ISL configuration between Brocade 4/16 SAN Switch AND QLogic 8/20q SAN switches.

[Scorpianzzz]

Hello All,

I would like to know if an ISL could be configured between Brocade 4/16 SAN Switch AND QLogic 8/20q SAN switches.

Firmware on 4/16 --> 6.2.2e

Firmware running on 8/20q --> 8.0.4.04.00

Information required on urgent basis.

Rgds

Scorzzz

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi,see the H-Series FC Switch Connectivity Stream document on HP SPOCK:

http://h20272.www2.hp.com/utility/document.aspx?docurl=Shared%20Documents/hw/switches/H-Series_FC_Switch_Connectivity_Stream_2012_02_17.pdf

8/20q to a 4/16

then 4/16 needs 6.2.1b or later so 6.2.2e should be good.

For the 8/20q the fw you're running is supported but only 'active' - there is a later version that's recommended.

[chungtranduc]

I think it works. The 8/20q's port which is connected to B 4/16 would be configured in TR-port mode. Create the same IFZ zone in both SAN Switch.

Regards,

[Scorpianzzz]

Hello Johan and Chungtranduc,

Thank you for your reply.

Johan as per the link shared , the "HP H-SERIES FC SWITCH CONNECTIVITY STREAM", it seems that the ISL link is possible between the 8/20q and the 4/16 switch - where the 4/16 should be atleast runnign the version - v6.2.1b or later. However, the firmware of the 8/20q switch is not specified.

Also just for clarification, I had logged a query case with HP support to get the details, and the information shared from the HP support team was - "From FOS 6.x onwards, officially Brocade stopped support for third-party switches (except McDATA0) for ISL."

Also since you have mentioned that it would be supported, then I would like to know how to go about - kindly correct me if I am wrong:

1> remove the zoning on all the SAN switches.

2> set the domain id for all the switches connected in ISL.

2> configure a port on the 8/20q as TR-port (do i need to configure or it gets automatically configured on the port where we connect the FC cable coming from 4/16 switch)

3> port in the 4/16 would become E-port

4> configure zoning on the 4/16 switch.

Rgds

Scorzzz

[Scorpianzzz]

Also the HP SPOCK provides Interoperability details only between B-series, C-series and M-series SAN switches... No information about H-series SAN switches.

http://h20272.www2.hp.com/Pages/spock2Html.aspx?htmlFile=an_fabric_interoperability.html

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi,

because you cannot ISL brocade switches with 3rd party switches (switches do for example not share zoning datbase)

1> You can keep the zoning

2> OK. You have to have a Domain ID configured. You probably want to have them unique too.

3> Yes, you'll need to configure this, link to manuals, see the manual called "HP 8/20q Fibre Channel Switch Command Line Interface Guide (5697-1319, January 2012)" 

See page 70 for how to configure Transparent Routing.

However, it says that the webtools are better and easier to configure TR with.

4> It says in the guide above that it uses NPIV - so I do not think it will become an E_port, but an F_port instead.

5> As mentioned above - Configure IFZ on both 4/16b and 8/20q