Difference's between CLI & Fabric Manager

user_4444 · ‎03-22-2007

Just want to know what operations can be carried out in FM that can't be done via the CLI and vice-versa?

Thanks.

inch · ‎03-22-2007

Hi, There will be no operations that cannot be done via the CLI.

There will be some debug and advanced services tasks related to the SVC and perhaps the SSM that cannot be done via the GUI.

Cheers

skurganov · ‎03-22-2007

Worth to add that FM/DM and CLI are pretty much interchangeable for managing single switch, however FM is quite useful when you need to run or check something over multiple switches. Even such operations as SAN OS upgrade can be run over several devices at once.

Also having visual representation of fabric topology is a quite useful especially in big fabrics.

colin.mcnamara · ‎03-22-2007

I find in practice that I end up using both to compliment each other.

If I am troubleshooting, I tend to go to the CLI. It is easy to get lots of good information that way.

But if I am doing something like Zoning creating alisases, i go straight to fabric manager.

stephen2615 · ‎03-23-2007

One thing that I had no luck with was user admin/RBAC with the Fabric Manager (FM). Perhaps I am just stupid but I found using the CLI much more productive. It obviously had something to do with SNMP v3 security and FM drove me crazy so I gave up using it. I changed passwords using FM and immediately locked myself out.

One the other hand, I found Port Channel admin much easier using FM.

FM is great for overall views especially when I inadvertently added new storage that was in loop mode (not point to point). It took me some time to figure out what the little circle was but after that, I knew exactly what was getting added to the Fabric.

So there are endless reasons to use either of the two management systems. Its up to the individual to use the system they prefer.

Stephen