NAB Replacement

This section describes the steps required to replace one model of Network Acceleration Blade (NAB) in deployed Solace PubSub+ 3260s or Solace PubSub+ 3560s with another model NAB that uses a different number of Ethernet ports.

To replace a failed NAB with the same model of NAB, follow the standard blade replacement procedure:

ESD/Safety Precautions

Before replacing a NAB, review the following safety warning.

To prevent equipment damage from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), always ensure that the appliance chassis is electrically connected to earth ground. Always follow ESD prevention procedures when removing and replacing power supplies. Use an anti-static wrist strap, or another anti-static device. If no wrist strap or mat is available, touch the metal part of the chassis to ground yourself.

Tool and Equipment Requirements

Before you replace a NAB, enter the show version User EXEC command to determine the current version of Solace PubSub+ software that is running and ensure that the appliance is running a version that supports the new NAB. If it is not supported, after switching the NABs and powering the appliance back on, a FATAL log will be generated indicating the problem, and the appliance will fail to start. If this occurs, contact Solace for technical support.

The following tools and equipment are required to replace a NAB in a appliance:

  • electrostatic discharge wrist strap
  • anti-static mat
  • anti-static packaging for the NAB
  • No. 1 Phillips head screwdriver (PubSub+ 3260s with FEC CHS-FC1040-01-C or CHS-FC0140-01-B)
  • No. 2 Phillips head screwdriver (PubSub+ 3560s)
  • a replacement NAB (provided by Solace)

Replacing an Existing NAB with a NAB with Fewer Ports

You can replace one model of NAB with another model NAB that has fewer Ethernet ports. For example, you can replace:

  • an eight-port GigE NAB (NAB-0801ET) with a two-port 10GigE NAB (NAB‑0210EM)
  • a NAB-0801ET with a six-port 10GigE NAB (NAB‑0610EM)
  • a NAB-0610EM with a NAB‑0210EM

To replace one model of NAB with another model NAB that has fewer Ethernet ports, you must perform the following steps:

The examples provided in this section show a eight-port GigE NAB being replaced with a two-port 10GigE NAB.

Step 1: Back Up Current Configuration

Before making any configuration changes, back up the current event broker configuration.

Example:

solace1> enable
solace1# copy current-config pre-nab-upgrade-backup-file
solace1# exit
solace1> show current-config all > pre-nab-upgrade-config

Step 2: Make Required Configuration Changes

If you switch to a NAB with less ports, the following configuration changes are required:

LAG Configuration

An event broker only supports at most one LAG per interface. When a two-port NAB is going to be used, if there are more than two LAGs configured, interface 1/1/lag1 and 1/1/lag2 and their associated configurations may remain unchanged, but all LAGs from 1/1/lag3 and up must be removed. If these extra LAGs are not removed, upon switching the NABs and powering the appliance back on, logs are generated indicating that an invalid NAB has been detected, and the appliance then restarts with a default configuration. If this occurs, contact Solace for technical support.

  • Upon completing the initial software configuration procedure described in Initial Setup, the physical interfaces on the NAB are all configured as lag1 by default through the setup Privileged EXEC command (see Initial Setup).
  • The examples in this step are for when replacing an eight-port GigE NAB with a two-port 10GigE NAB. However, similar steps are required when switching from an eight-port NAB to a six-port NAB, a six-port NAB to a two-port NAB, and so on.
  • In a PubSub+ 3260, the NAB occupies slot 1/1. The examples in this section demonstrate the configuration of a PubSub+ 3260 because all interfaces begin with 1/1. In a PubSub+ 3560, the NAB occupies slot 1/6. For the configuration of a PubSub+ 3560, the interfaces will begin with 1/6 instead of 1/1.

Enter the show interface User EXEC command to determine the current routing interface configuration on the event broker. Then use the Solace CLI to remove invalid NAB ports from a LAG.

Example:

To decommission NAB ports from lag1:

solace(configure)# interface 1/1/lag1
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/1
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/2
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/3
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/4
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/5
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/6
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/7
solace(configure/interface)# no member 1/1/8
solace(configure/interface)# exit

Bridge Configuration

If you switch an existing NAB with a NAB with less ports, Message VPN Bridges may need to be reconfigured so that they do not use invalid interfaces.

