Dell PowerConnect Brocade 300 Fabric OS Administrator's Guide v7.1.0 - Page 309

Zoning overview 11 Identifying the enforced zone type Use the following procedure to identify zones and zone types: 1. Connect to the switch and log in using an account with admin permissions. 2. Enter the portZoneShow command, using the following syntax: portzoneshow Considerations for zoning architecture Table 54 lists considerations for zoning architecture. TABLE 54 Item Considerations for zoning architecture Description Type of zoning enforcement: frameor session-based If security is a priority, frame-based hardware enforcement is recommended. The best way to do this is to use WWN identification exclusively for all zoning configurations. Use of aliases The use of aliases is optional with zoning. Using aliases requires structure when defining zones. Aliases aid administrators of zoned fabrics in understanding the structure and context. Effect of changes in a production fabric Zone changes in a production fabric can result in a disruption of I/O under conditions when an RSCN is issued because of the zone change and the HBA is unable to process the RSCN fast enough. Although RSCNs are a normal part of a functioning SAN, the pause in I/O might not be acceptable. For these reasons, you should perform zone changes only when the resulting behavior is predictable and acceptable. Ensuring that the HBA drivers are current can shorten the response time in relation to the RSCN. Testing Before implementing a new zone, you should run the Zone Analyzer from Web Tools to isolate any possible problems. This is especially useful as fabrics increase in size. Confirming operation After changing or enabling a zone configuration, you should confirm that the nodes and storage can identify and access one another. Depending on the platform, you might need to reboot one or more nodes in the fabric with the new changes. Zoning can be implemented and administered from any switch in the fabric, although it is recommended that you use a switch running the latest Fabric OS version. The zone configuration is managed on a fabric basis. When a change in the configuration is saved, enabled, or disabled according to the transactional model, it is automatically (by closing the transaction) distributed to all switches in the fabric, preventing a single point of failure for zone information. NOTE Zoning commands make changes that affect the entire fabric. When executing fabric-level configuration tasks, allow time for the changes to propagate across the fabric before executing any subsequent commands. For a large fabric, you should wait several minutes between commands. Fabric OS Administrator's Guide 309 53-1002745-02