connect FI with fc port and zoning

[Amr Hafez]

Hi

I know that FI can work as SAN SW so:

I have UCS blade (virtualized with ESXi) and fabric interconnect in FC switch mode that connected to Netapp FAS and I need to connect Symantec netbackup appliance using FI in FC switch mode then I need to configure zoning from symantec to netapp FAS using the fabric interconnect  

briefly I wanna use FI as a SAN SW to configure zoning between Symantec backup and Netapp FAS

how could I do that ?

and if I could not what is the recommended solution to use ?

[Walter Dey]

Hi Amr

I assume the Symantec netbackup is a external non Cisco pysical server that you want to connect by means of FC to the FI ?

Zoning for FI in FC switch mode is done automatically within UCSM service profile definition, once you do the association; SP defines the FC initator; the FC target is the storage array.

Summary: there is no easy solution for your problem; you would have to define dummy vhba on our SP with exactly the pwwn of your physical server.

Caveat: I don't believe, that attaching non Cisco servers to FI is a TAC supported solution anyway.

Walter.

[Amr Hafez]

Hi Walter 

thanks for reply

you assumption is correct, I used non cisco symantec appliance  server

I could create SP with dummy vHBA easily but I think I could not attach this service profile to non-cisco server ( the need for attaching the SP to the non-cisco server is to apply the configuration on it) 

 I thought that FI could work as SAN SW with all capabilities of SAN SW but depending on your reply I think FI could configure zoning (using SP) for Cisco servers only not any server

[Walter Dey]

Hi Amr

This solution is a mess; you would waste a blade, because this SP has to associated; and the dummy vhba would then create the zone entries.

The FI as a FC SAN was done, for small, lab, PoC setups, avoiding the need for a SAN switch. However, as you see, it has many caveats.

My recommendation: go with a small SAN (typical MDS 9148 or similar are cheap); change the FI to FC end host mode, and then you do your zoning on the MDS; and you have a state of the art, TAC supported configuration.

Walter.