HP StorageWorks 4000/6000/8000 .HP StorageWorks SAN Design Reference Guide, Pa - Page 66

B-series fabric groups In B-series routing configurations, devices in different fabrics can be grouped to form LSANs. An LSAN is similar to a Fibre Channel zone, but can extend through a router to include devices in other fabrics. This configuration, which includes the physical fabrics (subnetworks), LSANs, and router, is called a Meta SAN. A Meta SAN consolidates multiple fabrics into a single entity. Figure 16 shows Fabric 1, Fabric 2, and Fabric 3, each containing one or more switches. Any B-series switch can be used in these fabrics. In each fabric, the switches must use the same version of switch firmware for like switches and must have the same variable settings (for example, R_A_TOV). Each fabric has a unique set of fabric services. See "B-series switches and fabric rules" on page 93 for fabric restrictions. Fabrics connected with routing must comply with configuration rules for a routed fabric. (See "1606 Extension SAN Switch and DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blade fabric rules" on page 112, "Fibre Channel routing, 400 MP Router, and MP Router Blade fabric rules" on page 116, and "MP Router fabric rules" on page 121.) The fabrics can have identical domain names and zoning definitions. The 1606 Extension SAN Switches or DC Dir Switch MP Extension Blades and MP Routers also provide FCIP capabilities, allowing implementation of Fibre Channel routing and FCIP SAN extension. (See Integration of Fibre Channel routing and FCIP on page 76.) B-series fabric partitioning using Virtual Fabrics In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several Virtual Fabrics (Figure 17). Each Virtual Fabric has its own set of resources, such as administrator and users, Name Server, and zoning database. Devices can be shared across multiple Virtual Fabric administrative domains using IFR, thus increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and Virtual Fabrics with IFR are included on all B-series switches using firmware 5.2x (or later) without the need for a router. B-series Virtual Fabrics architecture In B-series configurations, a switched fabric is partitioned into several logical switches and logical fabrics Figure 17) by using the Virtual Fabrics feature. Logical switches within a physical switch can be created by dividing the switch ports and assigning them to individual logical switches. An FID also must be configured to each logical switch. A logical fabric is a fabric that contains at least one logical switch; but logical switches can be connected to other logical switches with the same FID to form logical fabrics across multiple switches. Devices can be shared across multiple logical fabrics using IFR, thus increasing resource sharing. B-series Virtual Fabrics and Virtual Fabrics with IFR are included on B-series switch model:s DC SAN Backbone Director, DC04 Director, 8/80 SAN Switch and 8/40 SAN Switch only. C-series fabric partitioning In C-series configurations, a single fabric is partitioned into several subnetworks or logical groups of switches or switch ports called VSANs. The group of VSANs is called a SAN. Figure 18 shows VSAN 1, VSAN 2, and VSAN 3, each a set of switch ports on one or more C-series switches. A VSAN can extend across multiple switches. Each VSAN has a unique set of fabric services with independent fabric management. VSANs can share devices by using the license-enabled IVR function. IVR is distributed across all switches in the SAN, and there is no separate router hardware. Because the switches are a connected set, they must run the same version of switch firmware. 66 Fibre Channel routing