Seed Switch Failover - Brocade Communications Systems Brocade 8/12c User Manual

3
SAN Seed switch

Seed switch failover

The Management application collects fabric-wide data (such as, fabric membership, connectivity,
name server information, zoning, and so on) using the seed switch. Therefore when a seed switch
becomes unreachable or there is no valid seed switch, the fabric becomes unmanageable.
When the seed switch cannot be reached for three consecutive fabric refresh cycles, the
Management application looks for another valid seed switch in the fabric, verifies that it can be
reached, and has valid credentials. If the seed switch meets this criteria, the Management
application automatically fails over to the recommended seed switch.
Note that it is possible that auto-failover may occur to a seed switch not running the latest firmware
version. In this instance, any functionality which has a direct dependency on the firmware version
of the seed switch is affected and restricted by the failover seed switch capabilities.
Seed switch failover to a M-EOS switch is supported in a Mixed fabric with following restrictions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
64
In Interop Mode 2 Fabrics, Defined Zone information is lost and the Management application
cannot push the defined zone configuration to the switch because the M-EOS device is a seed
switch.
Dynamic updates do not occur when an end device is connected or removed from Fabric OS
switch. Updates only occur during the asset polling cycle. The asset polling cycle defaults are
baed on SAN size (Small – 2 minutes, Medium – 15 minutes, Large – 30 minutes).
If the firmware version is M-EOS 9.9.2 or later, discovery obtains all fabric member information
for all fabric members. Fabric member information includes Domain ID, WWN, IP address (IPv4
and IPv6), Firmware Version, Model, and Vendor Name. The following M-EOS devices are both
seed switch-capable and allow fabric member information collection:
•
32-Port, 4 Gbps Switch
•
16-Port, 4 Gbps Switch
•
140-Port Director
•
256-Port Director
The following M-EOS devices are seed switch-capable; however, they do not obtain fabric
member information:
•
16-Port, 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps Switch
•
32-Port, 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps Switch
•
24-Port, 2 Gbps Switch
•
64-Port Director
Updates to Fabric OS switches (such as, Virtual Fabrics, FCR, Admin Domain, Switch Name and
so on) do not occur.
If the M-EOS switch is not seed switch capable and a switch joins the fabric, the IP address
displays as '0.0.0.0'. You must manually edit the IP Address from the Discover Fabrics dialog
box to manage the switch.
Updates to firmware version and IP address of existing members do not occur.
After failover to M-EOS switch occurs, if the Fabric OS switch becomes reachable again the
Management application does not failover automatically to the Fabric OS switch. The seed
switch status updates to "Current Seed switch is not recommended" in Discover Fabrics dialog
box. You must manually change the seed switch to the Fabric OS switch using the Change Seed
Switch dialog box. For more information, refer to "Changing the seed switch"
Brocade Network Advisor SAN User Manual
on page 65.
53-1002167-01