direct fabric or private loop with fc8b?

[denis_2]

hello
I currently use two rp5400 connected to two fc8b brocade entry switch with one or two VA7100 connected. By default the VA7100 is configured with private loop configuration. What is the best configuration ?
-private loop
-fabric loop
-direct fabric attach

thanks

F.denis

[Vincent Farrugia]

Hello,

If you are using switches, then configure it to fabric loop.

HTH,
Vince

[denis_2]

can you explain your choice to fabric loop ?

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Hi Denis,
generally there're only 2 choices: loop and fabric. Loop is fibre-channel arbitrated loop (fc-al) and fabric is direct fabric attach (DFA).
In your configuration when you use switch(es) you should configure everything in fabric. Of course, you can have everything in loop (using, for example, quickloop mode) but it's not optimal.
Hosts are autosensing and when they see switch F-port behavior they automatically connect in fabric. If you'll force switch's port to be a quickloop port, then hosts will operate in private loop.
VA should be configured to work in fabric. By default, it's in private loop. Please use 'armmgr -y' to change VA port mode. But remember: this will change hardware paths to VA LUNs, and thus device files will change
Eugeny

[denis_2]

thanks. it's very simple to configure the VA7100 in direct fabric attach, but for the switch fc8b ?? is it autosensing ??

[Eugeny Brychkov]

You can force switch port to be a quickloop port (L/NL-port). But normally it's autosensing so simpy configure VA port and brocade will automatically configure fabric connection. Note that to configure quickloop you need QL license installed, but all HP sold brocade switches have this licence already installed
Eugeny