Use the following steps to troubleshoot errors when network interfaces appear offline or do not show any link status.
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)
If the deployment uses LACP bonding and if you have already configured the switch for LACP, it is common to see some the network interfaces offline if LACP has not been configured on the HyperScale nodes yet. This is expected behavior for most switch model and you can proceed with network configuration despite the offline interfaces. If the interface remains offline once LACP is configured on the HyperScale node, check the remaining items in this section.
Cabling
In some cases you may have not have correctly cabled the appliance. Check for ports that are not expected to be online and verify the cabling based on your topology. For more information, see Determining the Network Topology.
Network Switchport
In many environments it is a common security practice to leave switch ports in an offline state until they are ready for use, and hence are still disabled on the switch. There is no way to verify this from the appliance side and will need to be checked by your Network Administrator.
Incompatible SFP+ Modules
HyperScale X supports multiple connectors and NIC types for 10GbE networking. By default, the appliance includes fiber channel modules with SFP+ based NICs supporting optical or Twinax connections. (If you require RJ45 connections, contact your Commvault representative.)
When troubleshooting connectivity issues, verify the following:
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For Optical Fiber cabling:
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Always use the provided SFP+ modules for the HyperScale nodes. Do not replace them with third party SFP+ modules.
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Ensure that multimode fiber cabling (such as OM3 or OM4) is used in addition to multimode SFP+ modules on the switch side.
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For Direct Attach Copper (Twinax) cabling:
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Verify that the Twinax cables meet the required specifications for HyperScale X. For more information, see the Supported Network Cables section in the Network Topology pages.
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Verify that the Twinax cables are compatible with their switch, especially when using Cisco switches. Many Cisco switch models, such as Nexus, will disable ports when an unsupported third party cable is connected in the default configuration. Your network administrator will need to verify and correct this issue.
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If the appliance has the incorrect NIC type:
Contact your Commvault representative to coordinate NIC replacement.
Hardware Issues
Hardware issues are always possible with new equipment. Whenever a hardware issue is suspected, steps should be taken to isolate the suspected failed part and test with other known good components. When troubleshooting network connectivity there are 4 main components to check:
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Network Interface Card (NIC)
Each HyperScale node has two network cards. By swapping cabling and SFP modules between the cards, you can isolate the card that is not operating properly. Additionally, it is possible for a NIC to shift during shipping, re-seating the card in the chassis may resolve the issue.
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SFP+ Module(s)
When using fiber, you will have an SFP module on each end. Swap modules one at a time with known good modules to verify whether the SFP is at fault.
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Cable (Fiber or Twinax)
Swap the suspected cable for a known good one to check if the cable is at fault.
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Network Switch Port
Move the connection to a known working port to validate if the port is not operating properly.
Hardware issues are uncommon in comparison to software and configuration issues. When an issue spans multiple nodes or components, recheck the configuration, as the issue is unlikely to be caused by a hardware problem.