Cable Validations
Launch the cable validation tool from within NetQ to validate layer-1 physical links and connections in your clustered network environments. The tool can detect a range of network cabling issues, including:
- Miswired or incorrectly connected cables within clusters.
- Missing or disconnected links between network nodes.
- Redundant cables or extra links that do not match the expected network topology.
- Faulty or damaged cables that disrupt connectivity and cluster health.
The cable validation tool is a standalone tool that you can launch from the NetQ UI. All users work from a single instance of the tool. Refer to the Cable Validation Tool User Guide for:
- A comprehensive list of cabling issues that the tool can detect.
- An overview of the UI.
- Instructions for running topology validations.
When you are finished using the cable validator, it’s a good idea to shut it down to free up resources. To do this, navigate to System Admin in the side navigation. From the Services tab, select Stop Bringup.
Requirements and Support
The cable validation tool is compatible with Spectrum-X and NVLink fabrics running Cumulus Linux or NVOS, respectively. Read more about supported device types.
| Fabric Size | CPU Requirements | Memory | Disk Space (Minimum) | Disk Space (Recommended) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,000 nodes | 4-core server | 4 GB | 20 GB | 50 GB |
| 1,000-5,000 nodes | 8-core server | 16 GB | 40 GB | 120 GB |
| 5,000-10,000 nodes | 16-core server | 32 GB | 80 GB | 160 GB |
If your network comprises more than 10,000 nodes, contact NVIDIA support for assistance.
Port Requirements
The cable validation tool uses port 8251 for agent communication. Before using the cable validator, open the port on the switch’s firewall then add a whitelist rule to allow the agent to access the port:
nvidia@switch:~$ nv set acl acl-default-whitelist rule 200 match ip tcp dest-port 8251
nvidia@switch:~$ nv set acl acl-default-whitelist type ipv4
nvidia@switch:~$ nv config apply
nvidia@switch:~$ nv config save
Access the Cable Validation
Expand the
Menu. From the Tools section, select Cable Validation.Follow the instructions in the UI to launch the tool.