Is it possible to perform zoning on SAN switches before the initiator is plugged in?

[white221g]

I have worked with Brocade and Mcdata SAN Switches and there is no way to zone an initiator (server) "before" it is plugged in to the switch because, there is no facility to type the wwn of the HBA. The only option is to select the WWN that is populated in the list.
Is there is a way in other brand switches or in future switches to perform zoning by manually typing the wwn before the server is plugged in, so that we dont have to wait for the server to get plugged it. As soon as it is plugged in, it is ready to go.
- Thanks

[IBaltay]

Hi,
if you use port zoning, it can be done in any time in advance... (before the host HBA plugged into the san switch. You need only to keep the appropriate host to port maping...

[white221g]

Thanks, IBaltay for your response.
We do not use hard zoning (port zoning). We use soft zoning (wwn zoning). Is it possbible on other switches to zone before the server is plugged in when using soft zoning?

[IBaltay]

unfortunately not, because the wwn is "active part/content" of the zone itself, so when you dont have it, you cannot define the zone...

[Uwe Zessin]

If you know the WWN, you can enter it via command line in advance on Brocade switches. On the other hand, if you do it in advance there is always a risk that you mistype and spend some time with fault diagnostic.

> We do not use hard zoning (port zoning).
> We use soft zoning (wwn zoning).

Modern switches can program their ASICs to do hard zoning (frames are blocked), even when you use WWN zoning as long as the port table has enough entries.

[Rob Leadbeater]

Hi,

As Uwe says, on Brocade switches, you can configure your zones in advance, but only via the CLI, not the Web GUI.

I've done this a couple of times in the past without any issues. If you use aliases for each initiator it makes life easier.

You can also create your zones without having to know the real WWNs... for example:

switch> aliCreate "server1", "10:00:00:00:00:00:00:01"

When the real "server1" gets hooked up to the SAN, you can add the real WWN into the alias with aliAdd, then get rid of the dummy WWN with aliRemove.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

Rob

[DJK_1]

You do have the ability to through Fabric Manager when selecting Insert on Alias/Zones. However, you need the WWN when defining the zone itself.

[Bill Rothanburg]

In the CLI, you would have to enter the WWN and it is not required to be logged in.

On the B-Series switches (I don't have an M-Series), the Zoning gui interface (WebTools) has an "Add Other" button which will allow you to enter any WWN you need.

[J Peak]

Cisco MDS director series switches also let you enter in a WWN for soft zoning before plugging in a device.

You can do this from either the GUI or from the command line. We're using 3.2(2c) on our switches and these options are available.

[Thomas Callahan]

On the B-series Brocade's you can definitely "pre-zone" with soft zoning.

In the GUI, there is an "add other" button you can use to enter in the WWID.

On CLI, just use aliCreate "name" "WWID", and then create the zone's with those aliases.