HP BL680c HP Virtual Connect Enterprise Manager User Guide - Page 25

Mixed Virtual Connect firmware versions and firmware compatibility in a VC Domain Group

Page 25 highlights

• Native • Smart Link • Private network • Preferred Link Connection • Preferred Link Connection Speed • Maximum Link Connection • Maximum Link Connection Speed • For each Fibre Channel SAN Fabric: • Fabric name • If VC Domain has firmware 2.0x and later: • Configuration speed • Login distribution • Fabric port location • Number of Fibre Channel SAN Fabrics configured in the VC Domain To add an unconfigured VC Module to a VC Domain Group, the following items must be identical: • Interconnect bays location and model • Enclosure model • Uplinks of the network and Fibre Channel SAN Fabric • Power state of the VC Modules Mixed Virtual Connect firmware versions and firmware compatibility in a VC Domain Group VCEM enables firmware compatibility using current and future versions of Virtual Connect firmware. This feature provides these benefits: • A single VC Domain Group can contain VC Domains running different firmware versions. The following table shows the supported combinations of Virtual Connect firmware within a single VC Domain Group. VC Domain Group VC Domain firmware 2.3x VC Domain firmware 2.1x VC Domain firmware 2.0x VC firmware 2.3x Yes No No VC firmware 2.1x Yes Yes No VC firmware 2.0x Yes Yes Yes * Virtual Connect 2.3x features must be disabled for it to be in the same group as Virtual Connect 2.1x or 2.0x. * Virtual Connect 2.1x features must be disabled for it to be in the same group as Virtual Connect 2.0x. NOTE: If you have a VC Domain Group 2.0x or 2.1x and all the VC Domains have been upgraded to Virtual Connect 2.3x, the group will not automatically function as a VC Domain Group 2.3x. To enable Virtual Connect 2.3x functionality, see Upgrading VC Domain Group Firmware Mode. • VCEM 6.0 might be able to support future versions of Virtual Connect firmware in a compatibility mode. This compatibility mode enables a new Virtual Connect firmware version to be used immediately with a VCEM 6.0 installation. For example, if Virtual Connect released a 2.2x version of its firmware, a domain within a 2.1x VC Domain Group could be upgraded to the 2.2x version of the firmware while preserving the 2.1x level of functionality. The VC Domain Group will operate at the firmware version with which it was created. A subsequent VCEM release would support the new functionality. VC Domains 25

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Native
Smart Link
Private network
Preferred Link Connection
Preferred Link Connection Speed
Maximum Link Connection
Maximum Link Connection Speed
For each Fibre Channel SAN Fabric:
Fabric name
If VC Domain has firmware 2.0x and later:
Configuration speed
Login distribution
Fabric port location
Number of Fibre Channel SAN Fabrics configured in the VC Domain
To add an unconfigured VC Module to a VC Domain Group, the following items must be identical:
Interconnect bays location and model
Enclosure model
Uplinks of the network and Fibre Channel SAN Fabric
Power state of the VC Modules
Mixed Virtual Connect firmware versions and firmware compatibility in a VC Domain Group
VCEM enables firmware compatibility using current and future versions of Virtual Connect firmware. This
feature provides these benefits:
A single VC Domain Group can contain VC Domains running different firmware versions. The following
table shows the supported combinations of Virtual Connect firmware within a single VC Domain Group.
VC firmware 2.0x
VC firmware 2.1x
VC firmware 2.3x
VC Domain Group
Yes
Yes
Yes
VC Domain firmware 2.3x
Yes
Yes
No
VC Domain firmware 2.1x
Yes
No
No
VC Domain firmware 2.0x
* Virtual Connect 2.3x features must be disabled for it to be in the same group as Virtual Connect 2.1x
or 2.0x.
* Virtual Connect 2.1x features must be disabled for it to be in the same group as Virtual Connect
2.0x.
NOTE:
If you have a VC Domain Group 2.0x or 2.1x and all the VC Domains have been upgraded
to Virtual Connect 2.3x, the group will not automatically function as a VC Domain Group 2.3x.
To enable Virtual Connect 2.3x functionality, see
Upgrading VC Domain Group Firmware Mode
.
VCEM 6.0 might be able to support future versions of Virtual Connect firmware in a compatibility mode.
This compatibility mode enables a new Virtual Connect firmware version to be used immediately with a
VCEM 6.0 installation. For example, if Virtual Connect released a 2.2x version of its firmware, a domain
within a 2.1x VC Domain Group could be upgraded to the 2.2x version of the firmware while preserving
the 2.1x level of functionality. The VC Domain Group will operate at the firmware version with which it was
created. A subsequent VCEM release would support the new functionality.
VC Domains
25