EMC branded Mellanox SX60xx switch

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Revision as of 17:30, 16 December 2017 by Adj (talk | contribs)
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Used enterprise IT stuff is stupid cheap in the US. Stupid cheap like 18 port FDR (56Gbits/sec) Infiniband switches shipped to your door for 6.67USD per port. Only a couple of issues with these:

  • They run a very limited EMC OS instead of the somewhat more open Linux-based Mellanox MLNX-OS
  • No VPI (Ethernet over Infiniband, more or less)
  • No subnet manager (facilitates IP over Infiniband)
  • Management by telnet ("SSH? That's so not going to happen!")
  • It's not Linux

The devices at FnordNet are Mellanox SX6018s wearing EMC colors. (Mellanox ships switches with blue fronts and EMC switches are black.) On the connector side are:

  • 18 QSFP 56Gbits/sec Infiniband connectors
  • 2 8P8C modular 1000baseT Ethernet connectors (Labelled MGT)
  • 1 USB connector
  • 1 8P8C modular connector for the serial console (labelled CONSOLE)
  • a small recessed reset button switch (small hole on the left side of the connector panel)

Mellanox makes a number of similar devices with the same generation of silicon:

  • SX6005 and SX6012 -- 1U, half width, 12 QSFP connectors arranged in two rows of six. SX6005 is the unmanaged version. SX6012 is the managed switch with the subnet manager and single port Ethernet connectivity
  • SX6015 and SX6018 -- 1U, full width, 18 QSFP connectors in one row of 18. SX6018 is the managed version with a subnet manager and dual Ethernet management ports
  • SX6025 and SX6036 -- 1U, full width, 36 QSFP connectors in two rows of 18. SX6025 is unmanaged. SX6036 is the managed version.

All of these are built on the same Infiniband silicon -- Mellanox SwitchX-2. The management functions on the SX6012, SX6018, and SX6036 are done by an embedded Linux system running on a PowerPC M460EX series CPU attached to the SwitchX-2 silicon over a PCI interface of some sort.

Before breaking it, a diversion into EMC's SwitchOS

At power on time, a tiny bit of hardware initialization is done and then U-Boot (a free as in freedom) bootloader is given control.

Here's what it looks is dumped to the console when power is applied and the automatic boot is interrupted: 


U-Boot 2009.01 SX_PPC_M460EX SX_3.2.0330-82-EMC ppc (Feb 27 2013 - 12:13:42)

CPU:   AMCC PowerPC 460EX Rev. B at 1000 MHz (PLB=166, OPB=83, EBC=83 MHz)
       Security/Kasumi support
       Bootstrap Option H - Boot ROM Location I2C (Addr 0x52)
       Internal PCI arbiter disabled
       32 kB I-Cache 32 kB D-Cache
Board: Mellanox PPC460EX Board
FDEF:  No
I2C:   ready
DRAM:   2 GB (ECC enabled, 333 MHz, CL3)
FLASH: 16 MB
NAND:  1024 MiB
PCI:   Bus Dev VenId DevId Class Int
PCIE0: link is not up.
PCIE1: successfully set as root-complex
        01  00  15b3  c738  0c06  00
Net:   ppc_4xx_eth0, ppc_4xx_eth1
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0 
=>

Nothing too super exciting there, but it does tell us what we're looking at. Note that u-Boot is running and we have its CLI available to use. A little bit more info about the hardware is available using the bdinfo U-Boot command: 

=> bdinfo
memstart    = 0x00000000
memsize     = 0x80000000
flashstart  = 0xFF000000
flashsize   = 0x01000000
flashoffset = 0x00000000
sramstart   = 0x00000000
sramsize    = 0x00000000
bootflags   = 0xFFFE0218
intfreq     =   1000 MHz
busfreq     = 166.667 MHz
ethaddr     = 00:02:C9:63:EF:EE
eth1addr    = 00:02:C9:63:EF:EF
IP addr     = 172.17.255.120
baudrate    =   9600 bps
=>

printenv will give a feel for what EMC (before Dell bought them all up) has done pre-boot software wise: 

