about connecting switches without isl

[Piotr_Salwerowicz]

Hi

I'm new with SAN, so please forgive me for simple question. I'd like ask about connecting switches without isl.

What will happens if i connect 4 switches, 2 new and 2 very old switches, without isl. I remember about diffrent domain ID :) On two new switches i have zoning, on two old switches i don't have it.

Zones will be transfered from old switches to the new switches ? Zones configuration will be override? What is rules, alghoritm from which switch to which switch configuration will be transfered ? From Switch with zones to switch without zones? or vice versa ?

Which switch will be Principal and which will be subordinate ? It's important thing ?



Thank You for some information
greetings
Bart

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

if you have a switch with zoning and other switch without, when you merge the two, the zoning configuration from the switch with zoning will be applied across the fabric. That means your devices on the switch that did not have any zoning will not be able to see each other any more.
You need a fabric license to do this. ISL Trunking is not needed (only if you wish to combine several ISLs to a single logical Trunk). You already know about unique Domain IDs.
When switches are connected together a fabric reconfigure occurs. There is an election to determine which switch is principal. Normally the switch with the lowest WWN becomes principal. You can set the "fabricprincipal" parameter on one switch to 1, which means it will be the preferred principal switch (do this before you connect them). It is recommended that the switch with the latest Fabric OS be the principal switch, and that you perform zoning changes etc. from this switch.

Regards,
Stephen

[Piotr_Salwerowicz]

Hello

Thanks for information. Most things are clear now, but i'd like ask exactly about direct of transfering zones when we merge fabrics.
What is the rule, alghoritm from which switch to which switch configuration will be transfered ? From principal to subordinate ? or from switch with higher domain id ?


thank You
greetings

Bart

[Stephen Kebbell]

Hi,

zones will be "transferred" from switch with zoning to switch without zoning. If both switches have a zoning configuration prior to the merge, and the configrations are not identical, then I think the switches will not merge to form a fabric. It will say zoning conflict somewhere.

If I am adding a new switch (no zoning configuration) into my SAN, I do the following:
Set Domain ID on new switch
Disable new switch
Connect ISL cable
Enable new switch

The switch should then become part of the fabric, and the zoning configuration for the existing fabric will also appear on the new switch.

Regards,
Stephen

[CLEB]

Also don't forget about "defzone --allaccess" command which may have to be issued on the new switches if they do not merge.