Brocade Communications Systems FCX Series Step-By-Step Manual
Configuring an iscsi storage area network using switches
Hide thumbs
Also See for FCX Series:
- Hardware installation manual (114 pages) ,
- Configuration manual (593 pages) ,
- Software update (128 pages)
Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel
Related Manuals for Brocade Communications Systems FCX Series
Summary of Contents for Brocade Communications Systems FCX Series
- Page 1 DATA CENTER Configuring an iSCSI Storage Area Network Using Brocade FCX Switches A step-by-step guide describing how to install and configure Brocade FCX Switches in an iSCSI Storage Area Network (SAN).
-
Page 2: Table Of Contents
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE ONTENTS Introduction ................................................ 3 Getting Ready ..............................................4 Installation ................................................4 Cabling Infrastructure ..............................4 Installation Location ..............................4 Rack Installation ................................5 Power Connection ................................7 Cabling .................................... 8 Connecting switches in a stack ..........................8 Cabling requirements for redundancy ......................... -
Page 3: Introduction
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE NTRODUCTION This document describes the steps for configuring the Brocade FCX switch in an iSCSI SAN environment. In this document, you will find recommendations and instructions for specific commands to optimize the switch for an iSCSI SAN network. Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) is an IP-based protocol that links data storage facilities by ensuring reliable data transfers over long distances. -
Page 4: Getting Ready
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE • Adequate Buffer Space per switch port. Switch buffer mechanism also has an impact on the performance of the switch. The Brocade FCX offers capabilities to optimize the buffers that will provide the best possible performance in iSCSI SAN. ETTING EADY Before you install and configure the Brocade FCX switch and create an iSCSI SAN, ensure you have the... -
Page 5: Rack Installation
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE The site should meet the following requirements: • Maintain temperatures within 0 to 40 C (32 to 104 F) and humidity levels within 5% to 95%, non- ο ο condensing. • Allow a minimum of 3 in. of space between the sides and the back of the device and walls or other obstructions for proper air flow. - Page 6 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE To mount a Brocade FCX in a rack: Ensure you have a #2 Phillips screwdriver handy for the installation. Remove the rack mount kit from the shipping carton. The kit contains two L-shaped mounting brackets and mounting screws.
-
Page 7: Power Connection
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Power Connection A secondary power supply provides backup power in case of a failure and for load-balancing when both power supplies are operational. Load-balancing gives the power supplies a longer life span. The Brocade FCX PSUs are hot-swappable. In addition, power for each PSU should be routed from two independent power sources to increase availability. -
Page 8: Cabling
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Cabling A separate, isolated network should be configured to handle iSCSI traffic for performance and reliability of the iSCSI SAN. Proper cabling is also necessary to provide redundancy in the iSCSI SAN environment. This section reviews required cabling practices. NOTE: If you only installed one switch, proceed to “Powering On the System”... - Page 9 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Figure 1. Connecting Brocade FCX-S switches in a ring topology stack Connecting Brocade FCX-E Switches NOTE: Brocade FCX 648-E switches must have a 4-port 10 Gbps SFP+ module (optional) installed to operate in a stack. A stack can contain up to eight Brocade FCX-E switches. To connect Brocade FCX-E switches in a stack: Plug one end of an LC-LC MM Fiber cable into one of the top unit’s SFP+ stacking ports.