=> printenv
bootcmd=run flash_jffs2
baudrate=9600
loads_echo=
autoload=n
hostname=mlnx460ex
netdev=eth0
nfsargs=setenv bootargs root=/dev/nfs rw nfsroot=${serverip}:${rootpath}
ramargs=setenv bootargs root=/dev/ram rw
addip=setenv bootargs ${bootargs} ip=${ipaddr}:${serverip}:${gatewayip}:${netmask}:${hostname}:${netdev}:off panic=1
addtty=setenv bootargs ${bootargs} console=ttyS0,${baudrate}
addmisc=setenv bootargs ${bootargs}
initrd_high=30000000
kernel_addr_r=400000
fdt_addr_r=800000
ramdisk_addr_r=C00000
hostname=mlnx460ex
ramdisk_file=mlnx460ex/uRamdisk
rootpath=/opt/eldk/ppc_4xxFP
flash_self=run ramargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr} ${ramdisk_addr} ${fdt_addr}
flash_nfs=run nfsargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr} - ${fdt_addr}
net_nfs=tftp ${kernel_addr_r} ${bootfile}; tftp ${fdt_addr_r} ${fdt_file}; run nfsargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr_r} - ${fdt_addr_r}
net_self_load=tftp ${kernel_addr_r} ${bootfile};tftp ${fdt_addr_r} ${fdt_file};tftp ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${ramdisk_file};
net_self=run net_self_load;run ramargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${fdt_addr_r}
fdt_file=mlnx460ex/mlnx460ex.dtb
flash_self_old=run ramargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr} ${ramdisk_addr}
flash_nfs_old=run nfsargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr}
net_nfs_old=tftp ${kernel_addr_r} ${bootfile};run nfsargs addip addtty addmisc;bootm ${kernel_addr_r}
load=tftp 200000 mlnx460ex/u-boot.bin
update=protect off 0xFFFA0000 FFFFFFFF;era 0xFFFA0000 FFFFFFFF;cp.b ${fileaddr} 0xFFFA0000 ${filesize};setenv filesize;saveenv
upd=run load update
dhcp_vendor-class-identifier=bootmfg:hwname:mlnx460ex:
clear_filesize=setenv filesize
mfg_dir=mlnx460ex
mfg_args=setenv bootargs root=/dev/ram rw ramdisk_size=${mfg_ramdisk_size} ${mfg_extra_args}
mfg_common_args=run addtty addmisc
mfg_load=tftp ${kernel_addr_r} ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}/${mfg_kernel_file};tftp ${fdt_addr_r} ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}/${mfg_fdt_file};tftp ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}/${mfg_ramdisk_file}
mfg_nodhcp=echo "Manufacture will TFTP from directory ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}, and boot";echo; run clear_filesize ; run mfg_load;if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then echo Booting mfg ; run mfg_args mfg_common_args;bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${fdt_addr_r} ; else ; echo Failed mfg load ; fi
mfg=echo "Manufacture will DHCP, TFTP from directory ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}, and boot";echo; dhcp; run clear_filesize ; run mfg_load;if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then echo Booting mfg ; run mfg_args mfg_common_args;bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r} 
${fdt_addr_r} ; else ; echo Failed mfg load ; fi
menu_file=menu.img
menu_load=tftp ${menu_addr_r} ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}/${menu_file}; if test $? -ne 0; then run clear_filesize ; echo Download failed ;fi
menu_usb_load_ext2=usb start; ext2load usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${menu_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${menu_file};
menu_usb_load_fat=usb start; fatload usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${menu_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${menu_file};
menu_usb_load=if test "x${mfg_usb_fstype}" = "xext2"; then run menu_usb_load_ext2 ; else ; run menu_usb_load_fat ; fi
menu_nodhcp=run clear_filesize ; run menu_load ; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then autoscr ${menu_addr_r}; else ; echo Failed menu load ; fi
menu=dhcp ; run clear_filesize ; run menu_load ; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then autoscr ${menu_addr_r}; else ; echo Failed menu load ; fi
fw_file=u-boot.bin
fw_load=tftp ${fw_addr_r} ${mfg_root}${mfg_dir}/${fw_file}; if test $? -ne 0; then run clear_filesize ; echo Download failed ;fi
fw_usb_load_ext2=usb start; ext2load usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${fw_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${fw_file};
fw_usb_load_fat=usb start; fatload usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${fw_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${fw_file};
fw_usb_load=if test "x${mfg_usb_fstype}" = "xext2"; then run fw_usb_load_ext2 ; else ; run fw_usb_load_fat ; fi
fw_update_raw=protect off 0xFFFA0000 FFFFFFFF;erase 0xFFFA0000 FFFFFFFF;cp.b ${fw_addr_r} 0xFFFA0000 ${filesize};cmp.b ${fw_addr_r} 0xFFFA0000 ${filesize};setenv filesize; saveenv
