Fabric Segmentation And Zoning; Security And Zoning; Resolving Zone Conflicts - HP A7533A - Brocade 4Gb SAN Switch Base Administrator's Manual

• Type mismatch: The name of a zone object in one fabric is used for a different type of zone object
in the other fabric.
• Content mismatch: The definition of a zone object in one fabric is different from the definition of
zone object with the same name in the other fabric.
• Zone Database Size: If the zone database size exceeds the maximum limit of another switch.
NOTE:
considered a mismatch, resulting in the switches being segmented from the fabric. For example:
cfg1 = z1; z2
same. If zoneset members on two switches have the same names defined in the configuration, make
sure zoneset members are listed in the same order.

Fabric segmentation and zoning

If the connections between two fabrics are no longer available, the fabric will segment into two separate
fabrics. Each new fabric will retain the same zone configuration.
If the connections between two fabrics are replaced and no changes have been made to the zone
configuration in either of the two fabrics, the two fabrics will merge back into one single fabric. If any
changes that cause a conflict have been made to either zone configuration, the fabrics might segment.

Security and zoning

Zones provide controlled access to fabric segments and establish barriers between operating
environments. They isolate systems with different uses, protecting individual systems in a heterogeneous
environment; for example, when zoning is in secure mode, no merge operations occur.
Brocade Advanced Zoning is configured on the primary Fabric Configuration Server (FCS). The primary
FCS switch makes zoning changes and other security-related changes. The primary FCS switch also
distributes zoning to all other switches in the secure fabric. All existing interfaces can be used to administer
zoning (depending on the policies; see the Secure HP StorageWorks Fabric OS 6.2.x administrator guide
for information about security policies).
You must perform zone management operations from the primary FCS switch using a zone management
interface, such as Telnet or Advanced Web Tools. You can alter a zoning database, provided you are
connected to the primary FCS switch.
When two secure fabrics join, the traditional zoning merge does not occur. Instead, a zoning database is
downloaded from the primary FCS switch of the merged secure fabric. When E_Ports are active between
two switches, the name of the FCS server and a zoning policy set version identifier are exchanged between
the switches. If the views of the two secure fabrics are the same, the fabric's primary FCS server downloads
the zoning database and security policy sets to each switch in the fabric. If there is a view conflict, the
E_Ports are segmented due to incompatible security data.
As part of zoning architecture, you must determine which of the two basic zoning architectures (hard or
soft) works best for your fabric. With time and planning, the basic hard zone configuration works for most
sites.

Resolving zone conflicts

Zone conflicts can be resolved by saving a configuration file, examining the zoning information in the file,
and performing a cut and paste operation so that the configuration information matches in the fabrics
being merged.
1. Examine the zoning information in the configuration files in both fabrics and ensure that the
configuration information matches in the fabrics being merged.
2. Clear the zone configurations on the incorrectly configured segmented fabric, as described in
"Clearing all zone
3. Enter the following commands on one of the ISL ports that connects the fabrics.
portdisable
portenable
If the zoneset members on two switches are not listed in the same order, the configuration is
is different from
cfg1 = z2; z1
configurations" on page 258.
even though members of the configuration are the
,
Fabric OS 6.2 administrator guide 263