Users Guide

SmartFabric Services
SmartFabric Services is a capability of Dell EMC Networking OS10 Enterprise Edition running on Ethernet switches that are
designed for the PowerEdge MX platform.
A SmartFabric is a logical entity containing a collection of physical resources such as servers and switches and logical resources
—networks, templates, and uplinks. In the SmartFabric Services mode, the switches operate as a simple Layer 2 input output
aggregation device, which enables complete interoperability with network equipment vendors.
A SmartFabric provides:
● Data center Modernization
○ I/O Aggregation
○ Plug-and-play fabric deployment
○ A single interface to manage all switches in the fabric like a single logical switch
● Lifecycle Management
○ Fabric-wide firmware upgrade scheduling
○ Automated or user enforced rollback to last well-known state
● Fabric Automation
○ Ensured compliance with selected physical topology
○ Policy-based Quality of Service (QoS) based on VLAN and Priority assignments
○ Automatic detection of fabric misconfigurations and link level failure conditions
○ Automated healing of the fabric on failure condition removal
● Failure Remediation
○ Dynamically adjusts bandwidth across all inter-switch links if a link fails
Unlike Full Switch mode, most fabric configuration settings are performed using the OME-Modular.
For information about automated QoS, see SmartFabric VLAN management and automated QoS
Changing operating modes
In both Full Switch and Fabric modes, all configuration changes you make using the OME–Modular interface are retained when
you switch modes. It is recommended that you use the GUI for all switch configurations in Fabric mode and the OS10 CLI for
configuring switches in Full Switch mode.
To switch an MX9116n Fabric Switching Engine or MX5108n Ethernet Switch between Full Switch and Fabric modes, use the
OME–Modular GUI and create a fabric with that switch. When that switch is added to the fabric, it automatically changes to
Fabric mode. When you change from Full Switch to Fabric mode, all Full Switch CLI configuration changes are deleted except
for a subset of settings that are supported in Fabric mode.
To change a switch from Fabric to Full Switch mode, the fabric must be deleted. Then all Fabric GUI configuration settings are
deleted. However, the configurations that are supported by the subset of Fabric CLI commands (hostname, SNMP settings, and
so on) and the changes you make to port interfaces, MTU, speed, and auto-negotiation mode, are not deleted. The changes to
port interfaces exclude the administrator state—shutdown/no shutdown.
During switch replacement of a fabric:
● If the fabric name and fabric description string contain the service tag of the old switch, the service tag is replaced with the
service tag of the new switch during node replacement.
● If the switch being replaced has the VLT-MAC of the fabric, then VLT port-channel flaps are expected or unavoidable during
switch replacement. This is because the VLT-MAC must be changed to one of the switches available in the fabric.
Topics:
• Guidelines for operating in SmartFabric mode
• SmartFabric network topologies
• Switch to switch cabling
• Upstream network switch requirements
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