Brocade 3800 ( E_ports / ISLs )

[Stephen Lentell]

I just connected 2 of my brocade 3800 swithes together and I noticed that when I do a "switchshow" on one server it has it ()s "upstream" and on the other server it has "downstream" on the E-port. Also if you do a "islshow" it has an arrow from one port# on one switch to the other port# on the other switch. What does this mean? Are these ISL's bi-directional or do I need to install a second ISL to permit data to go the other direction?

[Michael Tully]

If the configuration has been set up correctly, then yes it is bi-directional. The whole idea of having an ISL is so that if one switch goes "toes up" then the other switch takes over. There is no need to configure a second port.

[Michael Tully]

When I mentioned "There is no need to configure a second port." I meant there is no need to configure a second ISL.

[Oliver Haensel]

Hello Stephen,

let me show you what the terms mean:
SAN_CC_8773:admin> switchshow
switchName: SAN_CC_8773
switchType: 2.4
switchState: Online
switchMode: Native
switchRole: Principal
switchDomain: 2
switchId: fffc02
switchWwn: 10:00:00:60:69:10:54:e9
switchBeacon: OFF
Zoning: ON (Gesamt)
port 0: sw Online E-Port 10:00:00:60:69:10:72:69 "Escalation" (downstream

the other switch:
Escalation:admin> switchshow
switchName: Escalation
switchType: 2.4
switchState: Online
switchRole: Subordinate
switchDomain: 1
switchId: fffc01
switchWwn: 10:00:00:60:69:10:72:69
switchBeacon: OFF
port 0: sw Online E-Port 10:00:00:60:69:10:54:e9 "SAN_CC_8773" (upstream)

The switch with the lowest WWN is the principal switch in the SAN. This switch will be responsible for distributing the name server entries and zoning information within the SAN.

Hope that helps

-Oliver-