How to configure a new switch

This part has to be done when the switch is in office. The following KB is for configuring the main rack access switch. The command examples are based on HP Procurve. It is easier to download an existing configuration to the switch and then modify it.

  1. Connect the switch using console cable to PC. Use Putty or HyperTerminal to access switch configuration CLI. Use the following settings for the connection:

    Port settings: Bits/s 9600, 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: None

  2. Erase any pre-existing configuration and reset it to factory default. Using soft or hard methods.
  3. Determine the default VLAN of the switch (Baxxxx VLAN ID xx or 15xxxx VLAN ID xx).
  4.  Assuming that the default VLAN is Baxxxx. Create this VLAN ID 11 in the switch and name it Baxxxx.
  5. Assuming that ports 47,48 will be connected to core switches, put them in tagged VLAN xx.
  6. Put all other ports in untagged VLAN xx.
  7. Configure the switch management in the default VLAN. Configure the default gateway for the switch. (steps 3-7 are shown in the following snippet)

    (config)#vlan xx  name “Banigan”
    (config)#untagged 1-46
    (config)#ip address 199.x.x.x 255.255.254.0
    (config)#tagged 47-48
    (config)#exit

  8. Create local username and password for privileged access. Select the same username and password for Operator and Admin.

    (config)#password manager user-name <username> password operator user-name <username>

  9. Enable SSH and HTTPS and disable Telnet and HTTP. See this KB: How to secure switch management by disabling Telnet and Http and enabling SSH and SSL
  10. Enable SFTP/SCP : “ip ssh filetransfer” . This will disable TFTP.
  11. Configure SNMP server and community string.

    (config)#snmp-server community “xxxx” Operator
    (config)#snmp-server host 208.x.x.x”xxxx”

  12. Create these VLANs:  DRAC (xxxx) Onapp Mgmt( xxxx) and Onapp Provisioning (xxxx) and SAN2 (xxxx) and tag ports 47,48 in these VLANs.
  13. Change the max-vlans parameter to 32. Also consider changing any other relevant parameter. Switch needs to be rebooted to take effect.

    (config)#max-vlans 32

  14. Set up the time and NTP/SNTP and syslog server. See the following  KBs:
    How to set up NTP server and configure NTP or SNTP on switches
    How to configure syslog server for switches
  15. After the switch is installed in data center all or some of the following items need to be updated:
    Cacti – Network Diagram (word file) – Configurations’ backup script on syslog server – Nagios ping monitoring –  Switch locations in data center (word file)