Dell Brocade G620 Brocade 8.0.1 Fabric OS Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Guid - Page 67

Virtual Fabrics

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General Virtual Fabrics troubleshooting

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Fabric identification issues

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Logical Fabric issues

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Base switch issues

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Logical switch issues

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Switch configuration blade compatibility

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Gathering additional information

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General Virtual Fabrics troubleshooting

All of the following constraints apply when the Virtual Fabrics feature is enabled:

∙

The base fabric works only in Brocade native mode, not in an interoperable mode.

∙

The base switch does not have any devices. The base fabric can have devices in remote Layer 2 switches; traffic between those

devices is supported.

∙

Only 12 base switches are recommended to be configured per Virtual Fabric in Fabric OS 8.0.1 and later.

∙

Since an individual base switch cannot have devices, the entire base fabric as such does not have any devices as well. The

devices can be in other logical partitions configured on the same switch or remote switches.

∙

A non-base switch in a Virtual Fabrics-capable chassis must not be part of a fabric that serves as a base fabric for some other

logical fabric traffic. Although software does not detect or prevent users from deploying such a configuration, such a

configuration is not supported.

∙

ICL ports can only be in the base or default switch. If the XISL is turned off, you can connect ICLs to other logical switches.

∙

A default switch can be configured as a base switch in the fixed-port switches, but not in a Brocade Backbone. Fabric IDs of

default switches cannot be manually changed.

∙

The default switch is able to participate in a logical fabric using extended ISLs (XISLs). In the Brocade Backbones, the default

switch does not participate in a logical fabric and is a purely Layer 2 logical switch.

∙

EX_Ports and VEX_Ports are supported in the base switch. EX_Ports cannot be part of any other switch other than the base

switch.

∙

EX_Ports and VEX_Ports cannot connect to a fabric that has a logical switch with the

Allow XISL use

mode on. The port is

disabled with the reason "Conflict: XISL capability domain".

∙

External device sharing is supported through EX_Ports. Internal device sharing (sharing a device in a logical fabric with other

fabrics, without having an EX_Port) is not supported.

∙

A logical fabric cannot have EX_Ports using XISLs and cannot serve as a backbone to any EX_Port traffic. Similarly, the default

switch cannot be part of a fabric that serves as a backbone to any EX_Port traffic.

∙

Traffic Isolation zones with no failover option are not supported in logical fabrics. TI zones defined in the base fabric for logical

fabric traffic must allow failover.

NOTE

The

configure

command has a "Disable FID check" fabric parameter option, which can be used to disable the FID check for

FICON logical switches.

