HP 4400 Release Note page 27

With Fabric OS 6.1.2x and 6.2.0d and later, the default reverted to the IDLE
implementation. The new portCfgFillWord command was also implemented beginning
with these versions, and enables the user to configure the ARB(FF) configuration.
◦ Existing product
For products in the field, this change has no effect on current configurations. The mode
is currently 0, and during a firmware upgrade, the mode will remain 0 and no devices
will be impacted. If a new device is added to the configuration, and it requires the ARB
sequence, the ports can be configured at that time.
Loading Fabric OS 6.1.2x or later does not automatically change the mode (with the
exception of 6.2.0a and 6.2.0b, as noted above). In current configurations, the mode
must be changed manually. This does not affect 1-Gb, 2-Gb, or 4-Gb devices. The mode
1 setting has no effect on these devices; it affects only devices that negotiate or are fixed
at 8-Gb speeds.
Changing the mode after Fabric OS 6.1.2x has been installed
◦
If you change the mode after installing Fabric OS 6.1.2x or later, with the exception as
noted above for 6.2.0a and 6.2.0b, the portCfgFillWord command changes the
configuration parameter in accordance with the selected mode, and automatically
disables/enables the port for which the command was invoked. Subsequent Link
Initializations will default to the new mode setting).
Other scenarios
◦
The portCfgFillWord command has no effect on 1-Gb, 2-Gb, or 4-Gb devices, but
the mode is persistent. If a device attempts to negotiate or is fixed at 8 Gb, the configured
mode will take effect. The persistent configuration is on a port-by-port basis; that is, if an
8-Gb device is connected to a 2-Gb or 4-Gb SFP, and that SFP is replaced with an 8-Gb
SFP, then the current behavior of the mode is activated.
◦ The following table provides a portcfgfillword summary:
Fabric OS version
Any Fabric OS earlier
than 6.1.2
Fabric OS 6.2.0x
earlier than 6.2.0c
Fabric OS 6.1.2x and
6.2.0c and later
Note: HP does not
support Fabric OS
6.1.2c or 6.2.0c.
All 8-Gb switches except 8-Gb SAN
Switch for HP BladeSystem c-Class
All ports set to IDLE.
No ARB(FF) capability.
ARB(FF) set by default on all ports and
cannot be changed.
Added the ability to change
portcfgfillword to IDLE or ARB(FF)
mode
8-Gb SAN Switch for HP BladeSystem
c-Class
All ports set to IDLE.
No ARB(FF) capability.
Note: Fabric OS 6.1.2x is not supported
on this switch.
All ports (internal and external) default
to ARB(FF) mode and cannot be
changed.
Added the ability to change
portcfgfillword to IDLE or ARB(FF)
mode
Note: Fabric OS 6.1.2x is not supported
on this switch.
Other important notes and recommendations 27