Echola FC811 Troubleshooting guide

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FC811/VFC811 : 8 port fiber-cut switch
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Installation & Operating Guide
Echola Systems L.L.C
1161 Ringwood Ct, Ste 100
San Jose, CA-95131
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
http://www.echola.com/optical

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FC811 is a Linux based 8 port fiber cut switch with eight 1x1 physical layer (L1) optical switches. You
can either use 8 single fibers or 4 duplex fibers ( x/Rx combo) to simulate fiber cut scenarios.
Connecting test equipment to FC811
Suppose if you want to simulate fiber cut scenario between 2 optical devices.
Duplex Fiber
Device1- X------------------------->---------------------Device2-RX
Device1-RX ------------------------<----------------------Device2- X
Installation
5 6 7 8
LEDs to
indicate which
port
is ON
(green light)
1 2 3 4

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(Each LC connector of FC811 has two input/outputs marked as B and A.)
hen you need to disconnect the fiber connecting these 2 devices which are under test and connect
them through FC811 ports, between A and B like the following,
Device1- X -› {Port1B -› [FC811 SWI CH_POR 1] -› Port1A} -› Device2-RX
If you want to simulate break between both X and RX fibers of the these devices under test (which
may be the case in many scenarios) then you will have to use 2 ports of FC811, like the following
Device1- X -› {Port2B -› [FC811 SWI CH_POR 1] -› Port2A} -› Device2-RX
Device1-RX ‹- {Port1B ‹- [FC811 SWI CH_POR 2] ‹- Port1A} ‹-Device2- X
UPSR, 2F-BLSR protection ring testing may require 2 FC811 ports while 4F-BLSR might require 4 ports.
Configuring FC811
FC811 provides a serial (RS232) and an Ethernet (10/100) port connectivity for management. Serial
port is only used in special situations such as to debug network connectivity if FC811 is not reachable
through Ethernet.
You might require a Laptop or a PC to configure FC811 with an IP address before connecting to your
network. You can use either serial or Ethernet port to configure IP. If you use serial port using
supplied null modem cable then you would need to configure serial for 38400 baud rate with 8- -1
to access FC811. If you use Ethernet then you would need to configure the PC or Laptop’s IP to match
FC811’s default network. he default network configuration and Login information is as follows
5 6
7
8

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IP Address: 10.1.1.100
Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 10.1.1.1
D S: 10.1.1.1
“root” password: osctl
Other non-root default user:
Username: osctl
Password: osctl
Configuring Static IP
Use “osctl” command to configure a static IP address after login as “root” user. “osctl -?”
shows detailed osctl command options with examples.
# osctl -i 192.168.1.10 -m 255.255.255.0 -g 192.168.1.1
he above command configures IP address of FC811 as 192.168.1.10 with mask 255.255.255.0
and gateway & DNS as 192.168.1. Once the IP is configured from a PC or a Laptop using Ethernet or
serial port, you can then connect FC811 to your network and access it using “telnet” or “ssh”.
Configuring Dynamic IP
If you have a DHCP server running on your network and you may want to dynamically assign
an available IP address to FC811 by using following option.
# osctl -D
Make sure you know the assigned IP address to login using “telnet” or “ssh”.
Configuring Hostname
You can also change the hostname of FC811 switch using “osctl”.
# osctl –h FC811-SW-1
he above command changes hostname of FC811 to FC811-SW-1.
Configuring DNS/Nameserver
o configure a DNS or Nameserver, you can use “-n” option of osctl.
# osctl –n 192.168.1.11
Configuring Syslog Server

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o send system generated events to an external syslog server, use “–S” option of osctl. You
have to specify the address of the syslog server which will receive these event logs. (Note: this option
only available in software version 2.0 and above).
# osctl –S 192.168.1.200
Version Info
he following command shows hardware and software versions and serial number of the
switch.
# osctl –v
Other Administrative commands
Most of other administrative functions can be done using standard Linux commands. For
example, to change the password use “passwd” command from the Linux prompt and to add new
user use “useradd” command. You have to be “root” user in order to add a new user.

