Dell Brocade G620 Brocade 8.0.1 Fabric OS Administratiors Guide - Page 301

Zone configurations, Zoning enforcement, Hardware-enforced zoning

Page 301 highlights

Administering Advanced Zoning Zone configurations A zone configuration is a group of one or more zones. A zone can be included in more than one zone configuration. When a zone configuration is in effect, all zones that are members of that configuration are in effect. Several zone configurations can reside on a switch at once, and you can quickly alternate between them. For example, you might want to have one configuration enabled during the business hours and another enabled overnight. However, only one zone configuration can be enabled at a time. The different types of zone configurations are: ∙ Defined configuration The complete set of all zone objects defined in the fabric. ∙ Effective configuration A single zone configuration that is currently in effect. The effective configuration is built when you enable a specified zone configuration. ∙ Saved configuration A copy of the defined configuration plus the name of the effective configuration, which is saved in flash memory. (You can also provide a backup of the zone configuration and restore the zone configuration.) There might be differences between the saved configuration and the defined configuration if you have modified any of the zone definitions and have not saved the configuration. ∙ Disabled configuration The effective configuration is removed from flash memory. If you disable the effective configuration, the Advanced Zoning feature is disabled on the fabric, and all devices within the fabric can communicate with all other devices (unless you previously set up a default zone, as described in Default zoning mode on page 318). This does not mean that the zone database is deleted, however, only that there is no configuration active in the fabric. On power-up, the switch automatically reloads the saved configuration. If a configuration was active when it was saved, the same configuration is reinstated on the local switch. Zoning enforcement Zoning enforcement describes a set of predefined rules that the switch uses to determine where to send incoming data. Fabric OS uses hardware-enforced zoning. Hardware-enforced zoning means that each frame is checked by hardware (the ASIC) before it is delivered to a zone member and is discarded if there is a zone mismatch. When hardware-enforced zoning is active, the Fabric OS switch monitors the communications and blocks any frames that do not comply with the effective zone configuration. The switch performs this blocking at the transmit side of the port on which the destination device is located. There are two methods of hardware enforcement: ∙ Frame-based hardware enforcement: All frames are checked by the hardware. ∙ Session-based hardware enforcement: The only frames checked by hardware are the ELS frames (such as PLOGI and RNID) used to establish a session. The hardware-enforcement method used depends on how the zones are configured. A zone can contain all WWN members, or all D,I members, or a combination of WWN and D,I members. Frame-based hardware enforcement is in effect if all members of a zone are identified the same way, either using WWNs or D,I notation, but not both. If the zone includes aliases, then the aliases must also be defined the same way as the zone. Session-based hardware enforcement is in effect if the zone has a mix of WWN and D,I members. Brocade Fabric OS Administration Guide, 8.0.1 53-1004111-02 301

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Zone configurations
A
zone configuration
is a group of one or more zones. A zone can be included in more than one zone configuration. When a zone
configuration is in effect, all zones that are members of that configuration are in effect.
Several zone configurations can reside on a switch at once, and you can quickly alternate between them. For example, you might want to
have one configuration enabled during the business hours and another enabled overnight. However, only one zone configuration can be
enabled at a time.
The different types of zone configurations are:
Defined configuration
The complete set of all zone objects defined in the fabric.
Effective configuration
A single zone configuration that is currently in effect. The effective configuration is built when you enable a specified zone
configuration.
Saved configuration
A copy of the defined configuration plus the name of the effective configuration, which is saved in flash memory. (You can also
provide a backup of the zone configuration and restore the zone configuration.) There might be differences between the saved
configuration and the defined configuration if you have modified any of the zone definitions and have not saved the
configuration.
Disabled configuration
The effective configuration is removed from flash memory.
If you disable the effective configuration, the Advanced Zoning feature is disabled on the fabric, and all devices within the fabric can
communicate with all other devices (unless you previously set up a default zone, as described in
Default zoning mode
on page 318).
This does not mean that the zone database is deleted, however, only that there is no configuration active in the fabric.
On power-up, the switch automatically reloads the saved configuration. If a configuration was active when it was saved, the same
configuration is reinstated on the local switch.
Zoning enforcement
Zoning enforcement describes a set of predefined rules that the switch uses to determine where to send incoming data. Fabric OS uses
hardware-enforced zoning.
Hardware-enforced zoning
means that each frame is checked by hardware (the ASIC) before it is delivered to
a zone member and is discarded if there is a zone mismatch. When hardware-enforced zoning is active, the Fabric OS switch monitors
the communications and blocks any frames that do not comply with the effective zone configuration. The switch performs this blocking
at the transmit side of the port on which the destination device is located.
There are two methods of hardware enforcement:
Frame-based hardware enforcement: All frames are checked by the hardware.
Session-based hardware enforcement: The only frames checked by hardware are the ELS frames (such as PLOGI and RNID)
used to establish a session.
The hardware-enforcement method used depends on how the zones are configured.
A zone can contain all WWN members, or all D,I members, or a combination of WWN and D,I members.
Frame-based hardware enforcement is in effect if all members of a zone are identified the same way, either using WWNs or D,I notation,
but not both. If the zone includes aliases, then the aliases must also be defined the same way as the zone.
Session-based hardware enforcement is in effect if the zone has a mix of WWN and D,I members.
Administering Advanced Zoning
Brocade Fabric OS Administration Guide, 8.0.1
53-1004111-02
301