Darren Bolding wrote:

What model BIG-IP? On some models I have had to set the BIG-IP's or the 6500 (can't remember which) to specified speed/duplex and the other side to auto.

I believe it was auto on the BIG-IP and fixed on the 6500.

Setting both sides the same did not work.

We have some F5 3400s. No issues with getting link up, but have had issues with etherchannels. Our F5 admin wanted to run LACP, but we have had some issues. 3400 to Cat3750 seems to work okay, doesn't always like both ends 'active' as per Cisco recommended lacp settings. 3400 to Cat3750E we couldn't initially get LACP up in any case, but it maybe have been a flaky switch (had stack port issues), haven't tried again since the replacement. Seems to be fine with raw etherchannel (channel-group xx mode on). Anyone have "smarter" etherchannels running F5-to-Catalysts ? Jeff

Darren, It's the F5-BIG-LTM-6400, pair of them. Thanks for your info. Got alot of good, helpful responses. Best regards, Scott Spencer Data Center Asset Recovery/Remarketing Manager Duane Whitlow & Co. Inc. Nationwide Toll Free: 800.977.7473. Direct: 972.865.1395 Fax: 972.931.3340 <mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com> scott@dwc-computer.com <http://www.dwc-it.com/> www.dwc-it.com Cisco/Juniper/F5/Foundry/Brocade/Sun/IBM/Dell/Liebert and more ~ _____ From: packetmonger@gmail.com [mailto:packetmonger@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Darren Bolding Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 6:58 PM To: Christopher Greves Cc: Scott Spencer; nanog@nanog.org Subject: Re: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question What model BIG-IP? On some models I have had to set the BIG-IP's or the 6500 (can't remember which) to specified speed/duplex and the other side to auto. I believe it was auto on the BIG-IP and fixed on the 6500. Setting both sides the same did not work. On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Christopher Greves <Christopher.Greves@mindspark.com> wrote: Scott, We've had issues in the past with IOS 6500's auto-negotiating uplink ports with an LTM into ISL Trunk mode. This only occurred when we had the port on the LTM configured as a tagged interface. It was easily solved by forcing the port on the 6500 into dot1q encapsulation. I'm not sure this necessarily explains why you aren't seeing a link light on the LTM though. I can't remember what the interface status was on both sides. This does correlate to why it's working on the 2950's as they don't support ISL and would likely negotiate into dot1q. Chris Christopher Greves | Senior Systems Engineer One North Lexington Ave, 9th Floor - White Plains, NY 10601 T 914-826-2067 | C 914.420.8340 | E christopher.greves@mindspark.com Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. is an IAC company. -----Original Message----- From: Scott Spencer [mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 1:13 PM To: nanog@nanog.org Subject: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question Trying to link an F5 Local Traffic Manager with a Cisco Catalyst 6500 , have matched ports (speed,duplex ect..) but no link light at all on the F5. Does link with a Cisco 2950 switch in between but I need a direct connection with the 6500. Any suggestions what to try? Best regards, Scott Spencer Data Center Asset Recovery/Remarketing Manager Duane Whitlow & Co. Inc. Nationwide Toll Free: 800.977.7473. Direct: 972.865.1395 Fax: 972.931.3340 <mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com> scott@dwc-computer.com <http://www.dwc-it.com/> www.dwc-it.com Cisco/Juniper/F5/Foundry/Brocade/Sun/IBM/Dell/Liebert and more ~ -- -- Darren Bolding -- -- darren@bolding.org --

That is what I was thinking when I first read your email. I would agree with Darren. CL -----Original Message----- From: Dylan Ebner [mailto:dylan.ebner@crlmed.com] Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 10:36 AM To: Scott Spencer; 'Darren Bolding'; 'Christopher Greves' Cc: nanog@nanog.org Subject: RE: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question This couldn't be something as simple as a crossover cable, could it? -----Original Message----- From: Scott Spencer [mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com] Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2009 11:24 AM To: 'Darren Bolding'; 'Christopher Greves' Cc: nanog@nanog.org Subject: RE: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question Darren, It's the F5-BIG-LTM-6400, pair of them. Thanks for your info. Got alot of good, helpful responses. Best regards, Scott Spencer Data Center Asset Recovery/Remarketing Manager Duane Whitlow & Co. Inc. Nationwide Toll Free: 800.977.7473. Direct: 972.865.1395 Fax: 972.931.3340 <mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com> scott@dwc-computer.com <http://www.dwc-it.com/> www.dwc-it.com Cisco/Juniper/F5/Foundry/Brocade/Sun/IBM/Dell/Liebert and more ~ _____ From: packetmonger@gmail.com [mailto:packetmonger@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Darren Bolding Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 6:58 PM To: Christopher Greves Cc: Scott Spencer; nanog@nanog.org Subject: Re: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question What model BIG-IP? On some models I have had to set the BIG-IP's or the 6500 (can't remember which) to specified speed/duplex and the other side to auto. I believe it was auto on the BIG-IP and fixed on the 6500. Setting both sides the same did not work. On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Christopher Greves <Christopher.Greves@mindspark.com> wrote: Scott, We've had issues in the past with IOS 6500's auto-negotiating uplink ports with an LTM into ISL Trunk mode. This only occurred when we had the port on the LTM configured as a tagged interface. It was easily solved by forcing the port on the 6500 into dot1q encapsulation. I'm not sure this necessarily explains why you aren't seeing a link light on the LTM though. I can't remember what the interface status was on both sides. This does correlate to why it's working on the 2950's as they don't support ISL and would likely negotiate into dot1q. Chris Christopher Greves | Senior Systems Engineer One North Lexington Ave, 9th Floor - White Plains, NY 10601 T 914-826-2067 | C 914.420.8340 | E christopher.greves@mindspark.com Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc. is an IAC company. -----Original Message----- From: Scott Spencer [mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 1:13 PM To: nanog@nanog.org Subject: F5/Cisco catalyst configuration question Trying to link an F5 Local Traffic Manager with a Cisco Catalyst 6500 , have matched ports (speed,duplex ect..) but no link light at all on the F5. Does link with a Cisco 2950 switch in between but I need a direct connection with the 6500. Any suggestions what to try? Best regards, Scott Spencer Data Center Asset Recovery/Remarketing Manager Duane Whitlow & Co. Inc. Nationwide Toll Free: 800.977.7473. Direct: 972.865.1395 Fax: 972.931.3340 <mailto:scott@dwc-computer.com> scott@dwc-computer.com <http://www.dwc-it.com/> www.dwc-it.com Cisco/Juniper/F5/Foundry/Brocade/Sun/IBM/Dell/Liebert and more ~ -- -- Darren Bolding -- -- darren@bolding.org --