting down either one of the OSPF links doesn't make a difference.  
CPU never changes from 1%.  No errors on ints.  I've used dm commands to 
catch packets going to CPU at about the right time and see nothing 
particularly alarming and certainly no flooding of anything.

This only started after the upgrade to 8.0.10m on each of them.  I have 
other FCX stacks on other code versions not exhibiting this issue.

Some of the comments in this thread seem to be reflective of my issue:  

https://www.reddit.com/r/networking/comments/4j47uo/brocade_is_ruining_my_week_i_need_help_to/

I'm a little dismayed to get these problems on a Target Path release, 
which I assumed would be pretty sound.  I've been eyeing a potential 
upgrade to something in the 8.0.30 (recommendations?), with the usual 
added excitement of bringing a fresh set of bugs.

Before I consider reporting it, I wondered if anyone had any useful 
observations or suggestions.

And, as an aside, I wonder how we're all getting along in our new homes 
for our dissociated Brocade family now.  Very sad to see the assets of a 
once good company scattered to the four winds like this.

Jethro.

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Jethro R Binks, Network Manager,
Information Services Directorate, University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, number SC015263.