Core Switch Addressing Mode - HP StorageWorks 4000/6000/8000 - Enterprise Virtual Arrays Reference Manual

Core switch addressing mode

B-series Fibre Channel switches using firmware 4.1 (or later) and all MP Router models are shipped
with the Core switch PID parameter bit set to 1. Legacy switches using firmware 4.0 or 3.1 (or earlier)
were shipped with this bit set to 0, which limited the number of switches in a fabric and the number
of ports on a switch. HP recommends that you set the Core switch PID parameter bit to 1 in all B-series
fabrics. Use the configure command to modify the Core switch PID setting.
NOTE:
Beginning with Fabric OS 6. x , the only supported PID format is core pid (1). See the HP StorageWorks
Fabric OS Administrator Guide for details.
If you change the Core switch addressing mode for a fabric, consider the following:
If a B-series Fibre Channel fabric contains a Core Switch 2/64, SAN Director 2/128, SAN
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Director 4/256, SAN Switch 2/32, or SAN Switch 4/8, 4/16, 4/32B, 4/32, or 4/64, you
must set the Core switch PID parameter bit for all other switches in the fabric.
All switches in the fabric must have the same Core switch PID parameter bit setting; otherwise, the
fabric will segment.
For multi-fabric SANs, you can change the Core switch PID parameter bit setting on one fabric at
a time, allowing SAN operations to continue without interruption.
The MP Router supports using different Core PID formats on different fabrics and routing frames
between them.
HP-UX and IBM AIX systems use the address bits to identify logical units. Therefore, if you change
the Core switch PID setting, you must also change the logical unit definitions. After making these
changes, you must reboot all servers in the SAN.
If you add switches (other than the switches that require the Core switch PID settings) to a fabric
in which the Core switch PID parameter bit is cleared, you must clear this bit on the new switches.
For more information about Core switch addressing mode, see the HP SAN Infrastructure website:
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/storage/saninfrastructure.html
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