HP 316095-B21 FW 08.01.00 McDATA EFCM Basic User Manual (620-000240-000, Novem - Page 97

Understanding Zoning 4 Merging Zoned Fabrics Managed products are linked through Interswitch Links (ISLs) to form multiswitch fabrics. In a multiswitch fabric, the active zoning configuration applies to the entire fabric. Any change to the configuration applies to all switches in the fabric. When fabrics join through an ISL, adjacent managed products exchange active zone configurations and determine if the configurations are compatible and can merge. Zoning configurations are compatible if the active zone names in each fabric are unique. If there are identical zone names in each fabric, then the zones must have identical members for the fabrics to join. If the configurations can merge, the fabrics join. The resulting configuration will be a single zone set containing zone definitions from each fabric. If configurations cannot merge, the expansion ports (E_Ports) on each product become segmented. Segmented E_Ports cannot carry traffic from attached devices (class 2 or 3 traffic), but can carry management and control traffic (class F traffic) between managed products. Rules for Merging Zoned Fabrics Certain rules are enforced to ensure that zoning is consistent across the fabric. Table 4-2 on page 4-12 summarizes rules for joining two fabrics through an ISL. The following terms are used in the table: • Not zoned-No zone set is active in the fabric and the default zone is enabled. All devices in the fabric are visible to all other devices in the fabric. • Zoned-A zone set is active in the fabric and/or the default zone is disabled. Devices can discover other devices that are members of the same zone. • Zoning configuration-Combination of the active zone set definition and the default zone state (enabled or disabled). Configuring Zoning 4-11