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o simply the operation, all functions are provided in a single command called “osctl”. osctl provides
3 major functions
1. Network & Host configuration (allowed only in “root”)
2. Switch Control & Status
3. Port group Management
he following are the commands used to configure network.
1. o configure static IP
# osctl -i <ip> -m <mask> -g <gw>
2. o use DHCP (dynamic IP)
# osctl -D
3. o configure hostname alone
# osctl -h <hostname>
4. o configure a DNS or Nameserver, you can use “-n” option of osctl.
# osctl –n <dns_server_ip>
5. o configure syslog server to receive FC811’s events
# osctl –S <syslog_server_ip>
For details refer to installation section as these are explained in that section.
In order to switch ON or OFF particular a port or ports or a group you can use following command.
$ osctl -p {<port#/s> | <port_range> | <port_group>} <on|off> [-t <secs>]
Note that the “{}” (braces) groups options and “|” is equivalent to “or”. If the options are in square
brackets “[]” then it is optional. Wherever you see port# or in_port# they all the same and represents
one of 8 ports of FC811.
For example:
$ osctl -p 4 on
switch port 4 to ON. LED on port 4 of FC811 lids when this command is issued which
confirms that the port is switched ON.
$ osctl -p "1 2 3" on
Operation
Network & Host configuration
Switch Control

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switch ports 1, 2 and 3 to ON. Note the double quote, without that it won’t work.
$ osctl -p "1-4" off
switch ports 1, 2, 3 and 4 to OFF (range 1 to 4). his comes in handy when you want to
switch bunch of ports in order.
$ osctl -p gp1 off
switch all ports in group "gp1" to OFF. You will have to create group before using it with “-
c” option as explained in “Group Management” section.
$ osctl -p 2 off -t 120
switch port 2 to OFF after 120 secs (delayed switching)
$ osctl -p 2 off -T 120
switch port 2 to OFF gradually with in 120 milliseconds. This option is only available with
VFC series switch. It is different from above delay where the switching happens almost
immediately after 120 secs of wait but in this case switching takes 120 milliseconds to
come to completely OFF state to simulate real world fiber cuts. Default is 10 milliseconds.

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Following command shows the status of a port whether it is on/off or status of ports in a pre-defined
group.
$ osctl -s [<port_group> | <in_port#>]
For example:
$ osctl -s
shows all ports' & groups' status as follows. It shows first all ports and tells you which
ports are part of a group.
All Ports Status
====================================
Port | Port Status
====================================
1 | off
2 | off
3 | off
4 | off
5 | on
6 | on
7 | on
8 | on
------------------------------------
Group Status
=================================
Group Name | Port Status
=================================
gp1 | off
---------------------------------
===========================================
Group's Port Details
===========================================
GroupName: <gp1>
Port Status: off
Ports in the group: 1 2 3 4
----------------------------------------------------------
$ osctl -s gp1
shows group "gp1" status only. You will have to create group before using it with “-c”
option as explained in “Group Management” section.
$ osctl -s 2
shows port 2 status only
Switch Status

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Port group management commands provide convenience of switching bunch of ports together
identified by a name. Group name can be any alpha-numeric name. Group name can not be just a
number or start with a number. For example group name can not be “10” or 10gp1.
1. o create a new group
$ osctl -c <port_group> {<in_port#/s> | <inport_range>}
2. o update existing group
$ osctl -u <port_group> {-a | -r <in_port#/s>}
3. o delete a group
$ osctl -d <port_group>
4. o delete all groups
$ osctl -R
5. o list ports in a group
$ osctl -l [<port_group> | <in_port#>]
For example:
$ osctl -c gp1 "1 3 4"
creates group named "gp1" with ports 1,3 and 4. he double quotes around space
separated port numbers are required. Note that when you create a group, all the ports in
the gp1 will be in OFF state by default.
$ osctl -c gp2 "5-8"
creates group named "gp2" with ports 5,6,7 and 8 (5 to 8 range)
$ osctl -u gp1 -a "5 6"
adds ports 5 & 6 to existing group gp1
$ osctl -u gp1 -a 7
adds port 7 to existing group gp1
$ osctl -u gp1 -r "2 4"
removes ports 2 & 4 from group gp1
$ osctl -d gp1
deletes group gp1 and release all ports which were part of the group.
$ osctl –l
lists ports in group, like
GroupName: <gp1>
Ports in the group: 1 2 3 4
$ osctl –R
Port group Management

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delete all groups in the database.