Brocade FCX: How To Install And Configure The FCX-2SFPP 2-port 10G Module (2-SFP+) For 10G Fiber Uplinks

I had a hard time finding any kind of configuration documentation for installing the 10G fiber module (the FCX-2SFPP 2-port 10G Module (2-SFP+) in this example).  I had two to install the other night, so I thought I would document how to do this in case anyone else needs to know.  But I have to tell you, I had one problem in particular that really caused me about half of my maintenance window.  Ill describe below.  So, with that said, I had a bigger picture project that included installing and re-configuring several ICX6450s and also connecting them to the core FCX648S via 10G fiber.  Ill focus only on the module install/configuration on this post.  I had a 6 hour window for the whole project, which should have been plenty of time.

So as you can see on the left, this is the FCX-2SFPP 2-port 10G Module (2-SFP+) module that Im installing.  I plan on using it to connect 10 gig uplinks to ICX6450s.  I have two of these to install.  There may be plenty of documentation out there for configuration of these and some release notes, but I couldnt seem to find anything useful.  Hence this post.


Before I put these modules in, below is what I saw when doing a 'show module'.  You can see that I only see module 1, which is the 48 port Ethernet ports/fiber combo.  Also, you see the module in the back of the FCX for the stacking.  Nothing else.




As you can see, this FCX does not have it:

core#sh module
       Module                                         Status Ports Starting MAC
U1:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80x0
U1:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c3.80x1
U2:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80x0
U2:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c2.b4x1
core#

Just FYI, this is where the module goes in.

So its time to put the module in.  You take off the blank and install the module.

Just slide it in and screw in the two screws.  Remember to power off the switches.  I did find documentation that says that you have to do that.  However, you really dont.  During this process, I had to reseat one of the modules when troubleshooting and TAC told me to reseat it with power on.  Obviously its hot swappable.  Anyway, I put the module in and you have to run the following command to configure the FCX module.  I ran the following command in config t.  Remember, I doing this on two stacked FCXs.  Below is for putting the first module in the first FCX:
FCXcore(config)#stack unit 1
FCXcore(config-unit-1)#module 3 ?
  fcx-cx4-2-port-16g-module
  fcx-sfpp-2-port-10g-module
  fcx-xfp-2-port-10g-module
FCXcore(config-unit-1)#module 3 fcx-sfpp-2-port-10g-module
FCXcore(config-unit-1)#exit

Now, the module should show up.  However, in my case it didn't.  This is where my biggest time consumption came.  Trying to figure out why.  When I ran the 'show module' command, I got the same output as above.  I rebooted the switch, same result.  I reseated the module.  Same thing. The FCX just didn't see the module.  So, I called TAC.
So to make a long story short, I got a girl who had no clue as to what she was doing.  I gave her some time to try to work this out, but after 40 minutes, I asked her to escalate the ticket.  On occasion, I have come across TAC engineers that appear to have never taken a call before.  My confidence quickly deteriorates in these cases.  I dont have time for them to learn while Im in a maintenance window.
So after I got another TAC engineer on the phone, he quickly found that there was a bug in my firmware version for detecting that particular module.  I was running code FCXR07202d.  So the answer was to upgrade to FCXR07300e.  I didnt have that readily available, but I did have FCXR07300f.  That works just as well.  So, I tftp'ed the boot image (grz07302.bin) and the new firmware and did the upgrade.  Then rebooted.  Then I did the 'show module' and it comes up just fine.
sp-core#sh mod
       Module                                         Status Ports Starting MAC
U1:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80c0
U1:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c3.80f1
U1:M3  FCX-2XG 2-port 10G Module (2-XFP)                CFG    2    0024.38c3.80f3
U2:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80c0
U2:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c2.b4f1
U2:M3  FCX-2XG 2-port 10G Module (2-XFP)                CFG    2    0024.38c2.b4f3

Notice that is says CFG under status.  I had to go back and tell the FCX what the module was again (see above where I go into each stack unit), then reboot the FCXs again to get it to an 'OK' status.
After the reboot:
sp-core#sh mod
       Module                                         Status Ports Starting MAC
U1:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80c0
U1:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c3.80f1
U1:M3  FCX-2XG 2-port 10G Module (2-XFP)                OK    2    0024.38c3.80f3
U2:M1  FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module               OK     48   0024.38c3.80c0
U2:M2  FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)               OK     2    0024.38c2.b4f1
U2:M3  FCX-2XG 2-port 10G Module (2-XFP)               OK    2    0024.38c2.b4f3

Now that the FCX sees the module, its time to get the 10G gbics in and connect to the uplinks.

Dont forget, the 10Gig gbics are sold separately from the module.
Here are a few other ways to verify your module shows up if you want to check it like one of these:
Do a 'show run':
FCXcore#show run
stack unit 1
  module 1 fcx-48-port-management-module
  module 2 fcx-cx4-2-port-16g-module
  module 3 fcx-sfpp-2-port-10g-module
  priority 128
  stack-port 1/2/1 1/2/2

FCXcore#show int brief
Check for int X/3/1 and X/3/2

FCXcore#show version
...
==========================================================================
UNIT 1: SL 2: FCX-2XGC 2-port 16G Module (2-CX4)
==========================================================================
UNIT 1: SL 3: FCX-2SFPP 2-port 10G Module (2-SFP+)
==========================================================================
UNIT 2: SL 1: FCX-48GS 48-port Management Module
...

Now that things are up and running, it should look this this below.  You should see green activity lights on the side of the module.