User`s guide

178 Implementing an Open IBM SAN
3.1.2 Currently supported zoning methodologies
Zoning is one of the key functions provided by SAN switches or directors.
Basically it provides methods to limit possible communication between ports.
This can be used to subdivide a physical SAN into separated logical ones.
Zoning can be seen as an important security feature of SAN products.
Since the definitions of different zoning-methods are not commonly agreed or
adhered to within the SAN industry, we will refer to INRANGE’s zoning
terminology throughout this chapter. INRANGE offers two kinds of zoning:
򐂰 Hardware zoning
򐂰 Software zoning
Hardware zoning actually isolates ports from other ports within the same director.
Consequently hardware zones are never overlapping. Any communication
between hard zones is blocked. This is widely considered as the highest level of
security.
Soft zoning allows you to overlap ports. That means it is possible to place ports
into different zones.
Routing information is stored in a central name server table, which will be
accessed by initiators before actually starting their I/O.
Soft zones within INRANGE reference to specific physical ports of the director.
Soft zoning referencing to WWPN of attached nodes is planned to be made
available by firmware upgrades in the second half of 2001.
You will find more detailed information on these topics in 3.4.6, “Defining name
server zones” on page 252.
3.1.3 Management capabilities
FC/9000 fabrics can be managed using different communication methods:
򐂰 IN-VSN-Manager (IP based client/server management software
򐂰 Simple network management protocol (SNMP)
򐂰 Serial interface (RS232, dedicated for INRANGE/ IBM engineers)
򐂰 Call Home (modem connection for notification purposes)
򐂰 Trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) to load microcode IP-settings