Allow Unsupported transceiver command by Aruba

This feature enables and disables the use of non-HPE Aruba transceivers on HPE Aruba switches. The allow-unsupported-transceiver command is only available on the 3810M, 5400R, 2920, 2930F, 2930M, 2540, and 2530 switches.

This undocumented feature was included in releases numbered 16.02.0013 and later. Undocumented features are not shown in the CLI with “?” as an option, nor is the command tab completed.

AS of today, HP-Procurves and now Aruba switches and platforms have always been very protective in term of transceiver compatibility, the allow unsupported transceiver feature allows the user to plug any transceiver or DAC without the switch to make any HPE Aruba authentication process. Indeed, the Aruba equipment will only check the MSA information stored in the transceiver for the identification.

The below table shows all MSA parts enables by this feature

* May not be enabled in certain switch platforms that do not support this technology.

** These Skylane P/Ns are only examples corresponding to MSA standards, other distances and wavelengths can also be considered.

Allowing unsupported transceivers

1. Enter the config context: # config
2. Configure unsupported transceivers by issuing the following CLI command: allow-unsupported-transceiver [confirm]

> The system displays a disclaimer message and requires a Y confirmation (unless the confirm option is specified).

3. Do one of the following:

• If any non-HPE Aruba transceivers are present in the switch before executing the command and you want to enable them, remove and reinsert them. If you do not do so, the transceivers will not be enabled.
• If any non-HPE Aruba transceivers are not present in the switch and you want to enable them, insert them into the switch.

4. (Optional) Verify that non-HPE transceivers are now allowed: show running-config

If non-HPE Aruba transceivers are now allowed, the output from this command includes the line allow-unsupported-transceiver.

5. (Optional) List the enabled transceivers: show tech transceivers

An Aruba transceiver will show as

# show interface transceiver detail

Transceiver in A1

   Interface Index    : 50
   Type               : SFP+SR
   Model              : J9050A
   Connector Type     : LC
   Wavelength         : 850nm
   Transfer Distance  : 80m (50um), 30m (62.5um), 300m (50um OM3),
   Diagnostic Support : DOM
   Serial Number      : CN002GU028

A Skylane transceiver will show as

# show interface transceiver detail
Transceiver in A1
   Interface Index    : 50
   Type               : SFP+SR
   Model              : ??
   Connector Type     : LC
   Wavelength         : 850nm
   Transfer Distance  : 80m (50um), 30m (62.5um), 300m (50um OM3),
   Diagnostic Support : DOM
   Serial Number      : Unsupported

Disabling unsupported transceivers

You can repeat the above steps but by using no allow-unsupported-transceiver [confirm]

In such a case, the output of the Show tech transceivers command shows any non-HPE transceivers inserted as unsupported, the Type shows ??, and the port is not enabled

Source: Aruba Allow unsuported transceivers