fw_usb_update=run clear_filesize ; run fw_usb_load ; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then run fw_update_raw ; else ; echo Failed update load ; fi
fw_update_nodhcp=run clear_filesize ; run fw_load ; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then run fw_update_raw ; else ; echo Failed update load ; fi
fw_update=dhcp ; run clear_filesize ; run fw_load ; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then run fw_update_raw ; else ; echo Failed update load ; fi
boot_common_args=run addtty addmisc
mfg_usb_dir=mlnx460ex
mfg_usb_load_ext2=usb start; echo "Loading ${mfg_kernel_file}";ext2load usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${kernel_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${mfg_fdt_file}"; ext2load usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${fdt_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_fdt_file};echo "Loading ${mfg_ramdisk_file}"; ext2load usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_ramdisk_file}
mfg_usb_load_fat=usb start; echo "Loading ${mfg_kernel_file}";fatload usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${kernel_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${mfg_fdt_file}"; fatload usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${fdt_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_fdt_file};echo "Loading ${mfg_ramdisk_file}"; fatload usb ${mfg_usb_dev}:${mfg_usb_part} ${ramdisk_addr_r} ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}/${mfg_ramdisk_file}
mfg_usb_load=if test "x${mfg_usb_fstype}" = "xext2"; then run mfg_usb_load_ext2 ; else ; run mfg_usb_load_fat ; fi
mfg_usb=echo "Manufacture will load from USB directory ${mfg_usb_root}${mfg_usb_dir}, and boot"; echo; run clear_filesize ; run mfg_usb_load; if test 0${filesize} -gt 0; then echo Booting mfg ; run mfg_args mfg_common_args;bootm ${kernel_addr_r} ${ramdisk_addr_r} 
${fdt_addr_r} ; else ; echo Failed mfg load ; fi
kernel_addr=ff000000
fdt_addr=ff1e0000
ramdisk_addr=ff200000
fw_addr_r=400000
menu_addr_r=B00000
pciconfighost=1
pcie_mode=RP:RP
autoload=no
rootdev=/dev/mtdblock6
boot_usb_ext2_loc_1=run usb_args_loc_1 boot_common_args;echo "Loading ${boot_kernel_file}";ext2load usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_1} ${kernel_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${boot_fdt_file}";ext2load usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_1} ${fdt_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_fdt_file};bootm ${kernel_addr_r} - ${fdt_addr_r}
boot_usb_ext2_loc_2=run usb_args_loc_2 boot_common_args;echo "Loading ${boot_kernel_file}";ext2load usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_2} ${kernel_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${boot_fdt_file}";ext2load usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_2} ${fdt_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_fdt_file};bootm ${kernel_addr_r} - ${fdt_addr_r}
boot_usb_fat_loc_1=run usb_args_loc_1 boot_common_args;echo "Loading ${boot_kernel_file}";fatload usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_1} ${kernel_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${boot_fdt_file}";fatload usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_1} ${fdt_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_fdt_file};bootm ${kernel_addr_r} - ${fdt_addr_r}
boot_usb_fat_loc_2=run usb_args_loc_2 boot_common_args;echo "Loading ${boot_kernel_file}";fatload usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_2} ${kernel_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_kernel_file};echo "Loading ${boot_fdt_file}";fatload usb ${boot_usb_dev}:${boot_usb_part_loc_2} ${fdt_addr_r} ${boot_usb_root}${boot_usb_dir}/${boot_fdt_file};bootm ${kernel_addr_r} - ${fdt_addr_r}
mfg_kernel_file=vmlinuz
mfg_ramdisk_file=rootfs
mfg_ramdisk_size=180224
mfg_fdt_file=fdt
mfg_usb_dev=0
mfg_usb_part=1
mfg_usb_fstype=fat
mfg_usb_root=/
boot_kernel_file=vmlinuz
boot_fdt_file=fdt
boot_usb_dev=0
boot_usb_part_loc_1=2
boot_usb_part_loc_2=3
boot_usb_root_loc_1=/dev/sda5
boot_usb_root_loc_2=/dev/sda6
usb_args_loc_1=setenv bootargs root=${boot_usb_root_loc_1} ro reset_button=${reset_button} rootdelay=8 ${image_kernel_args} ${extra_args}
usb_args_loc_2=setenv bootargs root=${boot_usb_root_loc_2} ro reset_button=${reset_button} rootdelay=8 ${image_kernel_args} ${extra_args}
jffs2_args=setenv bootargs root=${rootdev} rootfstype=jffs2 ro reset_button=${reset_button} ${image_kernel_args} ${extra_args}
mfg_extra_args=ramdisk=65536
ethaddr=00:02:C9:63:EF:EE
