Configuring brocade switch for SAN zoning

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Configure brocade switch for SAN zoning

Simliar to Configuring Cisco MDS 9124 fiber switch for SAN configuring brocade switch for SAN can be done in following steps

1. Configure aliases for all WWNs connected to brocade switch
2. Create zones with all targets and one initiator per zone.
3. Create a configuration (similar to zoneset in case of Cisco) which includes all zones

Create alias for WWN

To create alias for WWN use:

alicreate "<alias-name>", "<wwn-number>"

For example, alicreate "server2_sw2_port0", "50:00:d3:10:05:01:02:03"

• 'alishow' can be used see defined aliases.
• 'alidelete' can be used to delete defined aliases.

Create zone using aliases

To create zone using aliases use:

zonecreate "<zone-name>", "<alias1>; <alias>; <alias3>; ... "

Example: zonecreate "server2_zone", "server2_sw2_port0; storage_port1; storage_port2; storage_port3"

• 'zoneshow' can be used to see defined zones.
• 'zonedelete' can be used to delete defined zones.

Create configuration using zones

To create configuration using zones use:

cfgcreate "<cfg-name>", "<zone1-name>; <zone2-name>; <zone3-name>; ..."

Example: cfgcreate "switch2", "server1_zone; server2_zone; server3_zone ..."

• 'cfgshow' can be used to see defined configurations.
• 'cfgdelete' can be used to delete defined configuration.

Save defined configuration

To save defined configuration use:

cfgsave

Enable configuration

To enable configuration (ie apply it on running switch) use:

cfgenable <cfg-name>

For example, cfgenable switch2

List WWN seen by switch

To list all WWN seen by switch use:

switchshow

See detailed port information

To see detailed information about port use:

portshow <port-number>

where <port-number> starts from 0. For example portshow 0.

Using NPIV with brocade switches

Virtualization hosts often support virtualization of FC HBAs so that LUNs can be mapped directly with VMs. In case of VMWare it is called Raw Device Mapping and leads to limitation on vMotion, Snapshots, Backup, etc. features. However, for Hyper-V by using two WWN's apparently even in case of RDM, the VM can be migrated from one host to another - Refer: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/hh831413(v=ws.11)

To use NPIV with brocade switches first validate whether NPIV is enabled at port level or not:

portcfgshow <port-number>

and validate NPIV Enabled is true / yes

Then to see NPIV WWN use command:

nsshow

The output would show physical initiator and NPIV initiator differently.

Refer:

• https://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35_25_npiv_config.pdf

Then zoning can be done for VM WWNs similar to the way it is done for physical host.

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