Virtual Connect loop protection implemented in VC v3.51

[sayed_ossman]

Just some info on what was implemented in VC v3.51 release to further enhance loop detection and prevention.
In VC v3.30, we watched for Cisco PVST+ frames and if they looped, we shut down one of the looping ports. However this was only for PVST+ and not other forms of spanning tree.

In the VC v3.51 we have gone to a design similar to Beacon Probing in VMware. We sent out a specific frame and watch to see if that exact frame loops. If it does, we then shut down one of the ports in the loop on the server side. So this new design should catch all loops no matter what Spanning Tree protocols are in use, or even when Spanning tree packets aren’t hitting your servers.

Page 84-85 of the VC 3.51 User Guide has more information about enhanced Network Loop Protection in VC:

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/doc ... 128009.pdf