Connecting a storageworks 8-el san switch to a 2/8-el san switch.

[Chris Culver]

I have two 2/8-el san switches that have been cascaded together and are working fine. (Have been asigned different domain ID's etc.)
I now want to connect an older 8-el san switch to one of the 2/8-el switches. (I have assigned the 8-el a different domain ID also.)
I have connected the switches and I am getting a "connection" light constantly blinking, but no "activity" light. I have flashed the old 8-el with the what I believe is the latest firmware (2.6.1a), but still no luck.
Any suggestions or comments.
Thanks in advance.

[Richard Sharwood]

Hi Chris,

As I understand it the 'el' switches on support 1 level cascading, so you would not be able to add a third. To do this you would have to use a SAN Switch 2 not SAN Switch 2el in the middle.

Hope this helps


Richard

[Ronald Hendriks · Accepted solution]

The number of switches is no problem.

StorageWorks SAN Switch 2/8-EL â By default, this switch is supported in SAN fabrics
with up to 4 switches total only. A license upgrade is available to allow these switches to
be upgraded for support in larger fabrics with greater than 4 switches total.


Constanly blinking indicates configuration problems IE : the 2 switches dont talk alike.

1. Fabric parameters (like class of service , bb credits ,domain id)

2. Zoning conflicts, licensing issues (number of E-ports)

Its really difficult to say.

Go to the switch and type switchshow.

Does the E-Port state "segmented", or "incompatible"

[Ronald Hendriks]

Also check the 2/8EL manual for compatibility mode

(for the old you need to set VC_encode_address, With the new switch, one might require a PID ID)

[Orrin]

Hi,

Try putting the old 8-el switch at the end. Which port on the old 8-el is being used for cascade.

Try port one..

Regards,
Orrin.

[Mike Naime]

I would suspect the PID mode. 1 GIG switches where defaulted to PID = 0. where the newer 2 GIG switches use PID = 1.

I saw the same flashing light when I tried to connect a 2/16 to a 16 without setting the PID mode to be the same on both switches.

Telnet into the switches and see what they are saying when you make the connection. This will help in troubleshooting your problem.

[krusty]

The other folks have most of the likely possibilities (Core PID being the most likely). You can tell the reason for the segmentation by typing the command "FabStatsShow". This will point you in the right direction.