HP Virtual Connect Version 2.12 Release Notes

Connect cannot verify firmware revisions for all components, so a server blade component can be
incompatible even if the server blade is not listed as incompatible.
 To improve network performance and prevent unnecessary Spanning Tree Topology Change
Notifications (TCN) on the network, configure Ethernet switches connected to Virtual Connect with
the same Spanning Tree settings you would use when connecting to a server blade NIC. For Cisco
switches, use the portfast command to enable ports connected to a VC-Enet module. This action
ensures that link state changes on Virtual Connect do not cause a TCN.
 Do not use Virtual Connect and non-Virtual Connect interconnect modules in horizontally adjacent
bays.
 Virtual Connect assigns or migrates MAC addresses or WWNs for server Ethernet and FC ports
connected to HP Virtual Connect modules. Virtual Connect also assigns MAC addresses to server
Ethernet ports and WWNs to FC ports that are not connected to an I/O module because Virtual
Connect modules can be added later. Server Ethernet ports and FC ports connected to non-Virtual
Connect modules retain the server factory default MACs addresses and WWNs.
 Verify that all iLOs and Virtual Connect modules have valid and unique IP addresses on the same
subnet as the OA. Without IP addresses on all modules, Virtual Connect does not work properly.
 Back up the Virtual Connect domain configuration each time changes are made. While the
configuration is saved in non-volatile memory and check-pointed to the neighboring module, HP
recommends saving the configuration external to the enclosure.
 Removing a VC-Enet module and installing it in another enclosure causes the configuration
information on that module to be cleared. This action prevents a configured spare from overwriting
configuration data in another enclosure.
 The CX4 interface on the HP VC-Enet modules uses the same physical connector as Infiniband, but
Infiniband cables are tuned differently and do not perform as well in CX4 applications. HP
recommends purchasing CX4 cable assemblies that meet the IEEE CX4 specifications and support
10-Gigabit communication at distances from 3 m to 15 m (9.84 ft to 49.20 ft). These cables can be
used as uplinks to external switches.
VC-Enet modules also support 10GBASE-CX4 0.50 m to 7.00 m (1.64 ft to 23.00 ft) stacking
cables. When multiple cables of the same speed are connected to two VC-Enet modules, they are
aggregated to provide enhanced throughput for the stacking link.
 The Onboard Administrator must have an IP address on the same subnet as the Virtual Connect
module before the administrator sets the Enclosure Bay IP Addressing (EBIPA) mode. Changing the
EBIPA address for a module causes the OA to reset the module when the change is applied,
resulting in an outage. If EBIPA addresses are changed for multiple modules, all modules experience
the outage at approximately the same time.
 The port monitoring network analyzer port should only be connected directly to an analyzer.
Improper connection of the port or improper configuration of the port monitoring could result in
network loops and cause a network outage.
 Port monitoring is disabled in a mixed firmware environment. If any module in the domain is running
a version of firmware lower than VC v1.20a, port monitoring is automatically disabled.
 If deleting a domain that was using MAC addresses predefined by HP, the administrator should also
update the "Teaming" driver configuration file on the host OS. Otherwise, the driver reinitializes to
the saved MAC address predefined by HP and not the factory default value.
 When the management network is fully saturated, access to the VC Manager and response times
might be slower due to network congestion.
Important notes and rec
ommendations 15