Example:

solace> enable
solace# configure
solace(configure)# bridge sample-bridge message-vpn sample-vpn
solace(configure/bridge)# remote message-vpn sample-vpn connect-via <primary-ip>:5003 interface 1/1/3
solace(configure/bridge-remote/message-vpn)# shut
solace(configure/bridge/remote/message-vpn)# exit
solace(configure/bridge/remote)# exit
solace(configure/bridge)# no remote message-vpn sample-vpn connect-via <primary-ip>:55003 interface 1/1/3
solace(configure/bridge)# create remote message-vpn sample-vpn connect-via <primary-ip>:55003
solace(configure/bridge/remote/message-vpn)#

Replication Configuration

If you switch an existing NAB with a NAB with less ports, the Replication facility may need to be reconfigured so that it does not use invalid interfaces.

Example:

solace> enable
solace# configure
solace(configure)# replication
solace(configure/replication)# no interface
solace(configure/replication)#

Message Backbone VRF Configuration

If you switch an existing NAB with a NAB with less ports, shut down and delete independent IP interfaces (primary, backup, and static) under the Message Backbone VRF for any previous ports that no longer exist.

Example:

solace(configure)# ip vrf msg-backbone
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# interface 1/1/3:1 primary
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# shutdown
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# exit
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# no interface 1/1/3:1 primary
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# interface 1/1/3:1 backup
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# shutdown
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# exit
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# no interface 1/1/3:1 backup
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# interface 1/1/3:1 static
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# shutdown
solace(configure/ip/vrf/interface)# exit
solace(configure/ip/vrf)# no interface 1/1/3:1 static

Repeat the above command sequence for ports 1/1/4 through 1/1/8.

IP Interface Configuration

If you switch an existing NAB with a NAB with less ports, shut down IP interfaces for any previous ports that no longer exist.

Example:

solace(configure)# interface 1/1/3
solace(configure-interface)# shutdown
solace(configure-interface)# exit

Repeat the above command sequence for ports 1/1/4 through 1/1/8.

Routing Interface Configuration

If you switch an existing NAB with a NAB with less ports, the routing facility may need to be reconfigured so that it does not use invalid interfaces.

To change routing interfaces, do the following:

  1. Record all neighbor configuration:

    solace> show cspf neighbor *

  2. For each neighbor, use the detail option and record the connect-via field:

    solace# show cspf neighbor lab-130-20 detail

    Neighbor:             solace2
    Connect Via:          <neighbor-static-ip>:55555

  3. Remove each neighbor:

    solace> enable
    solace# configure
    solace(configure)# routing
    solace(configure/routing)# shutdown
    solace(configure/routing)# no cspf neighbor solace2

  4. Remove the invalid interface:

    solace(configure/routing)# no interface

  5. Add the new valid interface:

    solace(configure/routing)# interface 1/1/1

  6. Re-add each neighbor:

    solace(configure/routing)# create cspf neighbor solace2 connect-via <neighbor-static-ip>:55555

  7. Enable routing:

    solace(configure/routing)# no shutdown

Step 3: Reload Event Broker Configuration

After making the necessary configuration changes, reload the event broker configuration:

solace# reload
This command causes a reload of the system
Do you want to continue (y/n)? y

Step 4: Backup Event Broker Configuration

Back up the reloaded configuration:

solace# copy current-config nab-upgrade-ready-backup-file
solace# show current-config all > nab-upgrade-ready-config

Step 5: Power Down Appliance

Power down the appliance:

solace# power-down
This command powers off the appliance and does not restart it afterwards
Do you want to continue (y/n)? y

Step 6: Physically Change Out NAB

To physically remove the existing NAB and install the replacement NAB in its place refer to one of the following:

Replacing an Existing NAB with a NAB with More Ports

To replace an existing NAB with a NAB with more ports, do the following:

  1. As a protective measure, enter the following command to make a copy of the current Solace PubSub+ software configuration in the /configs subdirectory:

    solace> enable
    solace# copy current-config
    /configs/<version>_preBladeReplacementCfg

    Where:

    <version> is the version number of current software in use (this can be seen in the output of a show version User EXEC command).

  2. Ensure that the internal disks are in a redundant state.

    solace# show disk

    Example:

    Reload required:               No

Attribute                        Disk 1               Disk 2
------------------ -------------------- --------------------
Device Model                ST3250310NS          ST3250310NS
Capacity (MB)                    238475                38475
Admin State                     enabled              enabled
Operational State                    up                   up
RAID in fully redundant state: Yes

    If the displayed output shows the RAID disk drives to be in a non‑redundant state, contact Solace, and stop this hardware replacement procedure immediately to prevent software corruption on the appliance.

  3. Physically remove the existing NAB and install the replacement NAB in its place:
  4. In most cases, the fibre cables from the NAB that was replaced should re-inserted into ports 1 and 2 of the NAB that was installed.
  5. Configure the additional ports. Refer to IP Interface Configuration for Appliances.