ISL TRUNKING
Preface
When you allow two Cisco MDS switches to merge zone information
after each already has zoning information, and an Extended Inter-Switch
Link Protocol (EISL) link is configured between them.
ISL Trunking between 2 Cisco mds Switches |
Requirements
Cisco recommends that you have knowledge of these topics:
Zoning configuration on the Cisco MDS 9000 series switches
Cabling and configuration of an (E)ISL trunk between Cisco MDS
9000 switches
Best Practices
When a zone merge occurs, as long as there is not competing
information, each switch learns the others zones. Each switch then has three
configuration entities. The switches have:
The saved configuration in NVRAM
This is the configuration as it
was the last time the copy running-configuration startup-configuration command
was issued.
The running configuration
This represents the configuration
brought into memory upon the last time the MDS was brought up, plus any changes
that have been made to the configuration. With reference to the zoning information,
the running configuration represents the configurable database, known as the
full database.
The configured zoning information from the running configuration
plus the zoning information learned from the zone merge. This combination of
configured and learned zone information is the active zoneset.
When an MDS is booted, it comes up with the configuration
previously saved in NVRAM. If you configured the switch after configuration was
loaded from NVRAM, there is a difference between the bootup and running
configuration until the running configuration is saved to the startup
configuration.
This can be likened to having a file on the local hard drive of
your PC. The file is saved and static, but if you open the file and edit, there
exists a difference between the changed file and the file that still exists on
saved storage. Only when you save the changes, does the saved entity represent
the changes made to the file.
Example
You have two standalone MDS switches, already in place and each with
their own configured zone and zoneset information. Switch A has an
active zoneset known as zoneset 1, and Switch B has an active
zoneset known as zoneset 2. Within zoneset 1 on Switch 1 is zone
A, and on Switch B, zoneset 2 has member zone B.
When an ISL link is created between these two switches, each sends
their zoneset which includes their zone information to the other switch. On a
merge, the switch selects the zoneset name with the higher ASCII value and then
merges their zone member. After the merge, both switches have a zoneset name zoneset
2 with zone member zone 1 and zone 2.
Create zone and zoneset. Activate on Switch A.
Create zone and zoneset. Activate on Switch A.
SwitchA# config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
SwitchA (config)# vsan database
SwitchA (config-vsan-db)# vsan 100
SwitchA (config-vsan-db)# exit
SwitchA (config)# zone name zoneA vsan 100
SwitchA (config-zone)# member pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
SwitchA (config-zone)# member pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
SwitchA (config-zone)# exit
SwitchA (config)# zoneset name zoneset1 vsan 100
SwitchA (config-zoneset)# member zoneA
SwitchA (config-zoneset)# exit
SwitchA (config)# zoneset activate name zoneset1 vsan 100
Zoneset activation initiated. Check the zone status
SwitchA (config)# exit
SwitchA# sh zoneset active vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset1 vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:12b
SwitchA#
Create zone and zoneset. Activate on Switch B.
SwitchB# config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with
CNTL/Z.
SwitchB (config)# vsan database
SwitchB (config-vsan-db)# vsan 100
SwitchB (config-vsan-db)# exit
SwitchB (config)# zone name zoneB vsan 100
SwitchB (config-zone)# member pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
SwitchB (config-zone)# member pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
SwitchB (config-zone)# exit
SwitchB (config)# zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
SwitchB (config-zoneset)# member zoneB
SwitchB (config-zoneset)# exit
SwitchB (config)# zoneset activate name zoneset2 vsan 100
Zoneset activation initiated. Check the zone status
SwitchB (config)# exit
SwitchB# sh zoneset active vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:22
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
SwitchB#
Now, bring up an ISL link between the switches and allow
the zoning information to merge.
Bring ISL link up and verify zone merge on Switch A.
SwitchA# config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with
CNTL/Z.
SwitchA (config)# int fc1/5
SwitchA (config-if)# no shut
SwitchA (config-if)# exit
SwitchA (config)# exit
Note: Make sure VSAN 100 is allowed on ISL.
