Downgrade Considerations - HP StoreFabric SN6500B Administrator's Manual

TABLE 84
Switch/blade model
FC8-32
FC8-32E
FC8-48
FC8-48E
FC8-64
FC16-32
FC16-48
FS8-18
FX8-24
NOTE
The distances in this table assume that QoS is enabled. If QoS is disabled the maximum supported
distances are higher, because QoS requires an additional 20 buffer credits per active port.
To get an estimated maximum equally distributed distance for n number of ports at a particular
speed X, divide the 1-port maximum distance of the switch at speed X by n. For example, for three
ports running at 2 Gbps on a Brocade 300 switch, the maximum equally distributed distance is
calculated as 486 / 3 = 164 km.

Downgrade considerations

When Fabric OS firmware is downgraded from version 7.1 to an earlier version, the effect depends
on whether the number of buffer credits for the long-distance port is configured with the -framesize
and -distance options or with the -buffers option.
When a port is configured with –framesize and –distance options
In Fabric OS v7.1, if you configure the port by using the -distance option alone, the reserved buffers
are calculated according to the distance. If you configure both the -framesize option and the
-distance option, more buffers will be reserved, depending on the frame size.
With a firmware downgrade, those ports that were configured with more reserved buffers will keep
the reserved buffers as long as the ports remain online. The next time the port is toggled, buffers
will again be reserved on the basis of distance only.
When a port is configured with the –buffers option
A firmware downgrade is blocked when a port is configured as a long-distance port by means of the
–buffers option. The following warning message is displayed:
Downgrade to selected version is not allowed because few ports are configured
with Longdistance -buffers option. Please remove the configuration using
portcfglongdistance <slot>/<port> L0
-distance option on the console.
Fabric OS Administrator's Guide
53-1002745-02
Configurable distances for Extended Fabrics (Continued)
Maximum distances (km) that can be configured (assuming a 2112-byte frame size)
2 Gbps
1294
5190
1230
4486
*** Extended Fabrics is not supported on this blade ***
5190
4486
1604
1062
Buffer credit management
4 Gbps 8 Gbps
647 323
2595 1297
615 307
2243 1121
2595 1297
2243 1121
802 401
531 265
CLI or change the configuration with
10 Gbps 16 Gbps
N/A N/A
1038 648
N/A N/A
897 560
1038 648
897 560
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
23
565