from Huawei CLI – virtual-cable-test

My friend found an interesting command while he was searching Huawei S3700 documentation. It looks like it is possible to check (by command) a state of physical cable, connected to electrical Ethernet or GigabitEthernet interfaces. I have never used it but as soon as I get such switch I promise to test it.

Short description from Hedex:

• When the checked cable is in normal state, the total length of the cable is displayed in the output information.
• If the cable is abnormal, the distance between the interface and the faulty point is displayed.

[Quidway] interface Ethernet 0/0/1
[Quidway-Ethernet0/0/1] virtual-cable-test
Warning: The command will stop service for a while, Continue [Y/N]?y
Pair A length: 189meter(s)
Pair B length: 189meter(s)
Pair C length: 189meter(s)
Pair D length: 189meter(s)
Pair A state: Ok
Pair B state: Ok
Pair C state: Ok
Pair D state: Ok

Description of the virtual-cable-test command output (by Hedex):

• Pair A/B/C/D – Four pairs of circuits in a network cable.
• Pair A length: 189meter(s) – Length of a network cable.

The length is the distance between the interface and the faulty point if a fault occurs.
The length is the actual length of the cable when the cable is in normal state.
The length is the default length 0 m if the interface is not connected to any network cable.

• Pair A state: Ok – Status of a circuit pair of the cable.

OK – indicates that the circuit pair is terminated normally.
Open – indicates that the circuit pair is not terminated.
Short – indicates that the circuit pair is short circuited.
Crosstalk – indicates that the circuit pairs interfere with each other.
Unknown – indicates that the circuit pair has an unknown fault.

I also found this command in Hedex for AR12/22/32 routers.

If you have got any experience with this command just let me know.