Brocade Fabric OS Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Guide

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Section	Page
Brocade Fabric OS Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Guide	1
Preface	7
Document conventions	7
Text formatting conventions	7
Command syntax conventions	7
Notes, cautions, and warnings	8
Brocade resources	8
Contacting Brocade Technical Support	8
Brocade customers	8
Brocade OEM customers	9
Document feedback	9
About This Document	11
Supported hardware and software	11
Brocade Gen 5 (16-Gbps) fixed-port switches	11
Brocade Gen 5 (16-Gbps) DCX 8510 Directors	11
Brocade Gen 6 fixed-port switches	11
Brocade Gen 6 Directors	12
What's new in this document	12
Introduction	13
Troubleshooting overview	13
Network Time Protocol	13
Most common problem areas	13
Questions for common symptoms	14
Gathering information for your switch support provider	17
Setting up your switch for FTP	17
Using the supportSave command	17
Changing the supportSave timeout value	18
Capturing output from a console	18
Capturing command output	19
Building a case for your switch support provider	19
Basic information	19
Detailed problem information	20
Gathering additional information	21
General Troubleshooting	23
Licenses	23
Time	23
Frame Viewer	23
Switch message logs	24
Switch boot	25
Rolling Reboot Detection	25
Reboot classification	25
Restrictions	26
Collecting limited supportSave output on the Rolling Reboot Detection	27
FC-FC routing connectivity	27
Generating and routing an ECHO	27
Superping	29
Restrictions	31
Routing and statistical information	32
Performance issues	33
Connectivity	35
Port initialization and FCP auto-discovery process	35
Link issues	36
Connection problems	37
Checking the physical connection	37
Checking the logical connection	37
Checking the Name Server	38
Link failures	39
Determining a successful speed negotiation	39
Checking for a loop initialization failure	40
Checking for a point-to-point initialization failure	40
Correcting a port that has come up in the wrong mode	41
Marginal links	41
Troubleshooting a marginal link	42
Device login issues on Fabric switch	43
Pinpointing problems with device logins	44
Device login issues on Access Gateway	45
Media-related issues	46
Testing the external transmit and receive path of a port	46
Testing the internal components of a switch	46
Testing components to and from the HBA	47
Segmented fabrics	47
Reconciling fabric parameters individually	48
Downloading a correct configuration	48
Reconciling a domain ID conflict	48
Reconciling incompatible software features	50
Configuration	51
Configuration upload and download issues	51
Gathering additional information	53
Messages captured in the logs	54
Brocade configuration form	54
Firmware Download Errors	55
Blade troubleshooting tips	55
Firmware download issues	56
Troubleshooting with the firmwareDownload command	58
Gathering additional information	59
USB error handling	59
Considerations for downgrading firmware	59
Preinstallation messages	60
Blade types	61
Firmware versions	61
Platform	62
Routing	62
Security	63
Passwords	63
Password recovery options	63
Device authentication	64
Protocol and certificate management	64
Gathering additional information	65
SNMP	65
Gathering additional information	66
FIPS	66
Virtual Fabrics	67
General Virtual Fabrics troubleshooting	67
Fabric identification issues	68
Logical Fabric issues	68
Base switch issues	68
Logical switch issues	69
Switch configuration blade compatibility	71
Gathering additional information	71
ISL Trunking	73
Link issues	73
Buffer credit issues	74
Getting out of buffer-limited mode	74
Zoning	75
Overview of corrective action	75
Verifying a fabric merge problem	75
Verifying a TI zone problem	75
Segmented fabrics	76
Zone conflicts	77
Resolving zoning conflicts	78
Correcting a fabric merge problem quickly	78
Changing the default zone access	79
Editing zone configuration members	79
Reordering the zone member list	79
Checking for Fibre Channel connectivity problems	80
Checking for zoning problems	81
Gathering additional information	81
Diagnostic Features	83
Fabric OS diagnostics	83
Diagnostic information	83
Power-on self-test	84
Disabling POST	85
Enabling POST	85
Switch status	85
Viewing the overall status of the switch	86
Displaying switch information	86
Displaying the uptime for a switch	87
Using the spinFab and portTest commands	88
Debugging spinFab errors	88
Link errors	89
Tx/Rx errors	89
Clearing the error counters	90
Enabling a port	90
Disabling a port	90
Port information	90
Viewing the status of a port	90
Displaying the port statistics	91
Displaying a summary of port errors for a switch	92
Equipment status	93
Checking the temperature, fan, and power supply	93
Checking the status of the fans	94
Checking the status of a power supply	94
Checking temperature status	94
System message log	95
Displaying the system message log with no page breaks	95
Displaying the system message log one message at a time	95
Clearing the system message log	96
Port log	96
Viewing the port log	96
Syslogd configuration	97
Configuring the host	97
Configuring the switch	98
Specifying syslogd hosts	98
Setting the facility level	98
Removing a syslogd host from the list	99
Automatic trace dump transfers	99
Specifying a remote server	99
Enabling the automatic transfer of trace dumps	99
Setting up periodic checking of the remote server	99
Saving comprehensive diagnostic files to the server	100
Multiple trace dump files support	100
Auto FTP support	100
Trace dump support	101
Switch Type and Blade ID	103
Hexadecimal Conversion	105
Hexadecimal overview	105
Example conversion of the hexadecimal triplet Ox616000	105

Dell Brocade G620 Brocade 8.0.1 Fabric OS Troubleshooting and Diagnostics Guid - Page 67

Virtual Fabrics, General Virtual Fabrics troubleshooting

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