Dell PowerConnect Brocade 300 Fabric OS Administrator's Guide v7.1.0 - Page 288

Virtual Fabrics interaction with other Fabric OS features

Page 288 highlights

10 Limitations and restrictions of Virtual Fabrics Virtual Fabrics interaction with other Fabric OS features Table 51 lists some Fabric OS features and considerations that apply when using Virtual Fabrics. TABLE 51 Virtual Fabrics interaction with Fabric OS features Fabric OS feature Virtual Fabrics interaction Access Gateway Virtual Fabrics is not supported on a switch if AG mode is enabled. Admin Domains Virtual Fabrics and Admin Domains are mutually exclusive and are not supported at the same time on a switch. To use Admin Domains, you must first disable Virtual Fabrics; to use Virtual Fabrics, you must first delete all Admin Domains. Refer to "Deleting all user-defined Admin Domains non-disruptively" on page 450 for information on deleting Admin Domains without disrupting device-to-device communication. Configuration upload and download Virtual Fabrics uses a configuration file that is different from the configuration file used to download system configuration parameters. Refer to Chapter 8, "Maintaining the Switch Configuration File," for more information about how Virtual Fabrics affects the configuration file. Encryption Encryption functionality using the FS8-18 blade is available only on the default logical switch. FC-FC Routing Service All EX_Ports must reside in a base switch. You cannot attach EX_Ports to a logical switch that has XISL use enabled. You must use ISLs to connect the logical switches in an edge fabric. Refer to Chapter 24, "Using FC-FC Routing to Connect Fabrics," for more information about Virtual Fabrics and FC-FC routing. FICON Up to two logical switches per chassis can run FICON Management Server (CUP), but the FICON logical switch can use both ISLs and XISLs. Licensing Licenses are applicable for all logical switches in a chassis. Performance monitoring Performance monitors are supported in a limited number of logical switches, depending on the platform type. Refer to Chapter 20, "Monitoring Fabric Performance," for more information about performance monitoring when Virtual Fabrics is enabled. QoS QoS VCs are maintained across the base fabric. Refer to Chapter 21, "Optimizing Fabric Behavior," for more information about using the Adaptive Networking features with Virtual Fabrics. Traffic Isolation Traffic Isolation zones with failover disabled are not supported in logical fabrics. Refer to Chapter 21, "Optimizing Fabric Behavior," for additional information about using TI Zones with Virtual Fabrics. Limitations and restrictions of Virtual Fabrics The maximum number of logical switches per chassis varies depending on the switch model. Table 52 lists the supported platforms and the maximum number of logical switches (including the default logical switch) supported on each. TABLE 52 Platform Maximum number of logical switches per chassis Maximum number of logical switches Brocade DCX 8 Brocade DCX-4S 8 288 Fabric OS Administrator's Guide 53-1002745-02

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288
Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide
53-1002745-02
Limitations and restrictions of Virtual Fabrics
10
Virtual Fabrics interaction with other Fabric OS features
Table 51
lists some Fabric OS features and considerations that apply when using Virtual Fabrics.
Limitations and restrictions of Virtual Fabrics
The maximum number of logical switches per chassis varies depending on the switch model.
Table 52
lists the supported platforms and the maximum number of logical switches (including the
default logical switch) supported on each.
TABLE 51
Virtual Fabrics interaction with Fabric OS features
Fabric OS feature
Virtual Fabrics interaction
Access Gateway
Virtual Fabrics is not supported on a switch if AG mode is enabled.
Admin Domains
Virtual Fabrics and Admin Domains are mutually exclusive and are not supported at the
same time on a switch. To use Admin Domains, you must first disable Virtual Fabrics; to
use Virtual Fabrics, you must first delete all Admin Domains.
Refer to
“Deleting all user-defined Admin Domains non-disruptively”
on page 450 for
information on deleting Admin Domains without disrupting device-to-device
communication.
Configuration upload
and download
Virtual Fabrics uses a configuration file that is different from the configuration file used
to download system configuration parameters. Refer to
Chapter 8, “Maintaining the
Switch Configuration File,”
for more information about how Virtual Fabrics affects the
configuration file.
Encryption
Encryption functionality using the FS8-18 blade is available only on the default logical
switch.
FC-FC Routing Service
All EX_Ports must reside in a base switch.
You cannot attach EX_Ports to a logical switch that has XISL use enabled. You must use
ISLs to connect the logical switches in an edge fabric.
Refer to
Chapter 24, “Using FC-FC Routing to Connect Fabrics,”
for more information
about Virtual Fabrics and FC-FC routing.
FICON
Up to two logical switches per chassis can run FICON Management Server (CUP), but the
FICON logical switch can use both ISLs and XISLs.
Licensing
Licenses are applicable for all logical switches in a chassis.
Performance
monitoring
Performance monitors are supported in a limited number of logical switches, depending
on the platform type. Refer to
Chapter 20, “Monitoring Fabric Performance,”
for more
information about performance monitoring when Virtual Fabrics is enabled.
QoS
QoS VCs are maintained across the base fabric. Refer to
Chapter 21, “Optimizing Fabric
Behavior,”
for more information about using the Adaptive Networking features with
Virtual Fabrics.
Traffic Isolation
Traffic Isolation zones with failover disabled are not supported in logical fabrics. Refer to
Chapter 21, “Optimizing Fabric Behavior,”
for additional information about using TI Zones
with Virtual Fabrics.
TABLE 52
Maximum number of logical switches per chassis
Platform
Maximum number of logical switches
Brocade DCX
8
Brocade DCX-4S
8