FC Switch migrations

[CadenLange]

Hi All

I hope someone may be able to help with the following question. We have a customer who have a single site with some aging Brocade FC switches. The site has 4 x FC switches forming two fabrics, with each fabric consisting of 1 x Brocade 5300 and 1 x 6500. All firmware versions are 7.4.2c

We now plan to replace the two 5300 switches for 2 x HPE B series SN6600B

Our plan was to extend the current fabrics to include the new 6600 switches, so each fabric would initially consist of 3 x switches (1 x 5300, 1 x 6500 and 1 x 6600) to then allow us to move the cables across one path at a time from the 5300 to the 6600 switch. WWN zoning is in use throughout.

Once all the devices are on the 6600s then we would decommission the 5300  switch.

Do it this way allows the migration of devices to take place slowly instead of a ‘big bang’ approach.

Do you see any issues with this approach?

I had a thought that the 6600s may be shipped with FOS 9.x and as the FOS on the existing fabric is 7.4.x then it would not allow the fabric’s to merge? I would first need to upgrade the existing fabrics to FOS 8.x before adding the new 6600s?

But I then wasn’t sure if the 5300’s are support on 8.x? – If that is the case, would it be feasible to ‘downgrade’ the 6600’s to 8.x and then connect these to the fabric, complete the migration, decommission the 5300s before upgrading the 6500s back to 8.x - to match the 6600 (I don't think the 6500 can go to 9.x)

Hope that makes sense and any thoughts you have on the above or alternative approaches would  be much appreciated.

C

[Yeskay]

Hi,

Migration ideally needs to be worked with HPE consulting team for proper planning and migration by assessing the environment with minimal or no disruption.

Let me try to answer the queries raised. Your plan of extending existing fabric by connecting new switch allows existing zone configurations to migrate to the new switch. However, you may have compatibility issues. As mentioned by you, new switch may be coming with FOS 9.x. Brocade interoperability matrix from FOS 8.2.1e or later does not show B5300 switch in the list as 5300 switches were already crossed End of support life. SN6500B switches are compatible with SN6600B switches. After you find the FOS version of new switch, check the corresponding release notes of the FOS version, refer "Fabric OS Interoperability" section and make sure that the FOS on SN6500B is interoperable with the FOS version on SN6600B.

Regarding FOS, you can upgrade FOS on SN6500B switches to 8.2.3b and FOS 8.2.3b on SN6500B is compatible with latest FOS 9.1.0b on SN6600B as per the FOS release notes.

FOS downgrade from 9.x to 8.2.x is not supported on SN6600B if the switch type is 183. As mentioned earlier, even if the switch type allows you to downgrade to 8.2.x, B5300 is not interoperable with any active FOS of 8.2.x. Also B5300 cannot be upgraded to 8.x as it supports till FOS 7.4.x only.

I think it is better to disconnect/decommission B5300 switch before connecting the fabric to new SN6600B switch. Your zoning configuration is still available in SN6500B switch even though you removed B5300 and that will be copied to new switch once you connect the new switch to SN6600B.

[jlangmead]

Have you look at version 8.1.2d as a downgrade option?

[CadenLange]

@Yeskay 

Hello Yeskay

Thanks for the reply and detailed response that was very useful

I've since checked the FOS release notes and can see what you're saying. Whereas disconnecting the 5300s prior to connecting the SN6600's would be a workaround it's likely to need an extended maintenance window as I'm not sure the business would be comfortable to running the devices attached to the 5300 being detached on just a single path whilst the first fabric is being reconfigured. But that's something I can discuss internally.

@jlangmead I've checked the release notes for 8.1.2d and, as you suggest, perhaps have found a suitable version here. This FOS version can interoperate with 5300s running 7.4.2c and is also supported on G620 hardware. I believe I can downgrade the SN6600Bs to 8.2.1d and then merge this with the 5300s - do you agree??

I understand that the SN6600Bs would need to be of switch type 162 to allow a downgrade - Do you know under which circumstances a 183 switch type would be shipped over a 162? Or is it just the luck of the draw and I won't know until I open the box and power it up??

many thanks

[Yeskay]

Hi,

Older FOS versions like 8.1.2d may be compatible with 5300 switch.  However, this FOS is already inactive and inactive FOS version are not available from Brocade for download anymore.  Only active FOS versions are available for download if the switch is under warranty/contract. You can find the active FOS versions by visiting latest HPE SPOCK documentation(  https://h20272.www2.hpe.com/spock/utility/document.aspx?docurl=Shared%20Documents/hw/switches/B-Series_FC_Switch_Connectivity_Stream.pdf ).  

[CadenLange]

@Yeskay 

Hi Yeskay

Thanks for the link - that's a useful document.

I'll probably look at deploying the new SN6600Bs (having first downgraded to 8.2.3b) in the manner you're suggesting, by first 'disconnecting' the 5300's.

Is it sufficient to just power down the 5300 before I connect the SN6600Bs?

The devices using the powered down 5300 switch will failover to the other fabric whilst I'm then attaching the 6600 - once the zoning has propogated down from the 6520 I can start to recable from the (powered off) 5300 onto the 6600 and the paths should start coming back online.

Assuming all is ok, I remove the ISLs from the 6520 to the (now powered off) 5300 and that fabric is complete. I then repeat on the other fabric.

Thanks in advance

[Yeskay]

Hi,

As mentioned earlier, you may not need to downgrade FOS on SN6600B if you are removing B5300 from fabric. Once B5300 is removed, the fabric has only SN6500B which is interoparable with SN6600B.  Just need to upgrade the FOS on SN6500B to latest version 8.2.3b if the current FOS on SN6500B is older.

First disable ISLs between SN6500B and B5300 and then perform switchdisable on B5300 and then power down B5300. Then connect SN6500B to SN6600B. After the zoning propogation is completed from SN6500B to SN6600B, remove the devices connected in powered off 5300B and plug those end devices to 6500B or SN6600B switches.

[Cali]

Check first this:

On Gen 7 platforms, firmware downgrades from FOS v9.0.1x are not allowed when 64G optics are installed.
On a Brocade G610 firmware downgrades from FOS 9.0.1x to FOS 8.2.0x or earlier versions are not allowed.
On a Brocade G610 with switchType as 170.4 or higher, the minimum required FOS version is FOS v9.0.1b. Firmware downgrades to earlier versions are not allowed.
On a Brocade G620 with switchType as 183 or a Brocade G630 with switchType as 184, the minimum required FOS version is FOS v9.0.0.
Firmware downgrades to FOS v8.2.x or earlier versions are not allowed.

All new 32G Switches I received last Month are too new for a downgrade.

Cali