Connect 2 C7000 chassis to 1 Eva4400

[Lennart Johansson]

Hi all,

I have a custumer that want to connect 2 c7000 chassis to 1 4400 Eva SAN with FC cabling.
Both Chassis has 2 Brocade 4/24 internal San switch. Chassi 1 is allready connected to the Eva, is it wise/possible to connect chassi 2 to chassi 1 or do 1 have to put a separate FC switch and connect both chassis and san to that?
Is there some other way to do it, remove redundcy from c7000 should work I guess but then I lose the redundant path.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Best regards
Lennart Johansson

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hello Lennart.

Does the EVA4400 have embedded SAN switches or are you connecting straight into the host ports on the EVA? I guess you do not have the embedded because then you'd just connect the c7000 to them ;)

In my opinion, the best way would be to put two SAN switches in front of the EVA.
And then connect the c7000 SAN switches to them.

Also nice to let each c7000 have it's own path because then you could upgrade both c7000 enclosure at a time.

[Lennart Johansson]

Hi,

No internal san switches in the EVA, How about ISL, do I need a (extra)licens for that?.
If I connect chassi2 san switches to chassi1 san switches? Then I should get redundant path but how do I zone that, is the ISL link created automagiacaly? How to zone the switches afterwards? I have never worked with ISL connected switches so I need some input and bestpractice or howtos.
I don think customer wants to invest right now in two new switches.

Best regards
Lennart Johansson

[Johan Guldmyr · Accepted solution]

Oh yeah. That's a good option as well.

You do not need to zone in the ISL links.

If the settings on the switches are compatible when the E_ports are connected, they will merge.

If you want to check in advance before connecting you can run "configshow --pattern fabric.ops" - that will give you most of the settings that needs to be same on the switches. You can also use DCFM for this purpose, even the free version - with the free version you can only do one fabric at a time. Also zoning needs to be identical, or empty, on the new one you are introducing. Also default zoning needs to be the same. Also port settings, SFPs etc. Firmware needs to be compatible (see release notes of the FOS). Quite a few of these, these are the ones I could think of right now.

But when you connect and if they do not merge, you can see in switchshow and errdump/errshow on both switches for more information. It would for example tell you that E_A_TOV is not the same, so then you known why.

You should not need a license, but I would double-check quickspecs.

Google found me this:

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12480_div/12480_div.pdf

But as far as I can see, all different models for this have the "full fabric license".

Trunking license are not included unless you have the power pack. So you can have one cable from each switch. This 4/24 has 8 external ports right? I do not know for sure, but when doing trunking the ports need to be in the same port group. I think they are in groups of 8 on this switch.

When the switches have merged - are in the same fabric - they will share the zoning database. So you can zone from either one of the SAN-switches in each of your fabrics.

Wow, a little longer than I expected to right, hope I'm not confusing ;)

[Lennart Johansson]

Johan, thanks a lot.

I don't know if I will do he ISL thing right now, I have to check if there is any compabillity issus with my current config ( if I have to back out).
And (this is a noob question) but I have 2 switches in the chassi, but is that one or two fabrics? The switches in the same chassi is not connected to eatch other externaly but they might be internaly.
Anyway thanks a bunch or tack så mycket.
Cool with Finlad, Helsinki is a beautiful city (in the summer anyway).
/Lelle

[Johan Guldmyr]

Tjenare!

I enjoy spending some time in the forum here, refresh my memory and learn :)

No the two switches are not connected internally.

On the blades you can map the ports in the OA. I believe that the blade in bay 1 will be connected internally to port 1(maybe port 0, but I suspect it's port 1) on both switches, if it has a dual port FC HBA.

And because they are not connected, each switch would correspond to a fabric.
The switches sharing a zoning database would be another way of describing a fabric.

Yes, Helsinki is slowly melting now, it's my first year here so I hope it will be a nice summer! But I hear it's been quite cold in Sweden as well.

[Lennart Johansson]

Well of course it's two fabrics, and the new chassi dosn't have any config (and I have no powerpack) som if I connect leftswitch2 to leftswitch1 they will merge to one domain.

[Johan Guldmyr]

Yes they should (unless the fabric.ops or default zoning are not-default on one).

[Lennart Johansson]

Yeah hard and long winter in Sweden as well.
Again thanks a lot for your help,

/Lelle

[Lennart Johansson]

I'm lost the beat in the answares, im replying to old replys
Jag har tappat takten på svaren.

/Lelle