Brocade Communications Systems Network Advisor 12.3.0, User Manual

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Brocade Network Advisor SAN User Manual 1019
53-1003154-01
Configuring a switch for FICON operation
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Observe the following best practices:
•
Always check the version of firmware on a switch
•
Unless otherwise advised by a certified Fabric OS support professional, always load the
most recently qualified firmware.
•
Before upgrading or downgrading firmware read the upgrade and downgrade
considerations in the firmware release notes.
4. If incorporating more than one switch into a fabric, refer to planning steps in “Cascaded FICON
fabric” on page 1033.
5. Make a record of the following information for the switch:
•
Fabric name.
•
Switch name.
•
Domain ID (DID).
Domain IDs are entered in either decimal or hexadecimal. If you enter the domain ID in
decimal, ensure you use the correct hexadecimal equivalent. For example, if the first byte
of the link address is 33, then the domain ID in decimal is 51. Also, use a domain ID that is
the hexadecimal equivalent of the Switch ID in the IOCP. For example, for Switch ID 1F, set
Domain ID to 31 in decimal or 1F in hexadecimal.
The recommended best practice is the make the hexadecimal equivalent of the domain ID
match the switch ID in HCD or IOCP. Also, use a unique domain ID for every switch,
although this is obviously not possible in very large data centers.
•
Fabric ID (FID).
Configure a FID if you are enabling a virtual fabric. A FID can be any number between
1-128, and all switches in the same fabric must have the same FID. Note that FMS cannot
be enabled in the default switch on the 8-slot Backbone Chassis or 16 Gbps 8-slot
Backbone Chassis. Therefore, the recommended best practice is leave the default switch
FID at 128 and create a new logical switch for all FICON ports. A simple FID numbering
scheme starting from 1 is recommended. There is no correlation between the FID and the
DID.
•
Management IP address.
•
Administrator password.
Although the Management application is typically configured for managing the switch as
an admin user, root will also work. The default admin password is “password.” You do not
need to change the password during installation; however if the password is changed, the
password for device discovery must be changed also. Although launched from the
Management application, Element Manager (Web Tools) passwords do not propagate the
Management application.
The recommended best practice is to create identical passwords for all switches in the
same fabric. This not only simplifies discovery, but in most cases since users are given
access to a fabric, not an individual switch, there are fewer passwords to remember and
maintain.
•
Call home number.
This may not apply. If using a call home service you will need the phone number for the
service and an understanding of what is being covered in the service agreement.