SwitchA# sh zoneset active vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
SwitchA# sh zoneset vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset1 vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
Bring ISL link up and verify zone merge on Switch B.
SwitchB# config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with
CNTL/Z.
SwitchB (config-if)# no shut
SwitchB (config-if)# exit
SwitchB (config)# exit
SwitchB# sh zoneset active vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
SwitchB# sh zoneset vsan 100
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
Notice that after the zone merges, the active zoneset name is
zoneset2 on both switches. A = 65 and B = 66 in decimal. For more information
about the ASCII table, refer to ASCII Table and
Description.
Note: The zone copy command deletes
all fcalias configuration.
Running Configuration of Switch A
Before the zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan 100 command
is issued:
SwitchA# sh run | b "Active Zone Database Section for
vsan 100"
!Active Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn
11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn
22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneA
member zoneB
zoneset activate name zoneset2 vsan 100
do clear zone database vsan 100
!Full Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn
11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zoneset name zoneset1 vsan 100
member zoneA
After the zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan
100 command is issued:
SwitchA# zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan 100
WARNING: This command may overwrite common zones in the full
zoneset. Do you want to continue? (y/n) [n] y
SwitchA# sh run | b "Active Zone Database Section for
vsan 100"
!Active Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneA
member zoneB
zoneset activate name zoneset2 vsan 100
do clear zone database vsan 100
!Full Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zoneset name zoneset1 vsan 100
member zoneA
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneA
member zoneB
Running Configuration of Switch2
Before the zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan
100 command is entered:
SwitchB# sh run | b "Active Zone Database Section for
vsan 100"
!Active Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneB
member zoneA
zoneset activate name zoneset2 vsan 100
do clear zone database vsan 100
!Full Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneB
After the zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan
100 command is entered:
SwitchB# zone copy active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan 100
WARNING: This command may overwrite common zones in the full
zoneset. Do you want to continue? (y/n) [n] y
SwitchB# sh run | b "Active Zone Database Section for
vsan 100"
!Active Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneB
member zoneA
zoneset activate name zoneset2 vsan 100
do clear zone database vsan 100
!Full Zone Database Section for vsan 100
zone name zoneB vsan 100
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2a
pwwn 22:22:22:22:22:22:22:2b
zone name zoneA vsan 100
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1a
pwwn 11:11:11:11:11:11:11:1b
zoneset name zoneset2 vsan 100
member zoneB
member zoneA
In reference back to the three entities of configuration, they are
as follows on zone A before the zone merge:
Saved configuration: nothing since zone information has not been
saved by issuing the copy run start command.
Running configuration: consists of zone A.
Configured and learned information: consists of zone A.
After the zone merge, the entities are:
Saved configuration: nothing has been saved.
Running configuration: consists of zone A.
Configured and learned information: consists of zone A and zone B.
Zone B has not become part of the running configuration. Zone B
has been learned, and is in the active zoneset. Only when the zone copy
active-zoneset full-zoneset vsan 100 command is issued, zone B becomes
copied from being learned to added to the running configuration. The
configuration looks as follows after the command is issued:
Caution: The zone copy command deletes all fcalias
configuration.
Saved configuration: nothing has been saved.
Running configuration: consists of zone A and zone B.
Configured and learned information: consists of zone A and zone
B.
Commands
By default, the zone in basic mode distributes the active zoneset
database only; this command was introduced in 1.0.4. SAN-OS propagates the
active zoneset and full zoneset database:
zoneset distribute full vsan <vsan_id>
This command must be explicitly enabled on each Virtual Storage
Area Network (VSAN) on every switch, if the zone update or zoneset activation
will be completed on any switch in the fabric with basic zoning. This
eliminates the need to do a zone copy prior to zoning changes completed on any
switch in the fabric. It is still necessary, however, to issue the copy
running start command in order to save to full zoneset in NVRAM prior to
rebooting the switch. This command is not necessary on zone in enhance mode as
it distributes the active zoneset and full zoneset database automatically after
zoneset activation.