4-switch fabric design question

[Anonymous]

Hey all,

I am looking to set up a fabric with 4 Brocade switches, in the following manner:

200e <4gbps> 300 <8gps long range> 300 <4gbps> 4100

As you can see, i have 2 pairs of switches, over a long-distance link.

Having never joined more than 2 Brocade switches together, I have a few questions.

1) Do I need any specific license other than 'Fabric' to join these 4 switches together?

2) Is there any specific release of Fabric OS that would be a minumum requirement for this design?  I think I can upgrade all of these switches to the latest/greatest release.

3) Any issues to watch out for with this config?  Seems pretty simple to me, but wanted to check with the experts on things that might be a problem.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hi miket1

>1) Do I need any specific license other than 'Fabric' to join these 4  switches together?

No you don't require a specific license if you want to join these 4 switches together.

>2) Is there any specific release of Fabric OS that would be a minumum  requirement for this design?  I think I can upgrade all of these  switches to the latest/greatest release.

I would get them up to the latest FABOS that the switches support on the support matrix.

.>3) Any issues to watch out for with this config?  Seems pretty simple to  me, but wanted to check with the experts on things that might be a  problem.

I would also hardset my E ports on the ISL links between the switches your connecting them to.

Good luck

David

[Antonio Bongiorno T…]

--->>> 200e <4gbps> 300 <8gps long range> 300 <4gbps> 4100

---->>> As you can see, i have 2 pairs of switches,.....

what you mean with

"As you can see,"

Sorry, i cannot see any Attachment

--->>>...over a long-distance link.

Kilometer ???

--->>> 1) Do I need any specific license other than 'Fabric' to join these 4 switches together?

Try the command "licenseshow" on all Switches, and post the o/p here.

[Anonymous]

are you trying to connect these over a long distance? what is the distance? do you need to connect ISLs? if yes, then over the distance confirmation and SFP confirmation, licenses can come in to the scenario. Up to 10 KM you do not need licenses, but you have to do the ISL port configuration.

Pls clearly mention , which type of design do you want.

As per FOS it is always recommended to go to the latest ones and check the FOS compatibilty also

[Anonymous]

Thanks David!

[Anonymous]

Hey TechHelp,

Sorry there was no attachment to the post - my cheap ascii diagram of the two pairs of switches was meant to illustrate how the switches would be connected.

I have two pairs of switches, separated by a long distance.

One pair of switches is (or rather will be) a Brocade 200e, and a Brocade 300.   The second pair is a Brocade 300 and a Brocade 4100.

The 200E / 300 pair is in the local data center, the 300 / 4100 pair is in the remote data center.  These two data centers are about 20 miles apart, so I believe 30 KM long range SFP lasers will be needed.

Here's the ASCII picture again:

200e <4gbps> 300 <8gps long range> 300 <4gbps> 4100

I'll be using a single (non-ISL) 4gbps fiber to connect the 200e/300  and the 300 / 4100 together.

The two Brocade 300 switches connect via a single (non-ISL) 8gbps line, running over the dark fiber, with long-range 30 KM lasers on both ends.

I haven't yet purchased the two Brocade 300 switches yet, I wanted to check with the forums on the design and any licensing issues beforehand.

The licenses on the 4100 are:

BackupSAN:root> licenseShow
RRSyb9dQy9SSTzcA:  Web license
SSezcSec9RTTf0df:    Zoning license
bRzyd9QezccS0ze7:   Fabric license
SQRczeb9ddThSd0n:   First Ports on Demand license - additional 8 port upgrade license
SQRczeb9ddTRWd0b:   Second Ports on Demand license - additional 8 port upgrade license

The licenses on the 200e are:

ColoSan:admin> licenseshow
be9ySbcRzRcfAzTl:    Web license
dcbS9zS9yedcTAV:    Zoning license
Sz9ybdyeRV0Azc5:    Fabric Watch license
RceSceSc9QSdfTds:    Fabric license

Thanks for your time on this!

[Anonymous]

Hey Hemnant,

Yes I'm connecting these switches over about 20 miles (I believe a 30KM laser will work, that's what we are using on some 10gig over other dark fiber in this connection to the remote data center already).

The plan is to use a single 8gbps fiber channel connection, long range laser, to connect the 2 Brocade 300 switches together.  We would not be using trunking at all.

Do we need a special license to do the ISL with a 30KM long range laser?

Thanks for your time on this!

[Antonio Bongiorno T…]

I'm here a bit confused,

--->>> I'll be using a single (non-ISL) 4gbps fiber to connect the 200e/300  and the 300 / 4100 together.

How you will connect this switch without ISL ? Please explain me.

About License this show fine, but you need for long distance a Extended Fabric License.

[Anonymous]

>> --->>> I'll be using a single (non-ISL) 4gbps fiber to connect the 200e/300  and the 300 / 4100 together.

>> How you will connect this switch without ISL ? Please explain me.

Ahh - sorry - I used the wrong term here.  What I meant is all of these switches will be linked together with a single fiber channel link, without "ISL Trunking" (won't be using multiple links trunked together to connect them together).

I had not heard about the Extended Fabric license, but in doing some research, it sounds like you need that if the distance between your switches is over 10KM - is that correct?

Thanks again for all of your help!

[Antonio Bongiorno T…]

--->>>... I used the wrong term here. .... without "ISL Trunking"......

for correct definition between ISL and Trunking, see the Brocade Glossary, which is available for download here

http://www.brocade.com/downloads/documents/glossaries/Brocade_SAN_glossary.pdf

--->>>.....it sounds like you need that if the distance between your switches is over 10KM - is that correct?

correct