Creating Device Aliases; Device Alias Modes - Cisco AP775A - Nexus Converged Network Switch 5010 Configuration Manual

Distributing Device Alias Services
• Effective database—The database currently used by the fabric.
• Pending database—Your subsequent device alias configuration changes are stored in the pending database.
If you modify the device alias configuration, you need to commit or discard the changes as the fabric remains
locked during this period.
Device alias database changes are validated with the applications. If any of the applications cannot accept the
device alias database changes, then those changes are rejected; this applies to device alias database changes
resulting from either a commit or merge operation.

Creating Device Aliases

To a create a device alias in the pending database, perform this task:
Procedure
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Example of Creating a Device Alias
To display the device alias configuration, use the show device-alias name command:
switch# show device-alias name x
device-alias name x pwwn 21:01:00:e0:8b:2e:80:93

Device Alias Modes

You can specify that aliases operate in basic or enhanced modes.
When operating in basic mode, which is the default mode, the device alias is immediately expanded to a
pWWN. In basic mode, when device aliases are changed to point to a new HBA, for example, that change is
not reflected in the zone server. Users must remove the previous HBA's pWWN, add the new HBA's pWWN,
and then reactivate the zoneset.
When operating in enhanced mode, applications accept a device alias name in its "native" format. Instead of
expanding the device alias to a pWWN, the device alias name is stored in the configuration and distributed
in its native device alias format. So applications such as zone server, PSM or DPVM can automatically keep
OL-16597-01
Command or Action
switch# configuration terminal
switch(config)# device-alias database
switch(config-device-alias-db)# device-alias
name device-name pwwn pwwn-id
switch(config-device-alias-db)# no
device-alias name device-name
switch(config-device-alias-db)# device-alias
rename old-device-name new-device-name
Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch CLI Software Configuration Guide
Creating Device Aliases
Purpose
Enters configuration mode.
Enters the pending database configuration
submode.
Specifies a device name for the device that is
identified by its pWWN. Starts writing to the
pending database and simultaneously locks the
fabric as this is the first-issued device alias
configuration command.
Removes the device name for the device that is
identified by its pWWN.
Renames an existing device alias with a new name.
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