[rancid] support for D-Link switches, where to start?

[Gavin McCullagh]

Hi,

On Wed, 16 Feb 2011, john heasley wrote:

> > - config igmp_snooping querier staff query_iConnection to sw-w106-3 closed by remote host.                                                                      
> > - Connection to sw-w106-3 closed
> 
> that could be a network issue or you're just asking too much of the switch
> or it's software ... i mean, did you really expect to read the config? :)

I was also getting the ssh error "bad packet" now and then.  I've since
switched to telnet and all is well now, so I don't fully understand the
cause, but I at least have a workaround.

> > 3. We're having some intermittent network issues which might be explained
> >    by switches dropping frames.   I can't really pinpoint it as being due
> >    to rancid, but we've cut it back to running once overnight for now
> >    instead of hourly. It appears our problems have cleared up since.
> 
> its possible; if the box switches in s/w and doesnt give scheduling priority
> to switching or is one non-interruptible context ... it could hurt.

I wouldn't have thought there was switching in software but I guess there
may be some small software element which can cause a deadlock.

> > Obviously ssh has much greater CPU requirements than telnet or tftp would
> > so I guess switching to telnet is my main plan for now.  Has anyone else
> > noted issues like this, or is it just these D-Links?  Is there another
> > possible explanation?
> 
> this occurs on some old ciscos, though rarely results in a timeout.  you
> might try a smaller key, less cpu intensive cypher, etc.

I tried blowfish which is supposed to be less cpu intensive, but it didn't
seem to make much difference.

> > Where there isn't a getConf() command available, do people have a solution,
> > eg maybe run command to put config to a tftp server, then have rancid
> > download from the tftp server.
> 
> that could work, but I've not done it before (ie: have no examples).

Ah well, the lazy person in me was hoping some code would be there already
:-) Our 3Com 4400s seem to have the same issue.

Gavin