SAN Switch Migration without Downtime

[Lokman_csl]

Hello,

I am going to migrate existing SAN switches to the newly purchased model in the production environment 

where 3 units 3par are running and will replace by HPE Primera.

Need help to plan the steps.

Currently have 4 switches in two Fabrics with HPE SN6000B 16GB 48 Ports x2 and HPE SN3000B 16GB 24 x2

Newly purchased 4 Units of HPE SN6600B 32GB 48 Ports which will replace current switches keeping all zoning configuration.

Seeking your advice.

[Sheldon Smith · Accepted solution]

This is non-trivial. It will take more planning than what can be provided through these community forums.
However, for starters:

1. Check all your servers, verify their multipathing is working as expected. If any are not dual-fabric servers, you will need to allow for outages on those servers while updating their switch.
2. Note the current firmware on each of your switches.

SPOCK www.hpe.com/Storage/Spock/ has the latest HPE B-Series FC Switch/Connectivity Stream document showing recommended firmware versions. At first glance, a SN6000B or SN3000B should be aiming for 9.0.x.
Last time I did this (several years ago), a switch needed to update each minor version. For example, 8.0 > 8.1 > 8.2 ...  See the target HPE B-series firmware version's Release Notes for Migration Path. You may have to work backward to your current firmware version(s). The Release Notes also has a section "Fabric OS Compatibility" showing what firmware versions co-exist.

For further assistance, please contact your local Hewlett Packard Enterprises Pointnext Technology Services.

You will need your switch contract information to download the necessary firmware releases from Broadcom.

[Cali]

Hi,

I have done exactly this last week and may give you also some hints.

• Do not Update the 32GB Switches to 9.x until they are alone.
  Check the Release Notes, example: 7.4.x Firmware and 9.x are not compatible in the same fabric.
• Check the Firmware Patch on the old Switches, for example, 7.0 (I have on the Old Switches) is not compatible with 8.2.x (New Switches). In my case, we first need to Update the Old to 7.4.x.
• Next Issue (Once again), that someone uses not Supported Zoning Names on the Old Switches.
  The Old OS did not check if using unsupported Alias and Naming conventions, if you connect to the new one, they will not merge. Check the Naming against Brocade Naming conventions and rename if needed.
• Do not create any Zoning or Alias before the merge on the new Switches, it simplifies it.
• Check, if the Domain ID on all Switches is different, change the new ones if needed (I use the Last IP as Domain ID).
• Check, if all Zones are done by WWN and no Port Base Zone is there, change from PBZ to WWN if needed.

Then, you can add the new Switches to the Old, Zoning should merge, move all Ports to the new and finally remove the Old by sysshutdown.

Cali