Zoning User's Guide (Version 3.0)

4-2 Zoning User’s Guide
Zoning and Partnering with QuickLoops
4
In QuickLoop zoning, devices within a QuickLoop can be partitioned off within that QuickLoop to
form QuickLoop zones; in other words, a QuickLoop Zone is a subset of a QuickLoop and can
include only QuickLoop devices.
QuickLoop Zoning Advantages
In addition to the advantages of fabric zoning - security, customization of environments, and
optimization of IT resources - QuickLoop zoning can protect devices from disruption by unrelated
devices during a critical process, for example, during a tape backup session.
In a QuickLoop with zoning enabled, transmission of the loop initialization primitive (LIP) signal
and loop initialization are controlled by the switch; the LIP is transmitted only to looplets within
the affected zone; other looplets on the QuickLoop are not affected. In this way, unwanted
disruption to devices can be controlled.
QuickLoop Zones
QuickLoop zones are hardware enforced; switch hardware prevents unauthorized data transfer
between ports within the zone allowing devices to be partitioned into zones to restrict system
access to selected devices. Once devices are included in a zone, they are visible only to other
devices within that zone, as shown in Figure 4-2.
Figure 4-2 Zoning and QuickLoop
K
-
c
l
a
s
s
1
1
.
0
A
6
6
8
5
A
1
G
b
/
s
K-class
11.0
Q
L
Z
o
n
e
2
F
a
b
r
i
c
Z
o
n
e
1
Q
L
Z
o
n
e
3
A
3
4
0
4
A
1
G
b
/
s
A
5
1
5
8
A
1
G
b
/
s
H
P
-
U
X
1
1
.
0
Switch QL Partner A
FC10
FC10 FC10
Q
L
Z
o
n
e
2
Q
L
Z
o
n
e
2
QL Zone 3
E Port E Port
E Port
E Port
VA7400
F
a
b
r
i
c
t
o
p
o
l
o
g
y
Z
o
n
e
1
Switch QL Partner B
E Port
E Port E Port E Port
Core switch