Very simple MDS Merge

[DavidSAnderson10]

I want to merge two MDS 9140's. One switch is new and has no zoning or vsan configuration. I want full zonset propagation.

Do I create the equivalent vsan on the new switch before the ISL connection and then enable zone set propagation?

Does the E-port need to be in the vsan to be propagated?

Any other help is appreaciated. Done this many times with Brocade but not with MDS.

Thanks in advance.

[tblancha]

This is the same as Brocade except that there is vsan concept. So, the zoneset that is active will do a zone merge to the new one for just that vsan. Other vsans will have their own zonesets. You have it correct. Just create the new vsan on the new MDS and then open up the two ports that will be the ISL ports.

[oerkan]

Hi David,

As default all the FC interfaces are in the VSAN 1, it means you have only one fabric on the MDS switch. So, if you will have only one VSAN in your topology, which is the VSAN 1, when you bring up the ISL, as defult active zoneset propagated automaticall. For the full zoneset propagation, you need to configure

switch(config)# zoneset distribute full vsan 1

Take a look at the following URL for the fullzoneset distribution :

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/sn5000/mds9000/2_0/cliguide/part_4/zone.htm#wp1128840

If you have multiple VSANs ( fabrics ), you need to configure EISL between the switches to propagate the VSANs. Lets say you have VSAN 3 on the SW1, then you need to configure VSAN 3 on the other switch, SW2, to make the connectivity between the switches for the VSAN3.

You may want to check out the following URLs for the VSANs :

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/sn5000/mds9000/2_0/cliguide/part_4/vsan.htm

Cheers,

Hakan.

[DavidSAnderson10]

Should the E-port be assigned to vsan 1 or one of the other vsans that may exist?

Is there an advantage to using two ISL's per swtich for fault tolerance only as you would get in Brocade?

Regards,

David

[mrfrase]

E-Ports would be assigned to proper VSAN at the interface level. TE-ports are controled or assigned to VSAN's with trunking configuration, by default all VSAN's are allowed on a TE ISL. For High avalibility which is done in most designs, you can add up to 16 TE ports between MDS switches, with more then 1 TE ISL you can then use Port Channels. See config guides about Port Channel usage.