Brocade Fabric OS Administrator's Guide Supporting Fabric OS v6.3.0 (53-1001336-02, November 2009)

254 Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide
53-1001336-02
Zone merging scenarios
11
You must perform zone management operations from the primary FCS switch using a zone
management interface, such as Telnet or Advanced Web Tools. You can alter a zoning database,
provided you are connected to the primary FCS switch.
When two secure fabrics join, the traditional zoning merge does not occur. Instead, a zoning
database is downloaded from the primary FCS switch of the merged secure fabric. When E_Ports
are active between two switches, the name of the FCS server and a zoning policy set version
identifier are exchanged between the switches. If the views of the two secure fabrics are the same,
the fabric’s primary FCS server downloads the zoning database and security policy sets to each
switch in the fabric. If there is a view conflict, the E_Ports are segmented due to incompatible
security data.
As part of zoning architecture, you must determine which of the two basic zoning architectures
(hard or soft) works best for your fabric. With time and planning, the basic hard zone configuration
works for most sites.
Zone merging scenarios
Table 49 provides information on merging zones and the expected results.
TABLE 49 Zone merging scenarios
Description Switch A Switch B Expected results
Switch A has a defined configuration.
Switch B does not have a defined
configuration.
defined:
cfg1:
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
defined: none
effective: none
Configuration from Switch A to
propagate throughout the fabric in an
inactive state, because the
configuration is not enabled.
Switch A has a defined and enabled
configuration.
Switch B has a defined configuration
but no effective configuration.
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: cfg1:
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
Configuration from Switch A to
propagate throughout the fabric. The
configuration is enabled after the
merge in the fabric.
Switch A and Switch B have the same
defined configuration. Neither have an
enabled configuration.
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
No change (clean merge).
Switch A and Switch B have the same
defined and enabled configuration.
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: cfg1:
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: cfg1:
No change (clean merge).
Switch A does not have a defined
configuration.
Switch B has a defined configuration.
defined: none
effective: none
defined:cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
Switch A will absorb the configuration
from the fabric.
Switch A does not have a defined
configuration.
Switch B has a defined configuration.
defined: none
effective: none
defined:cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: cfg1
Switch A will absorb the configuration
from the fabric, with cfg1 as the
effective configuration.
Switch A and Switch B have the same
defined configuration. Only Switch B
has an enabled configuration.
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: none
defined: cfg1
zone1: ali1; ali2
effective: cfg1
Clean merge, with cfg1 as the
effective configuration.