9509 FCP Mainframe Connection

thomas.paul · ‎12-21-2011

Hi

Both our IBM support engineer and our HDS support engineer have suggested that the IBM Z10 has to convert from ficon to FC and therefore may require a "Mainframe Pkg" license on the Cisco 9509 switch. Would you have information to support this?

The Cisco 9509 switch is running SanOS 3.3.1(c). I am attempting to zone a new host (IBM Z10 mainframe) to access storage on my HDS USPV storage subsystem. I have a good fibre link at 4gb. The Z10 can see the WWN of the HDS. The issue is that the Z10 server is presenting to the switch as a target (disk) instead of an initiator (host). As a result, despite zoning these devices together, the HDS does not recognize the WWN of the Z10 when I attempt to provision storage in an HDS port/host group.

Both our IBM support engineer and our HDS support engineer have suggested that the IBM Z10 has to convert from ficon to FC and therefore may require a "Mainframe Pkg" license on the Cisco 9509 switch. Would you have information to support this?

Mainframe FCP definitions, I hope that the following info helps

Switch inventory including components and version numbers.

SAN switch port 8-35 is the Z10 (Mainframe). The WWN of this device is seen however it shows as a target instead of an initiator

Despite proper zoning, the HDS USPV does not see the WWN of the Z10 on its port 1A.

Below is th USPV (SAN Disk - Hitachi) port list, the direct connection was made to port 3F:

#!Version 05_00_00	Basic Information
[Port]
#SLPR	Port Name	Type	Host Speed	Addr.(LoopID)	Fabric	Connection	Attribute	WWN
00:SLPR0	CL1-A	Fibre	Auto	EF (0)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B000
00:SLPR0	CL3-A	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B020
00:SLPR0	CL5-A	Fibre	Auto	E4 (2)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B040
00:SLPR0	CL7-A	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B060
00:SLPR0	CL1-B	Fibre	Auto	E1 (4)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B001
00:SLPR0	CL3-B	Fibre	Auto	E0 (5)	Enable	P-to-P	External	50060E800543B021
00:SLPR0	CL5-B	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B041
00:SLPR0	CL7-B	Fibre	Auto	DA (7)	Enable	P-to-P	External	50060E800543B061
00:SLPR0	CL1-E	Fibre	1 Gbps	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B004
00:SLPR0	CL3-E	Fibre	1 Gbps	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B024
00:SLPR0	CL5-E	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B044
00:SLPR0	CL7-E	Fibre	1 Gbps	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B064
00:SLPR0	CL1-F	Fibre	Auto	C9 (20)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B005
00:SLPR0	CL3-F	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B025
00:SLPR0	CL5-F	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B045
00:SLPR0	CL7-F	Fibre	Auto	C5 (23)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B065
00:SLPR0	CL1-G	Fibre	Auto	98 (48)	Enable	P-to-P	Initiator	50060E800543B006
00:SLPR0	CL3-G	Fibre	Auto	97 (49)	Disable	FC-AL	Initiator	50060E800543B026
00:SLPR0	CL1-H	Fibre	Auto	88 (52)	Enable	P-to-P	RCU Target	50060E800543B007
00:SLPR0	CL3-H	Fibre	Auto	84 (53)	Disable	FC-AL	RCU Target	50060E800543B027
00:SLPR0	CL2-A	Fibre	Auto	D9 (8)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B010
00:SLPR0	CL4-A	Fibre	Auto	D6 (9)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B030
00:SLPR0	CL6-A	Fibre	Auto	D5 (10)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B050
00:SLPR0	CL8-A	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B070
00:SLPR0	CL2-B	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B011
00:SLPR0	CL4-B	Fibre	Auto	D2 (13)	Enable	P-to-P	External	50060E800543B031
00:SLPR0	CL6-B	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B051
00:SLPR0	CL8-B	Fibre	Auto	CE (15)	Enable	P-to-P	External	50060E800543B071
00:SLPR0	CL2-E	Fibre	1 Gbps	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B014
00:SLPR0	CL4-E	Fibre	1 Gbps	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B034
00:SLPR0	CL6-E	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B054
00:SLPR0	CL8-E	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B074
00:SLPR0	CL2-F	Fibre	Auto	B6 (28)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B015
00:SLPR0	CL4-F	Fibre	Auto	B5 (29)	Disable	FC-AL	Target	50060E800543B035
00:SLPR0	CL6-F	Fibre	Auto	E8 (1)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B055
00:SLPR0	CL8-F	Fibre	Auto	B3 (31)	Enable	P-to-P	Target	50060E800543B075
00:SLPR0	CL2-G	Fibre	Auto	80 (56)	Enable	P-to-P	Initiator	50060E800543B016
00:SLPR0	CL4-G	Fibre	Auto	7C (57)	Enable	P-to-P	Initiator	50060E800543B036
00:SLPR0	CL2-H	Fibre	Auto	76 (60)	Enable	P-to-P	RCU Target	50060E800543B017
00:SLPR0	CL4-H	Fibre	Auto	75 (61)	Enable	P-to-P	RCU Target	50060E800543B037

Your help is highly appreciated.

Warm Regards,

Tom Paul

Interactive Data

thomas.paul@interactivedata.com

1-781-687-8146

kenk · ‎12-23-2011

Hi Tom,

Very interesting problem you're reporting.

In general, IBM Mainframes use FICON to talk to their Storage. And, in general, the Mainframe license is

needed for the FICON feature on MDS switches.

If your Z10 is really using FC (no FICON) to talk to storage, then it would be best to work with the

appropriate IBM support team to determine why it is registering itself as a Target (instead of Initiator).

I did do a quick look in the TAC SR database to see if we have any other similar issues but I didn't find any.

Regards,

Ken

thomas.paul · ‎12-24-2011

Thank you, Ken.

I did contact IBM and they don't have a clue either. I contacted Hitachi and their response is switch configuration (CISCO 9509) is ok. So, they plan to take a dump of their storagedevices - which doesn't make sense. But, your response points is very interesting. If you are interested in discussing further, I'll forward the data.

Happy Holidays!

Warm Regards,

Tom

Nisar Sayed · ‎12-28-2011

Tom,

I agree with Ken, you got a interesting issue. Few questions for you?

1) to test, have you tried using FICON feature instead of FCP? You can enable FICON trial period (good for 120 days).

2) setup FICON vsan, zone and test to see if any different result.

3) is there any settings on Z10 to change HBA to discover as initiator, instead of target.

Thanks,

Nisar

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPad App

thomas.paul · ‎12-27-2011

Hi Ken,

Thank you very much for the reply. The mainframe IOCP is generated as 'FCP' connection to the ports below.

The switch config is given below:

They are both zoned correctly and in the active zoneset.

zone name Z10-SANA vsan 101

fcid 0xa20129

fcid 0xa20170

fc3/24 101 0xa20129 50:06:0e:80:05:43:b0:00 50:06:0e:80:05:43:b0:00

fc8/35 101 0xa20170 50:05:07:64:01:e2:a1:74 50:05:07:64:00:cd:1f:d2

The IBM Z10 HBA does not register as target or initiator. It appears that only the Fabric Manager assumes it is a target and very likely based on it’s WWN. The fc4-type registration should not be a factor.