Description

Physical interface remains stable, only MACSEC sessions get terminated after running for sometime over 10G interface.
4x25G SFP28 extension module is being used. MACSEC trace logs & message logs doesn't have conclusive alerts logged during issue time.

xxxxxx> show security macsec connections
Jan 13 11:12:59
    Interface name: xe-0/2/0
        CA name: MACSEC-DCI
        Cipher suite: GCM-AES-128   Encryption: on
        Key server offset: 0        Include SCI: yes
        Replay protect: off         Replay window: 0
          Outbound secure channels
            SC Id: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:aa/1
            Outgoing packet number: 85069793
            Secure associations
            AN: 1 Status: inuse Create time: 00:03:32
          Inbound secure channels
            SC Id: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:bb/1
            Secure associations
            AN: 1 Status: inuse Create time: 00:03:32
 
    Interface name: xe-0/2/1
        CA name: MACSEC-DCI
        Cipher suite: GCM-AES-128   Encryption: on
        Key server offset: 0        Include SCI: yes
        Replay protect: off         Replay window: 0
          Outbound secure channels
            SC Id: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:cc/1
            Outgoing packet number: 0
            Secure associations
            AN: 0 Status: inuse Create time: 1d 01:13:25
            AN: 1 Status: inuse Create time: 17:01:12
            AN: 2 Status: inuse Create time: 08:49:05
            AN: 3 Status: inuse Create time: 00:36:55
          Inbound secure channels
            SC Id: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:cc/1
            Secure associations
            AN: 0 Status: inuse Create time: 1d 01:13:25
            AN: 1 Status: inuse Create time: 17:01:12
            AN: 2 Status: inuse Create time: 08:49:05
            AN: 3 Status: inuse Create time: 00:36:55

MacSec configuration on on the 4x25G SFP28 port extension module:

    security {
        macsec {
            traceoptions {
                file MACSEC-TRACE size 10m files 5;
                flag normal;
            }
            connectivity-association MACSEC-DCI {
                security-mode static-cak;
                mka {
                    sak-rekey-interval 28800;
                    key-server-priority 100;
                }
                include-sci;
                pre-shared-key {
                    ckn 8ABCC459BB10567AB150C248E8CAEB5981D8AEE7F25CF2B4C5AD76CD547B1187;
                }
                exclude-protocol lldp;
                exclude-protocol lacp;
            }
            interfaces {
                xe-0/2/0 {
                    connectivity-association MACSEC-DCI;
                }
                xe-0/2/1 {
                    connectivity-association MACSEC-DCI;
                }
            }
        }
    }


Symptoms

MACsec is configured over direct connections and configured with AES-128 cipher suite.
There were few errors seen during the rekey (automatic PN expiry and SA switching)
PFE_MACSEC_FUNC_FAIL: BCM MACsec Error: API bcm_plp_europa_secy_sa_chain(&cfye_pa, active_cfye_sa_handle, &cfye_sa_handle, &cfye_sa_params) at tvp_drv_bcm_macsec_tx_sa_create:917 -> 2
Post this - the MACsec programming didnt happen on the h/w and traffic was dropped.

sak-rekey-interval 28800;
This additional sak-rekey triggered through control plane might interfere with the auto SA rekey happening from h/w.

Solution

Recomendation:
1) XPN cipher suite with sak-rekey configuration retained - preferred
2) Non XPN cipher suite with sak-rekey configuration removed
Use XPN cipher suite,This will avoid auto rekey with less traffic,sak-rekey-interval works fine with XPN cipher suite.

Configured XPN cipher resolved this issue.

set security macsec connectivity-association MACSEC-XX cipher-suite gcm-aes-xpn-128

Modification History

2026-04-17 : Article Created