8 L-port limit, 9th node disconnect another node

[vanheemst]

Configuration:
1 Brocade Switch (16 ports)
1 HP R-serie system
2 HP L-serie system
5 HP D-serie system
1 FC Disk array

When I connect 6 HP-systems and 1 FC disk array to the switch, evverything works fine.
In this situation I have 8 L-ports on the Switch. I configure Zoning on port 3 to 14.
After this everything works fine.

BUT!!!!

When I connect 1 system more. The switch state change to init. state. A few seconds later are al port connected and online. A few seconds later a port (don't matter which one) change to G-port. after that, the switch state change to looping.

When I have this situation. The switch state is never the same. Every second changed the state!!!

What's the problem? Patches? A 8 L-port limit?
HELP ME!!!

[Eric de Lange_2]

Hello there..

Is this the HP-Brocade switch ? If yes, what firmware is the switch running ? The latest rev is 2.4.1

What exactly do you mean with 'Don't matter which one' ? Does that every time a different port changes to G-port ?

Could you make a snapshot from the switch in this state ? (capture the output of a 'supportShow' command on the switch)

cordially,

Cal.

[vanheemst]

This is a brocade switch with the latest firmware. I think 2.4.1!! Must be, because the switch is 1 week old.

Yes every second, another port change to G-port and the 'old'G-port change to on-line.
But... The R-serie system has mostly the G-state!!

I hope you can wait 2 days, because in Holland we have a 2day holiday. I send you the logging as fast as possible.

[CTS Support]

Are all your fiber cards have the most up to date firmware/patch levels?

I believe that some tac cards below 11.03 will not suuport a Fabric login and thus drop down to Arbitrated Loop.

This might be what is causing the problem.... your running a fabric and introducing a AL device into the Fabric....

My suggestion is to zone off the loop devices away from fabric devices.

or at least issolate the new card you add into a new zone just to make sure it isn't the switch causing the problems

[CTS Support]

to do a check of the Driver version of the fiber card on your machines run...

what /vmunix/stand |grep td

you should get output something like this:
root:/> what /stand/vmunix |grep td
libtd.a HP Fibre Channel Tachyon TL/TS Driver B.11.00.05

the Driver has to be higher than B.11.00.03 for a fabric connection

Also keep in mind that some cards wont support a fabric login no matter what.. if this is the case it is time to get a newer fiber card for the machine!

[vanheemst]

I will check the firmware versions.
Maybe the Switch logging will help you.

[vanheemst]

supportshow output

[Vincent Fleming]

If I'm reading your patches correctly, the latest you have is DEC-00.

That's pretty old. I would try bringing them up to date.

Good luck