-
Page 10: Cabling Requirements For Redundancy
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Cabling requirements for redundancy Most iSCSI storage arrays have two storage controllers, with two to four Ethernet ports per controller. At least two Ethernet ports should be cabled from each of the controllers for redundancy. Each controller is then connected to multiple switches in the iSCSI SAN. -
Page 11: Basic Switch Setup And Configuration
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE ASIC WITCH ETUP AND ONFIGURATION Powering On the System Once physical installation is complete, perform the following to power on the system: Remove the power cable from the shipping carton. Connect the AC power cable to the AC connector on the rear panel. Insert the power cable plug into a 115V or 120V outlet. -
Page 12: Using The Cli
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Launch the terminal emulation program and set the following session parameters: Baud: 9600 bps Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow control: None The EIA or TIA 232 serial communication port serves as a connection point for management by a PC or SNMP workstation. -
Page 13: Assigning Passwords
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE FCX648S Switch# erase startup-config FCX648S Switch# reload Enter ‘Yes’ to reload the switch Syntax: erase startup-config CAUTION: Use the erase startup-config command for new systems only. If you enter this command on a system you have already configured, the command erases the configuration. If you accidentally do erase the configuration on a configured system, enter the write memory command to save the running configuration to the startup-config file. -
Page 14: Attaching To The Lan
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Enter the following command to set the super user password: FCX648S Switch (config)# enable super-user-password <text> NOTE: All passwords can be up to 32 characters long. You must set the super user password before you can set other types of passwords. If you forget your super user password, refer to “Recovering from a lost password”... -
Page 15: Configuring The Stack
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Configuring the Stack NOTE: Skip this section if you are configuring an iSCSI SAN based on non-stacked switches. If you are configuring multiple Brocade FCX switches in a stack, ensure the devices are connected per the “Cabling”... -
Page 16: Configuring Dynamic Link Aggregation Between Switches
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE When the Active unit has finished the authentication process, you will see output that shows the suggested assigned stack IDs for each member. You can accept these recommendations, or you can manually configure stack IDs. Enter the show stack command to verify that all units are in the ready state. FCX648S Switch# show stack Syntax: show stack Here is a sample output after issuing the show stack command:... - Page 17 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE NOTE: If you plan to use the the 10 Gbps SFP+ front-facing ports on a Brocade FCX 648-E for link aggregation, you must first disable stacking on those ports. Use the show stack command to verify if stacking is enabled on those ports.
-
Page 18: Configuring The Switch For San
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE SCSI SAN ONFIGURING THE WITCH FOR EDICATED I Network Loop Prevention The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) eliminates Layer 2 loops in networks, by selectively blocking some ports and allowing other ports to forward traffic, based on configurable global (bridge) and local (port) parameters. - Page 19 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE defined by IEEE 802.3x to signal the sender (iSCSI initiator or target) to stop sending data for a brief period of time. During this time, the Brocade FCX switch quickly takes care of the congestion, allowing the iSCSI traffic to resume to full performance quickly.
-
Page 20: Jumbo Frames
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Figure 6. Enabling Flow Control in Windows Linux Ensure you have a compatible network interface card and appropriate driver. Reference your OS guide for more information or for assistance with specific commands to enable Rx and Tx flow control. Jumbo Frames Ethernet traffic moves in units called frames. - Page 21 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE To enable jumbo frames on the initiator, perform the steps in the following Windows or Linux section (as required): Windows Jumbo frames are supported by default in Windows Server 2008. Ensure you have a compatible network interface card and appropriate driver.
-
Page 22: Rate Limiting
DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE Rate Limiting iSCSI traffic can generate bursts of heavy traffic that can be mistaken as traffic storms. The Brocade FCX provides ability to limit these storms on the switch, but in dedicated iSCSI SANs, as being configured through this document, this feature should not be enabled. - Page 23 DATA CENTER CONFIGURATION GUIDE interface ethernet 1/1/22 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 1/1/23 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 1/2/3 link-aggregate active interface ethernet 1/2/4 link-aggregate active interface ethernet 2/1/5 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 2/1/6 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 2/1/15 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 2/1/16 flow-control neg-on interface ethernet 2/2/3 link-aggregate active...
- Page 24 Wingspan are registered trademarks, and Brocade Assurance, Brocade NET Health, Brocade One, Extraordinary Networks, MyBrocade, and VCS are trademarks of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., in the United States and/or in other countries. Other brands, products, or service names mentioned are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the FCX Series and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers