Category Archives: Troubleshooting

Building “Intelligent” and Highly Automated Data Centers

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Humair

I’ve been fortunate to work in a space where I’ve had exposure to see and discuss infrastructure and architecture/design of some of the most highly utilized and scalable networks in the world. It’s fair to say living in Silicon Valley … Continue reading →

Posted in Network Architecture, Network Security, Networking, Technology, Troubleshooting, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, VMware | Tagged Alexey Andreyev, automated data center, automated networks, BGP controller, Data Center, Facebook, Facebook Auto-Remediation, Facebook Director of Network Engineering, Facebook network engineer, FBAR, historical data analysis, intelligent data center, intelligent networks, Najam Ahmad, network architecture, network behavioral analysis, network modularity, network programmability, NSX, NSX REST API, orchestration, orchestration of workflows, programmability, REST API, SDN, Self-healing, Self-healing network, Silicon Valley, software defined networking, traffic engineering, vmware, VMware NSX, VMware NSX REST API | Leave a comment

Automating VLAN Configuration on Dell FTOS Switches via GVRP

Posted on February 22, 2014 by Humair

GARP VLAN Registration Protocol (GVRP) is a standards-based protocol defined in the IEEE 802.1Q specification that provides for automatic VLAN configuration on switches. The Generic Attribute Registration Protocol (GARP) is used by switches supporting GVRP to register/de-register attribute values such … Continue reading →

Posted in Dell, Dell Force10, Labs, Networking, Protocols, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged 802.1q, automatic VLAN configuration, Cisco Virtual Trunnk Protocol, Cisco VTP, Cisco VTP transparent mode, Dell, Dell Force10 S50, Dell Force10 S50N, Dell Force10 S60, Dell Networking S60, Dell S50, Dell S50N, Dell S60, dynamic VLAN, dynamic VLAN creation, dynamic VLANs, Force10 S50, Force10 S50N, Force10 S60, FTOS, GARP, GARP VLAN Registration Protocol, Generic Attribute Registration Protocol, GVRP, GVRP and MSTP, GVRP and PVST, GVRP and STP, GVRP and VTP, GVRP Join, GVRP Leave, GVRP LeaveAll, GVRP or VTP, GVRP troubleshoot, GVRP troubleshooting, GVRP vs VTP, IEEE 802.1Q, protocol gvrp, S50, S50N, S60, STP, Transparent Mode, troubleshoot GVRP, troubleshooting GVRP, Virtual Trunnk Protocol, vlan, VLAN de-registration, VLAN registration, VTP, VTP transparent mode | Leave a comment

Dell PowerEdge M1000e – FlexAddressing

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Humair

Let’s say you have a Dell PowerEdge M1000e chassis populated with Dell blade servers with CNAs. Let’s also assume you enable FCoE on the CNA and utilize it for LAN and SAN traffic. What if you were to use the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dell, Dell Force10, Dell PowerEdge Blade Servers, Labs, Networking, Servers, Technology, Troubleshooting, Troubleshooting | Tagged Dell, Dell blade, Dell Blade Server, Dell M1000e chassis, Dell M1000e Chassis CMC, Dell M60 Blade server, Dell M620, Dell PowerEdge, Dell PowerEdge M1000e, Flex, FlexAddressing, FlexAddressing technology, FlexAddrress, M1000e, MAC address, PowerEdge, PowerEdge M1000e, virtual address, virtual MAC address, virtual World Wide Port Name, virtual WWPN, World Wide Port Name, WWPN, zoning | 1 Comment

LACP and Trunking Between Juniper JunOS and Dell FTOS Switches

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Humair

In this blog I demonstrate how to configure a LACP LAG and 8021.Q trunking between Juniper JunOS switches and Dell FTOS switches. I will utilize 2 x Juniper EX4200-48T switches [JunOS 11.1R6.4] and a Dell S60 switch [FTOS 8.3.3.9]. Below … Continue reading →

Posted in Dell, Dell Force10, Juniper, Labs, Networking, Protocols, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged 11.1R6.4, 802.1ad, 802.1q, 802.3ad aggregate link, 8021.Q trunking, deactivate interfaces, Dell, Dell Force10, Dell Force10 S60, Dell FTOS, Dell FTOS switches, Dell S60, Dell Switches, EX4200, EX4200-48T, Juniper EX4200, Juniper EX4200-48T, Juniper JunOS, Juniper JunOS switch, Juniper JunOS switches, JunOS, JunOS 11.1R6.4, LACP, LACP and Trunking Between Juniper JunOS and Dell FTOS Switches, LACP LAG, LAG, show vlans, trunk, trunk link, Trunking | Leave a comment

