Chapter 6: Interface Expansion Modules

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The W50 product has four expansion slots, each of which can accept a Clavister interface expansion module. There are a number of different module types available and these are purchased separately to the W50 unit. Each of the three module types has different connection capabilities and can be one of the following:

8 x RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
8 x SFP Gigabit interfaces.
2 x SFP+ 10 Gigabit interfaces.

These optional modules are shown below:

Figure 6.1. An 8 x RJ45 Gigabit Interface Expansion Module for the W50

Figure 6.2. An 8 x SFP Gigabit Interface Expansion Module for the W50

Figure 6.3. A 2 x SFP+ 10 Gigabit Interface Expansion Module for the W50

The full connection capabilities of all these Ethernet interfaces are listed in Appendix A, NetWall W50 Specifications.

Adding an Expansion Module

A W50 expansion module is added using a cold swap procedure. The steps are as follows:

Shutdown cOS Core and power down the W50. For safety, disconnecting the power cable is advised.
Take off the plate covering the empty expansion slot. This is done by first undoing the two retaining screws on either side of the plate. These screws may need loosening with a suitable screwdriver before undoing completely by hand. The screws are on springs and will spring out when they are no longer held by the thread in the chassis.
Attach an earthed anti-static wrist strap to the wrist of the hand that will handle the module. Doing this is strongly advised since expansion modules are not closed units.
With the hand that is correctly earthed, remove the expansion module from its anti-static bag. Try not to touch any of the exposed electronics when doing this.
Gently insert the expansion module by sliding it into the expansion slot, as shown below. The module should engage with rails on either side. Do not force it as it may not be properly aligned or may be the wrong way up.

Secure the module by hand tightening the two screws on either side. These screws are on springs and will first need to be pushed in to make contact with the thread in the chassis. After hand tightening, finish by applying minimal extra tightening with a suitable screwdriver to ensure the screws are secure.

Now, power up the hardware to restart cOS Core. As explained in detail below, the additional Ethernet interfaces will be automatically detected by cOS Core and added to the configuration with a logical name derived from the chassis slot number and interface position in the module.

The inserted module may be removed or swapped with a different expansion module by following the same procedure.

Ethernet Interface and Address Object Naming in cOS Core

After startup, cOS Core will detect the presence of the extra interfaces and add them to the configuration. No action from the administrator is needed for this to happen. The interfaces will be named according to the slot they are in (some hardware products have more than one slot) and their position on the expansion module.

The assigned interface name will always have the following form: En-m. The name always begins with the letter E. The number n is the slot number and the number m is the position on the expansion module. For example, the second interface of an expansion module in the first slot will have the name E1-2.

For the W50, the slot numbers go from left to right when looking at the front of the device. In other words, slot number 1 is on the furthest left hand side, next to the single fixed G1 Ethernet port.

cOS Core will also automatically add an IP and network address object into the configuration's address book using the normal convention for interfaces. For example, the interface E1-2 will get an IPv4 address object called E1-2_ip and an IPv4 network object called E1-2_net.

Removing Interfaces

An expansion module can also be removed after powering off the W50. When cOS Core is started again, the configuration will be unchanged. However, no data will be received or sent on an interface that does not physically exist.

If another expansion module is then fitted later and it contains an interface port that has the same position as the removed one (in other words, it's logical cOS Core name is the same) traffic can flow through the new interface since the configuration references will now have a corresponding physical interface.

Installing SFP/SFP+ Modules

Two of the NetWall W50 expansion module options provide connectivity for Small Form Pluggable (SFP) and Small Form Pluggable Plus (SFP+) modules. The NetWall W50 does not come as standard with any SFP or SFP+ modules included but these can be ordered separately from a Clavister sales office. Shown below is an SFP module.

Figure 6.4. An Example of an SFP 1000 Base TX Module

Note that only the SFP and SFP+ modules available from Clavister have been tested to function correctly with the W50 hardware.

Clavister does not use a vendor lock so other, third-party SFP/SFP+ modules could be used but Clavister cannot accept responsibility for such modules functioning correctly when installed on Clavister hardware products.

Installation of the different types of SFP/SFP+ modules is performed in a similar way. For example, with the module shown above, insertion into the sockets is done with the label facing upwards. The module slides into position by gently pressing it inwards.

The image below shows insertion of an SFP module into the expansion module option that provides connectivity for 8 Gigabit SFP modules.

Figure 6.5. Insertion of a Gigabit SFP Module

	Caution: Insert SFP/SFP+ modules in the correct sockets
	An SFP module must not be inserted in an SFP+ socket. Similarly, SFP+ modules must not be inserted in an SFP socket.

The full connection capabilities of all the NetWall W50 Ethernet interfaces are listed at the end of Appendix A, NetWall W50 Specifications.