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  • 1.  VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 14, 2026 07:52 AM

    Hi, I have two Aruba 6100 JL679A switches. I am trying to create a VSF stack in a chain topology using a 10G DAC cable, but without success.

    If I use only the Ethernet ports 1/1/13 and 1/1/14, the stack works correctly, but the VSF connection is limited to 1G speed.

    However, if I use the SFP ports 1/1/15 and 1/1/16, the stack does not form - the switches do not connect, as if they cannot detect each other. On member 2, after running the command vsf renumber-to 2, the switch restarts, an error occurs, and it enters recovery mode.

    Switch 1:

    vsf member 1

    link 1 1/1/16

    link 2 1/1/15

    exit

    Switch 2:

    vsf member 1

    link 1 1/1/16

    link 2 1/1/15

    exit

    vsf renumber-to 2

    After that, an error appears on switch 2:

    kexec_core: Starting new kernel
    System is initializing
    Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/bannerd.service -> /dev/null.
    Warning: The unit file, source configuration file or drop-ins of bannerd.service changed on disk. Run 'systemctl daemon-reload' to reload units.
    fips_post_check[3600]: FIPS_POST: Cryptographic selftest started...SUCCESS

    recovery-2# 

    Firmware version on my switches:

    6100# show images 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    AOS-CX Primary Image
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Version : PL.10.16.1030                 
    Size    : 274 MB                        
    Date    : 2026-02-18 19:16:04 UTC       
    SHA-256 : 8efbda918f0fece54f79969fa6cc52615613d905bb6c07e415bad25d8a8f7cb1   

    Is it possible to build a VSF stack with 10G speed on the 6100 JL679A model?



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  • 2.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 14, 2026 08:45 AM

    According to the VSF Guide, the 6100 can run VSF over the 10G ports.

    Starting CX 10.16, there is also auto-stacking, where if you use the default VSF ports, you factory default the secondary switch and it will automatically add to the stack. Did that yesterday on 6200F and worked like a charm, where before I had some issues setting it up manually (but without really reading the guides ;-)).



    ------------------------------
    Herman Robers
    ------------------------
    If you have urgent issues, always contact your HPE Aruba Networking partner, distributor, or Aruba TAC Support. Check https://www.arubanetworks.com/support-services/contact-support/ for how to contact HPE Aruba Networking TAC. Any opinions expressed here are solely my own and not necessarily that of Hewlett Packard Enterprise or HPE Aruba Networking.

    In case your problem is solved, please invest the time to post a follow-up with the information on how you solved it. Others can benefit from that.
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 14, 2026 09:16 AM

    In the guide, it is stated that Auto-Stacking is available on ports 13 and 14.

    image
    So far, I haven't been able to get VSF working on the SFP ports on the JL679A model.
    -------------------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 14, 2026 09:29 AM

    Are your DACs within the supported ones?

    I expect that a supported HPE DAC (see SKUs listed above, supported by Aruba 6100 Switch series), once simply connected to Port 15 or 16 (10G SFP+), will be recognized at least. Can you verify that?

    I haven't worked with the JL679A...one of my doubts would be: ports 13 and 14 need to be (sort of) disabled to let a VSF deployment through different ports (15 and 16) using different medias (DACs)?

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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 14, 2026 09:10 AM
    Hi, ports 13 and 14 are reserved for VSF auto-stacking (joining) when the Switch is in its factory default state, for sure a pair of JL679A switches should form a VSF stack if deployed through DACs using ports 15 and 16 (10G SFP+)...clearly if DACs' SKU is supported by that switch...and probably if you override the auto-stacking feature which is nice (plug&play) but it requires you to use ports you don't want (1G).





  • 6.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch
    Best Answer

    Posted Apr 15, 2026 06:20 AM

    Unfortunately, I don't have original HP transceivers/DAC cables at my company. It turned out the issue was with the DAC cables - the switch detected them, but didn't use them to create the stack, even though they were factory-programmed for HP/Aruba. 
    Instead, I used 10G multimode transceivers programmed for Aruba, and the switches were able to create the VSF without any issues.

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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 15, 2026 06:33 AM

    The switch shows that the working transceivers have part number 1990-3878, while the non-working DAC cable had part number 1990-4065.

    Both the transceivers and the DAC cable show product number J9150A and type 10G-SR.

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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: VSF stacking fails on Aruba 6100 switch

    Posted Apr 15, 2026 07:40 AM

    Hi Gordon.

    For VSF stack to be formed you need to have original supported HPE DAC cables. As you discovered VSF stack will not form with 3rd party cables. You can try with allow-unsupported-transceiver command. No guarantee to work.

    Best, Gorazd



    ------------------------------
    Gorazd Kikelj
    MVP Guru 2025
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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