Changing the Root Password on Juniper JunOS Switches

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Humair

In this short blog, I show how to easily change the root password on Juniper JunOS [JunOS 11.1R6.4] switches. It’s important to note, on a switch reset to default configuration, you can easily log into the switch with just the … Continue reading →

Posted in Juniper, Labs, Network Security, Networking, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged 'root-authentication'error, 11.1R6.4, change root password, configuration check-out failed, EX4200, EX4200-48T, Juniper EX4200, Juniper EX4200-48T, Juniper JunOS, Juniper JunOS switch, JunOS, JunOS 11.1R6.4, Missing mandatory statement, missing statements, root password, set root password | 1 Comment

Configuring a Syslog Server on CentOS 6.3 for Dell Force10 Switches

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Humair

In this lab I’m going to demonstrate how to configure a syslog server to use with Dell Force10 switches. A syslog server can be used to store log files remotely on an external server. Syslog servers can be invaluable when … Continue reading →

Posted in CentOS, Dell, Dell Force10, Labs, Linux, Network Architecture, Networking, Operating Systems, Troubleshooting | Tagged CentOS, CentOS 6.3, Configure FTOS syslog, Configure FTOS syslog server, configure rsyslog, configure syslog, Configure syslog for Dell, Configure syslog for Dell Force10, Configure syslog for Force10, Configure syslog for FTOS, Configure syslog on CentOS, Configure syslog on CentOS 6, Configure syslog on CentOS 6.3, configuring rsyslog server, configuring syslog server, Dell, Dell Force10 S4810. Force10 S4810, Dell Networking, Dell PowerEdge, Dell PowerEdge R620, Dell PowerEdge Server, Dell S4810, Dell S50N, Dell Server, FTOS, iptables, linux, linux iptables, linux syslog, linux syslog server, log to linux syslog, log to linux syslog server, PowerEdge R620, PowerEdge R620 server, PowerEdge server, rsyslog, rsyslog server, S4810, S50N, syslog, syslog server | Leave a comment

Configuring OSPF with Multiple Areas

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Humair

In this lab, I use three Cisco 3725 routers [IOS 12.4(15)T10] to demonstrate how to setup OSPF with multiple Areas. Below is the network diagram for this lab.

Posted in Cisco, Labs, Networking, Protocols, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged Area, Areas, Cisco, Cisco 3725, Cisco 3725 router, Multiple Areas, Multiple OSPF Areas, OSPF, OSPF area, OSPF Areas, router | Leave a comment

Setup and Troubleshoot EIGRP

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Humair

I discussed Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) briefly in a prior blog, Load Balancing with EIGRP, however, in this lab I use two Cisco 3725 routers [IOS 12.4(15)T10] to demonstrate how to configure EIGRP; additionally, I’ll discuss some useful … Continue reading →

Posted in Cisco, Labs, Networking, Protocols, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged Cisco, Cisco 3725, Cisco 3725 router, Cisco 3725 routers, dynamic routing, EIGRP, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol, router | Leave a comment

OSPF Explained and Useful Troubleshooting Commands

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Humair

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) is an open standard link-state routing protocol that supports multiple equal-cost routes to the same destination (four by default). OSPF constructs a shortest path tree and then updates the routing table with the best paths. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cisco, Labs, Networking, Protocols, Technology, Troubleshooting | Tagged ABRs, adjacency, area 0, Area Border Routers, AS, ASBR, Autonomous System, Autonomous System Border Router, backbone area, Backup Designated Router, BDR, Cisco, Cisco 2126XM, Cisco 2126XM router, Cisco IOS, cisco router, cost, Designated Router, Hello packets, Link State Advertisement, LSA, neighbor, Neighbors, Open Shortest Path First, OSPF, OSPF Adjacencies, OSPF area, OSPF Backup Designated Router, OSPF BDR, ospf cost, ospf database, OSPF Designated Router, OSPF Hello Packets, ospf neighbor, OSPF Neighbors, OSPF process, OSPF Router ID, ospf troubleshooting, router, Router ID, Shortest Path First, shortest path tree, SPF | 3 Comments

Tech Tips – Check if your E-mail Server is Running [Video]

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Humair

I created and uploaded this video to youtube back in 2009, but I thought it might be helpful for others if I post the link here. It’s just a simple video that shows you how you can use telnet to … Continue reading →

Posted in E-mail, Networking, Servers, Technology, Troubleshooting, Troubleshooting | Tagged Check if your E-mail Server is Running, e-mail, e-mail server, e-mail troubleshooting, email, imap, pop, pop3, smtp, telnet, troubleshooting connectivity and server issues | Leave a comment