SN6000 FC Switch to MSA SAN Switch 2/8 connection

[MTL]

Hi All

I have a new P2000 SAN with SN6000 FC switches, and an old MSA 1000 with SAN Switch 2/8 switches.  I'm trying to connect the old MSA 1000 to the SN6000.  So far, no success.  I can't get a link between the switches.  The 2/8 switch posts an "ILS ELP bad size 144, wanted 164" warning.  What do I need to do to get the switches talking to each other?

Thanks

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi,

read the release notes for the Fabric OS firmware version you run on the SN6000. I believe the firmware you run on that (7.x.x perhaps?) does not support the 2GB SAN-switches direct-connected.

[MTL]

Hi Johan

Thanks for the reply.  I'm using firmware version 8.0.14.3 on the SN6000 and version 3.2.0 on the MSA SAN Switch 2/8.  The release notes for 8.0.14 (http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=4118480&swItem=co-102263-1&prodNameId=4118481&swEnvOID=54&swLang=8&taskId=135&mode=4&idx=0) would seem to indicate that the MSA SAN Switch 2/8 is supported, or at least the MSA 1000 is supported.  Perhaps I'm misinterpretting that.  

I do have the two switches talking to the extent that the SN6000 tells me "Remote fabric attached to port does not support NPIV."  

[Johan Guldmyr]

Ah, the SN6000 is the 8/20q ? I never figured out these new names.. the q is quite useful to know it's a QLogic and not a Brocade as I thought it was :)

The MSA1000 came with several different modules at the back. Perhaps it means that the storage array is supported (after you managed to get it connected to the same fabric as the SN6000).

I found a post on brocade's forum indicating that it helped when they set the speed to fixed - perhaps you could try that?

Did you set Domain ID, interopmode, same E_A_TOV, R_A_TOV, etc? Does the MSA1000 have licenses so that it can join a fabric?

On newer switches you can set the switch in an "NPIV"-mode, so that it doesn't log in to the fabric (access gateway on Brocade, TR on qlogic). But maybe the 2/8 doesn't support it (as the messages seems to indicate).

[MTL]

It doesn't say 8/20 q on the front, but yes I believe it is a QLogic switch.  The switch in the MSA 1000 is a Brocade.

I set the MSA's switch to Interop mode with a domain of 100.  The E_A_TOV and R_A_TOV values match.  The MSA switch still has a 'role' of Principal.  Do I need to chage that?  I'll try settign the ports to a fixed speed.

On SN6000 side, I have a domain of 1, Interop mode of Standard (perhaps that should be changed?) and a role of Principal.  

I had the port on the SN6000 configured as TR, but that didn't help.

Thanks for the assistance.  I'm new to FC.  There's a lot to know...

[Johan Guldmyr]

Can the SN6000 join a fabric with a Brocade 2/8 switch? I mean is this something that's supported? If you run into issues will HP support this?

Perhaps if you have a newer switch between the 2/8 and the SN6000?

You cannot decide set which switch is the principal. If there are more than one switch in a fabric then the fabric itself should sort out which is the principal and subordinate.

If the 2/8 doesn't support NPIV then TR will not work - and then the only option you have is to try to create a fabric that runs in interopmode.

On the MSA - can you set different types of interop modes? Maybe so also on the SN6000?