EISL between MDS 9216i to MDS 9124

[UVA]

Dear All,

Good Morning.

I need to create EISL link between MDS 9216i and 9124 and both are contains different firmware level.
MDS 9216i - 3.1(2)
MDS 9124 - 3.2(1a)

is it required the firmware level should be same on both the Switches or it is ok?

MDS 9216i contains VSAN1 and VSAN3.
MDS 9124 contains VSAN100

is i need to create VSAN1 and VSAN3 on MDS 9214 and to create VSAN100 on MDS 9216i so that zoneset will merge.

Please advice,

[Steven Clementi · Accepted solution]

The recommendation would be to run your switches at the same SAN-os versions if possible, but they should work together with minimal issues, if any at all. I would check the release notes for the later firmware to make sure it is compatible with the earlier version.

When you connect the switches, the isl ports will become a trunk port and you will be able to pass traffic accross that port across any vsans that are available on both sides.

So yes, you would need to create corrosponding vsans on both switches if you plan on having targets and/or initiators on both switches that need to talk to each other.

This does not mean that you can have stuff in VSAN1 talk to stuff in VSAN100. You would nee the IVR license on your switches in order to route between vsans (I don't know if it is even available on these lower end switches)

now...zonesets are per vsan so you would only need to have a vsan1 and/or vsan3 on the 9124 if you wanted to use ports on the 9124 in thsoe vsans... same for vsan100.

I am assuming that you are connecting these switches in order to either:

1. migrate multiple "fabrics" into a more easily managed infratstructure
or
2. connect 2 different sites in order to have some type of DR functionality

Can you give us any more details as to what the goals of the merge are?

Steven

[UVA]

Hi Steven,

Thanks for your reply.

basically i wants the zone and zonesets from 9216i should be available on 9124 and vise versa.

I have EMC storage and some hosts with zones are connected in 9216i. in 9124 hp storage and some hosts with zones are connected.

My requirement is as you said both the switches should form a fabric. right now both are doing as separate fabric.

[Steven Clementi]

"My requirement is as you said both the switches should form a fabric. right now both are doing as separate fabric."

On Cisco SAN Switches, technically your "VSAN" is your fabric so you have 3 separate "fabrics"

Since you don't necessarily want stuff on the 9216 to talk to stuff on the 9124, then I don't think you need to define a VSAN1 (and VSAN3) on the 9124 or a VSAN100 on the 9216. The switches should "link up" with a TE port and from your Fabric manager, you should be able to see VSAN0001, VSAN0003 and VSAN0100 so that you can edit the local zone databases from 1 interface.


Steven