eth1addr=00:02:C9:63:EF:EF
ethact=ppc_4xx_eth0
bootfile=pxelinux.0
emc_fabric=B
autoscr=no
filesize=175B
fileaddr=400000
gatewayip=10.10.4.1
netmask=255.255.252.0
ipaddr=172.17.255.120
serverip=172.17.255.252
script_rev=3.3.0
script_date=7.12.13
autostart=yes
bootdelay=5
emcram_addr=400000
emcfl_one_start=ff400000
emcfl_one_end=ff5fffff
emcfl_two_start=ff600000
emcfl_two_end=ff7fffff
emcload_addr=ff400000
load_dir=.
binary_name=ibsw.bin.load
restore_defaults=setenv load_dir .; setenv binary_name ibsw.bin.load; saveenv;
setip_176=setenv ipaddr 192.168.176.190; setenv serverip 192.168.176.253; saveenv
setip_177=setenv ipaddr 192.168.177.191; setenv serverip 192.168.177.253; saveenv
setip_linux=setenv ipaddr 192.168.10.10; setenv serverip 192.168.10.1; saveenv
setip_16=setenv ipaddr 172.16.255.120; setenv serverip 172.16.255.252; saveenv
setip_17=setenv ipaddr 172.17.255.120; setenv serverip 172.17.255.252; saveenv
set_fab_a=setenv emc_fabric A; saveenv
set_fab_b=setenv emc_fabric B; saveenv
emcpxe=tftp ${emcram_addr} ${load_dir}/${binary_name}
emcflash=ping $serverip; bootm ${emcload_addr}
mlxlinux=run jffs2_args boot_common_args;bootm ${kernel_addr} - ${fdt_addr}
flash_jffs2=run emcflash
menu_usb=run emcflash
emcburn_one=prot off ${emcfl_one_start} ${emcfl_one_end}; erase ${emcfl_one_start} ${emcfl_one_end}; setenv autostart no; tftp ${emcram_addr} ${load_dir}/${binary_name}; iminfo ${emcram_addr}; cp.b ${emcram_addr} ${emcfl_one_start} ${filesize}; iminfo 
${emcfl_one_start}; setenv autostart yes; prot on ${emcfl_one_start} ${emcfl_one_end};
emcburn_two=prot off ${emcfl_two_start} ${emcfl_two_end}; erase ${emcfl_two_start} ${emcfl_two_end}; setenv autostart no; tftp ${emcram_addr} ${load_dir}/${binary_name}; iminfo ${emcram_addr}; cp.b ${emcram_addr} ${emcfl_two_start} ${filesize}; iminfo 
${emcfl_two_start}; setenv autostart yes; prot on ${emcfl_two_start} ${emcfl_two_end};
emcload_one=setenv emcload_addr ${emcfl_one_start}; saveenv
emcload_two=setenv emcload_addr ${emcfl_two_start}; saveenv
script_get=setenv autostart no; tftp ${emcram_addr} uboot_start_script.img; setenv autostart yes; imi ${emcram_addr};
script_exe=autoscr ${emcram_addr}
boot_emcpxe=setenv flash_jffs2 run emcpxe; setenv menu_usb run emcpxe; saveenv
boot_emcflash=setenv flash_jffs2 run emcflash; setenv menu_usb run emcflash; saveenv
boot_mlxlinux=setenv flash_jffs2 run mlxlinux; setenv menu_usb run mlxlinux; saveenv
emchelp=echo All commands are preceeded by \"run \"; echo setip_176 ...... set ip and server ip to 192.176 subnet; echo setip_177 ...... set ip and server ip to 192.177 subnet; echo setip_16 ....... set ip and server ip to 172.16 subnet; echo setip_17 ....... set 
ip and server ip to 172.17 subnet;echo setip_linux .... set ip and server ip to linux default (10.10); echo emcburn_one .... burn ibsw.bin.load to the first symmk flash location;echo emcburn_two .... burn ibsw.bin.load to the second symmk flash location;echo 
emcload_one .... set emcflash to point to the first symmk flash location;echo emcload_two .... set emcflash to point to the second symmk flash location;echo script_get ..... Load a new version of the uboot_start_script.img;echo script_exe ..... Execute the script 
loaded by script_get (check CRC first!);echo script_status .. Dump revision and build date of last run script; echo boot_emcpxe .... Set PXE boot to be the default boot;echo emcpxe ......... Run PXE boot (just this time); echo boot_emcflash .. Set the Symmk in 
flash to be the default boot;echo emcflash ....... Boot (just this time) from flash;echo boot_mlxlinux .. Set the MLX linux version to be the default boot;echo mlxlinux ....... Run MLX linux (just this time);echo set_fab_a ...... Set switch to be fabric A; echo 
set_fab_b ...... Set switch to be fabric B
script_status=echo Last Script Executed; echo Script Revision: 3.3.0; echo Script Built on: 7.12.13;
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
stderr=serial
reset_button=0
ver=U-Boot 2009.01 SX_PPC_M460EX SX_3.2.0330-82-EMC ppc (Feb 27 2013 - 12:13:42)

Environment size: 12502/16380 bytes
=>

Putting MLNX-OS on it

As mentioned above, I desire to have a real OS on these switches. Found some leads over on https://forums.servethehome.com/ which said conversion is possible, but "PM me for more details." The following is a translation of the nice gentleman's "Mellanox Switch Conversion Guide" document into the procedure I have used.

Pre-requisiteses

(Yes. I know I misspelled that.)

Retrieved from "https://wiki.fnord.greeley.co.us/mediawiki/index.php?title=EMC_branded_Mellanox_SX60xx_switch&oldid=952"