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Understanding PIC Support for Optical Module as FRU

The management of optical modules is now handled at the Physical Interface Module (PIC) level instead of the Packet Forwarding Engines (PFE). This change enhances flexibility and reliability as optical modules remain accessible in the hardware inventory even if the PFE is powered off.

Overview

Optical modules can now operate as independent field-replaceable units (FRUs) and can be monitored irrespective of the PFE's status. You can also maintain port configurations even when ports are powered off. Additional features include persistent port disabling and LED status management, supporting module functionality even when the PFE is offlined.

Optical module detection is performed independent of the forwarding state, ensuring all inserted modules are listed in the hardware inventory. Ports and optical modules associated with a disabled Packet Forwarding Engine (PFE) remain powered down and inactive, with their LED status reflecting this state. Changes in port speed through CLI have no effect on powered-off ports. Commands to inspect optical modules are unavailable for ports linked to a disabled PFE, maintaining system integrity during PFE state transitions. LED indicators reflect the state of modules associated with disabled PFEs for physical status monitoring.

Benefits

The benefits of PIC support for management of optical module as FRU are as follows:

  • Hardware inventory lists all the optical modules inserted irrespective of the PFE state.. Continuous visibility and monitoring of optical modules is maintained, even when the PFE is powered off. Reliability is enhanced by allowing optical modules to operate as independent field-replaceable units, reducing dependency on the PFE

  • Ports associated with a disabled PFE remain in disabled state. The optical modules associated with a disabled PFE remain in powered down state.

  • PFE offline or online status unpublish or publish port interfaces associated with that PFE. The software for the port and optical module remain disabled.

  • Operational clarity is provided through LED status visibility and command restrictions on disabled PFE ports, reducing potential errors during network management.

  • Detailed diagnostics and system status verification using CLI commands enhance the ability to manage and monitor optical modules effectively within the network infrastructure.

  • Configuration is maintained during port speed changes, even when ports are powered off, ensuring consistent operational efficiency.

PIC Support for Management of Optical Module as FRU

When you configure line rate traffic on a PTX device, and insert optics to different slots on the chassis, PIC support for optical module provides smooth transition during the following events:

  • Enable/disable of PFE or multiple PFEs
  • Optics Laser ON/OFF
  • Soft-online insertion and removal (OIR)
  • FPC Restart or multiple FPC restart
  • PIC Restart
  • MTU change
  • App Restart

Use the following commands to effectively manage optics and PFE interactions, especially in scenarios involving power state changes:

  • set chassis fpc pfe power off manages state visibility and diagnostics for optical modules. This command manages the operational state of PFEs.
  • show interfaces diagnostics optics provide detailed diagnostics, including temperature, voltage, and power status of optical modules.

  • show chassis hardware display the system's hardware inventory and monitoring of the optical modules in varied operational states. The show chassis hardware command now displays optical modules associated with offlined PFEs. This feature is beneficial in dynamic environments where PFEs could be frequently powered down for maintenance or other operational requirements, ensuring uninterrupted module visibility and management. However, while optical modules maintain visibility, diagnostics linked to the interface device remain inaccessible for ports associated with a disabled PFE.

Use the show chassis hardware and show chassis pic commands to view the following additional information.

  • When a PFE is offlined/powered off, the ports associated with that PFE show up in the output.
  • The telemetry sensor components, transceiver and state fields, display the transceiver state for the ports that are associated with a disabled PFE.

Fault Handling

You can perform PIC restart or FPC restart using the set chassis pic fpc-slot <fpc-slot-number> pic-slot <pic-slot-number> (offline | online) command in the following error scenarios:

  • When the Packet Forwarding Engine (PFE) goes offline and ports do not deactivate as expected.

  • When the PFE comes online and ports do not activate again as expected.

  • When optics do not enter low power mode as expected, when PFE goes offline.

  • When optics do not come out of low power mode as expected, on PFE online.

Use the show interfaces <port-number> extensive command to monitor any errors that could occur during transition.

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