EMC Connectrix EC-1100 System, User Manual

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4
Merging Zoned Fabrics
4-29
Fabric Zoning
Merging Zoned Fabrics
Connectrix ED-1032s are linked through ISLs to form multiswitch
fabrics. In a multiswitch fabric, the active zoning configuration
applies to the entire fabric. Any change to the configuration applies to
all devices in the fabric.
When fabrics join through an ISL, adjacent directors exchange active
zone configurations and determine if the configurations are
compatible and can merge. If the configurations can merge, the
fabrics join. The resulting configuration will be a single zone set
containing zone definitions from each fabric.
If configurations cannot merge, the E_Ports on each director become
segmented. Segmented E_Ports cannot carry traffic from attached
devices (class 2 or 3 traffic), but can carry management and control
traffic (class F traffic) from each director.
Zoning configurations are compatible if zones with the same names
in each fabric have identical members. A unique feature of the
ED-1032 is the ability to merge active zone sets that do not share the
same zone set name.
Rules for Merging
Zoned Fabrics
Certain rules are enforced to ensure that zoning is consistent across
the fabric. Table 4-1 on page 4-30 summarizes rules for joining two
fabrics through an ISL. The following terms are used in the table:
• Not zoned — No zone set is active in the fabric and the default
zone is enabled. In other words, all devices in the fabric are visible
to all other devices in the fabric.
CAUTION
!
This is not a valid state for the Connectrix environment.
•
Zoned
— A zone set is active in the fabric and/or the default zone
is disabled. In this case, devices can discover other devices that
are members of the same zone.
• Zoning configuration — Combination of the active zone set
definition and the default zone state (enabled or disabled).